Now, don’t blame me, I know it looks like food for the cattle! When Myra first insisted that she wanted this in our garden I honestly thought she had lost the plot. Look! I have even framed it to see if that helps. Well anyway she said, before long you will see the value of this lovely grass, and you will end up being fond of it.
Lets talk Daffodils, I digress a little, but this plant reminds me of when B-a-g commented on a post which I had on the Daffodil Jetfire. B-a-g said he was not fond of Daffodils. Well I couldn’t understand, why would anyone not like Daffodils, I replied, as gardening is quite new to you, probably you will end up liking or even learn to like them. What a load of tosh! if he doesn’t like the bloody things he just doesn’t like them.
Back to Carex Buchananii, after ten years of it being in the garden do I now like it, well, eh, hmm, ok yes!! in the Summer that is, but I still think it looks hellish in Winter. Fair enough I may be easy won over, but Myra does have a persuasive manner.
Buchananii is also commonly known as the New Zealand Leather leaf sedge. It is extremely hardy and will grow in any position except maybe total shade, not fussy at all regarding the soil. This everbrown plants appearance is much the same in Winter as it is in the Summer. However in Summer you are aware that it is alive when you see seed heads appearing. I have to admit, it does make a good contrast for other plants and when the sun rays catch it you may be pleasantly surprised. In mid Summer when this Carex starts to get untidy get out a large pair of scissors, gather the whole plant in one hand and cut a good few inches off it, we generally keep the plant to a height of 45cm. There is a form of the plant named Carex Buchananii red rooster, with foliage more rusty red in appearance, which you or I for that matter may have a preference for.
See, kind of works, doesn’t it.
_________________________________________________
If you need a colour fix, here is some of the new Lilies planted in the garden in early Spring. They flowered from late July with a few still hanging on till September.
Tree Lily Anastasia (Orienpet)
_________________________________________________
Tree Lily Honemoon (Orienpet)
________________________________________________
Tree Lily Miss Lily – (Orienpet)
_______________________________________________
Asiatic Lily Lollipop Asiatic Lily Pearl Jennifer
Asiatic Lily Rosellas Dream Asiatic Lily Pearl Stacey
___________________________________________________
Asiatic Tiger style Lily – Sweet Surrender
_________________________________________________
Asiatic Tiger style Lily – Hiawatha
_________________________________________________
Finally The Tree Lily Lesley Woodriff
© 2011, Alistair. All rights reserved.
I don’t mind them, Alistair! On their own, the Carex aren’t all that terrific, but as part of that garden bed of yours, I think they add a lot of interest. Myra, I applaud your choice! Of yes, the Lilies are gorgeous too, most especially that beautiful Hiawatha … who comes up with these names?
Bernieh recently posted..Flower Flaunt On Friday … Our First Week Of Spring.
Hello Bernie, I will let Myra Know, she did actually win me over completely. Yes they do come up with some interesting plant names.
Hi there
You’ve used it beautifully, I’m not a huge grasses/sedges fan (shoot me now) far prefer something with a flower you don’t need to dissect to see the beauty of it. However for contrast, form and structure, they are useful.
I love lilies, when tunnel up I will have some, I’ve ‘no/limited/inconsistent’ shelter!
I have to say though, I do have Carex pendula given by a chum, again not a huge fan, but it’s tough!
I know what you mean Fay, but I have come round to them myself.
I love em. They look great with blue fescue’s and grey leafed plants. They freeze out here every winter. I’m trying a orange variety this year, however I do not like it as well. The foliage is, well, different.
Greggo recently posted..Snow in Kansas
Yes, I think I have well and truly come round to it Greggo.
Well, I think they look OK in winter – low sunlight shining through them. However your blog piece has made me think that they are the crazy grass relations of the tibetan terrier. Loved the lilies though.
Great analogy Catherine. When I leave a comment on your blog your word verification system leaves one wondering if the comment is passed on for moderation or not.
I like the look of this grass in your garden – it is very unusual. The lilies are gorgeous, thank you for so many wonderful pictures.
Masha recently posted..Late Summer Garden Shot for GGW
It seems to work for some and not others Masha.
Your lilies are gorgeous! The Carex, hmmm… not sure. I do, however, like them in the wide garden shot. I wonder if b_a_g ever learned to like daffodils.
Holleygarden recently posted..Cinco de Mayo
Holley I will have to have a chat with b-a-g.
This gave me a wry smile – I really want to like these buff coloured carex, I grew lots myself last year. Then I revised my plan for the Magnolia border and didn’t quite know where to put them. The ones I planted in pots with other things have sulked, the ones I bunged in a border at the front of the house have sulked. The one I left in a pot by itself is looking rather wonderful, if a little Cousin It. But I still don’t know how to use them. I can see the rhythm in your planting, and they do have a rather wonderful shape. For myself I think a massed group of them interwoven with rusty coloured verbascums or iris might be rather striking, but my heart remains unconvinced.
Janet/Plantaliscious recently posted..Almost Wordless Wednesday: Fledgling Takes Refuge In The Tomatoes…
Yes Janet, its so very easy to be indecisive regarding this one.
Cousin It! Perfect Janet!
Sorry for the enthusiasm but I just had to reply. I love the Cousin It description.
Bom recently posted..Poker Phase
I have to say that I like the way your Carex fits into your back garden. But that’s just me and I do like the “different looking” plants.
I surrender to your “Sweet Surrender”. It’s a beauty among all your lovely lilies.
Bom recently posted..Poker Phase
Yes Bom, sweet surrender is a beauty. As for cousin it, I didn’t like to show my ignorance. Got it now Janet, after a bit of research. Doesn’t that just make it even funnier.
I must confess that I not crazy about the Carex Buchananii, although it looks nice with the red begonias. Your lilies are just glorious though. I especially like the Tree Lily Anastasia (Orienpet).
Jennifer@threedogsinagarden recently posted..The Vulture Circles!
Your not alone Jennifer.
Yes, I see what you mean about the grass…it does work the way you have it! Beautiful lilies!!
Hi Alistair – I can’t make up my mind about the Carex Buchananii. I love the form, but the colour? I think I prefer Carex Evergold. But your Lilies? They are absolutely stunning!
Christine recently posted..Garden Lessons learned
Definitely not to everyone’s taste Christine.
Hi Alistair, we grew carex buchananii in Orkney. P always disliked it intensely and thought it looked like dead grass. We don’t have it in our present garden but there are so many others we compromise!
Most of our lilies are finished. Yours look wonderful.
Janet at Planticru Notes recently posted..Radical Action Part 2 A Touch of Spice
It is difficult to like Janet.
My husband is dead set against grasses like this in the garden, but I think they add a lot of interest. Maybe I could sneak a few in and ask him to see if they’ll grow on him!
Those lilies are absolutely beautiful!
Ginny recently posted..Moving in a holy dance
I think you should Ginny, even if it is just to wind him up.
Alistair – I still don’t like jetfire daffodils, but on the other hand your lilies are to die for.
The Carex makes me smile because it reminds me of Rod Stewart’s hairstyle.
b-a-g recently posted..Hollyhock (03 SEP 2011)
Hi b-a-g, I am kinda glad you still don’t like them. Brilliant, I am still a fan of Rod Stewart, I will always associate him with yourself and dead grass from now on. Just off to the garden centre, packed out with gorgeous daff bulbs at the moment.
Wow that grass really looks very familiar to us in these tropical setting, especially during dry months when they are all brown and dead. But yours is alive which makes it more interesting. If that is here, even if alive, that will not look nice. In your arrangements it fits perfectly though. It might fit anything in your garden which is full of vivid colors.
andrea recently posted..Recent Finds outside our yard
Looks as dead as tumbleweed Andrea
I do like grasses in the garden and have tried carex frosty curls but they didn’t like me. Now I grow different forms of lomandra, it is easygoing and green. And what a lot of different liliums you have – they are all so beautiful.
Catmint, I will keep a look out for the grasses you mention.
We used to have loads of that Carex which we gradually thinned in time. It self seeds too but never found it a nuisance. Love all of your Asiatic lilies!
Mark and Gaz recently posted..Bottom’s Up!
Mark&Gaz Yes some plants you can have just too many of.
For a plant you didn’t care for, you’ve used beautifully a created a bit of rhythm in your space. And the lillies, thanks for sharing those images. I really like ‘Hiawatha’ and it’s sounds American bred with the native American name.
Patrick’s Garden recently posted..Best of the Specialty Catalogs 2011
Thanks Patrick, good colour that Hiawatha Lily.
Yes for me ‘Cousin It’ did come to mind (I might be tempted to add some eyes if I were you) but really in the larger picture it creates a nice contrasting texture. (That may be the most garden-design thing I have ever written–) Your lilies are awesome! And the bulb catalogs are here…
Linniew recently posted..To everything a season
Linniew, cousin it had me baffled for a while. Whats new!
No, not for me. Love ‘everbrown’. The world splits into those who like grasses and those who don’t I think. I have a sneaking admiration for Alberto’s garden, but it’s not what I would want for myself. Much prefer the lilies.
Kininvie recently posted..Don’t keep hens – keep bantams!
I like that grass, it gives a very nice contrast to the rest.
also like that red flower, it looks so good that it looks like you can eat it.
fer @ my little garden in japan recently posted..Summer crops
Glad someone likes it Fer.
In our family it is my husband who likes Carex. I don’t know which kind it is but it looks much like yours. I have complained about it for years. Wanted to get rid of it. Pointed out that as it always looks dead anyway, we might as well let it die in reality! No.
This summer, I found that, when the sun shines through it, wonderful reds and golds show up (if you look at it from the right angle). We are having dreadful drought problems in the front garden and, after seeing a photo of your carex on this blog a couple of months ago (and thought they looked quite fun, the way you have planted them) I’ve been thinking recently that I may put some out there. I’m thinking more of massing them and having other plants sticking through. I’ve bought a little festuch, wondering whether including them in the design (design!) might lighten the atmoshpere – but it’s got a lot of dead bits itself now so maybe that won’t work.
(I seem to have written a post!
Esther
Esther, it is difficult getting grasses to look just right, I have just given Buchananii a haircut, looks a hundred time better.
As I told you the good thing with this carex is that as it always looks dead it’s always a surprise. A friend of mine recently gave me a little pot of this carex so I’m gonna try out too, I may learn how to love a dead looking carex.
Obviously I’m joking, I think it’s a nice one. I like the way you show your garden, the design is pretty ‘strong’, you did it on your own? It’s a garden of character.
You have such lovely lilies, how do you preserve them from slugs?
Alberto recently posted..Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day – September 2011
Alberto if anyone can make Buchaanii look good I think your the man to do it. Slugs here seem to like everything except the Lilies, you should see the mess of the Hostas.
Believe me, I think I got it. In fact I keep most of my hostas segregated in pots, at the top of the tower, surrounded by a ditch where I keep my alligators…
Alberto recently posted..Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day – September 2011
Send a couple of those gators over, only if you make it free postage, well, I am Scottish.
I have Carex ‘Ice Dance’ and it is green through winter. But come spring, starts browning so the new growth can grow. I just mow it down and let it start all over again. I have seen the brown ones and they never were a favorite. I had one in the garden as a trial and you always had a hard time telling if it made it through winter. Out it went.
Donna recently posted..GBBD – September 15, 2011
Hi Donna, I can fully understand why so many have a disliking for Buchananii.
Alistair, I’m so glad you posted those pix. I’ve been considering using a carex along the back of the grape arbor but I’ve been very hesitant…. this has inspired me.
Your lilies are stunning. We had to get rid of most of ours because of problems with red lily leaf beetles that were simply to much trouble to keep under control.using ecofriendly methods. With fish and dogs, chemical sprays are not an option, but controlling them without chemicals is almost impossible. But I have to be honest… I keep trying!
Cathy recently posted..Autumn Approaches: Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day, September, 2011
Cathy and Steve, this is the first time in years since we have had Lilies to any degree. A good few had buds which developed and then just turned brown without opening. Not sure if it was just the weather or if they are diseased.