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FROM TOP Molinia
caerulea subsp. caerulea The
‘Heidebraut’ in the river
Gardener’s
of grasses at Trentham
Gardens. Miscanthus Diary
sinensis ‘Ferner Osten’

OCTOBER 8 & 18
NGS OPEN DAYS,
PICTON GARDEN
Known for its fantastic
autumn displays, the Picton
Garden in Herefordshire holds
the National Collection of
Plan tin g I dea s Michaelmas daisies (autumn-
flowering asters). Open 11am–
A UTUMN GRASSE S 5pm both days; admission,
£3.50. autumnasters.co.uk
ost ornamental grasses will buff brown plumes. The molinias or purple
stay intact through the latter moor grasses are excellent in autumn, their
part of the year, providing leaves turning butter-yellow. ‘Poul Petersen’
useful colour and structure in forms strong clumps of upright stems up to
Mthe autumn, when herbaceous 90cm, while ‘Heidebraut’ is slightly taller at
plants are dying back. Some are particularly 1.2 metres. A grass I am longing to try is the
vibrant, picking up on the colours of the trees evergreen Chionochloa rubra (1 metre) from New OCTOBER 15
to echo their shades of russet and yellow, Zealand, which produces distinctive, rounded CHRISTOPHER
but with lower, softer silhouettes and lots of clumps of delicate copper-brown foliage. BRADLEY-HOLE TALK
movement. Using them is easy. The landscape designer
Weave them into a herbaceous CULTIVATION will be discussing his work
border, or create more impact Panicum and miscanthus are with Tim Richardson at the
in larger gardens by repeat warm-climate grasses that will Garden Museum, London.
planting, as Piet Oudolf did at thrive in full sun in a reason- The talk runs from 6.30–8pm
Scampston Hall in North York- ably moist and fertile soil; they and costs £20 (£5 for
shire, with his sinuous banks will also tolerate dry soils but friends of the museum).
of Molinia caerulea subsp. won’t grow as readily. Flower- gardenmuseum.org.uk
caerulea ‘Poul Petersen’. Some ing late in the season, they will
grasses are deciduous while stay intact all winter and
others are evergreen. It is the should be cut back in late win-
deciduous grasses that can ter or early spring to make way
dramatically change colour for new growth. The molinias
during the autumn. are cool-climate grasses that
also like a moisture-retentive
SPECIES AND soil and full sun. However, OCTOBER 16–18
CULTIVARS because they are European LES JOURNEES
Of the deciduous grasses, the panicums are natives, they are more likely to survive an DES PLANTES
always good value in autumn. P. virgatum excessively wet winter. Chionochloa rubra, on The well-loved Courson plant
‘Shenandoah’ (1.2 metres) has red-tipped leaves the other hand, is trickier to please, and will show has moved to Chantilly,
that turn a spectacular deep burgundy, while not do well in heavy soils. Planting it in an where it is to be held in the
‘Northwind’ (1.5 metres) has blue-grey foliage open, sunny spot in a fertile, well-drained soil, spectacular grounds of the
that turns yellowy orange. Most cultivars of will give it the best chance of survival. chateau. The autumn show
Miscanthus sinensis look good in autumn, with will host 250 nursery and
their distinctive plumes fading to silvery white WHERE TO SEE AND BUY floral exhibitors from all
as the season goes on, but possibly the best for Visit Knoll Gardens near Wimborne in Dorset, over Europe. Open daily
autumn colour is ‘Ferner Osten’, with sprays of or buy plants from the nursery by mail order. 10am–7pm; tickets €16.50. GAP PHOTOS
leaves that turn bright coppery red underneath knollgardens.co.uk domainedechantilly.com

42 NOVEMBER 2015 HOUSEANDGARDEN.CO.UK