https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3197/3881882580_9fe16e1900.jpg

Class summary:  Sledges prefer wet where they receive excess moisture. However, they can tolerate drought as well. The roots are adapted to low oxygen levels which is why they can tolerate drought. However, they cannot tolerate shade. A little bit is okay. Good on a North facing area. Blah texture. No node. Sedges have edges, rushes are round, grass leaves drop to the ground – rhyme describes general truth but there are exceptions. Grasses have nodes, where the leaf protrudes from. Whereas, sedges and rushes have no node.

Site: Found in full sun in the prairies in moist areas. Grasslands, sand dunes, marshes in North Africa and naturalized in North America and Europe. Full sun to light shade. Moist to dry soil. Coldest to zone 4. Evergreen. Good for rock gardens or ground cover. Flowers June to July.

Aesthetic notes: The site conditions are so versatile that I think it would be a good addition to a rain garden. I think it’s natural habitat as a prairie grass could work well for catch basin sites to create a naturalized look without drawing attention to itself. The desaturated blue is a good neutral plant that could form as a backdrop for other plants.

http://www.perennialfarmmarketplace.com/_ccLib/image/plants/DETA-2737.jpg

Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’ – black mondo grass – Poaceae

http://d13z1xw8270sfc.cloudfront.net/origin/68491/1414450556508_oophiopogon_planiscarpus_nigrescens.jpg

Class summary:  Tough, evergreen plant, stemless, rhizome forming. In shade, the leaf is more green, in the sun, the leaf is more purple/black. Has white stripes on leaf. It can be small and not as substantial, along with being expensive (1#16.99) and in demand. Slow growing but it is tough and tolerates shade. Blue to black fruit.

Site: Rich, humus, well-drained, medium moist soil. Full sun to part shade. Pink/white flowers bloom in July to August. Zone 6-9. Around a foot tall. Can be used as a groundcover, feature, border, rockgarden.

Aesthetic Notes: The attraction of this plant is that the colour of the grass is so unusual and striking. The form is tricky since it is small and dark. However, I think drawing attention to the black grass will help make a place for it. In a zen inspired garden, contrasted by light sand or rocks could work. Or in a rock garden, with light pinkish white flowering plants.

Eriophyllum lanatum – woolly sunflowers – Asteraceae family

http://science.halleyhosting.com/nature/basin/sun/daisy/eriophyllum/lanatum/lanatum1a.jpg

Class summary: Commonly used in meadows by landscape architects. The issue in meadow ecology is the vigor of the grass. Ways to reduce vigor of the grass include burning the field back down to an infertile state. Or introduce a parasite plant that eats the grass (paintbrush). If you don’t, the organic matter builds up, grass takes over, then woody trees infringe on the grasslands. Thus, the flower gets over crowded by the grass competition. This flower doesn’t tolerate competition. It is also a zero scape plant and needs a sunny, open area with well drained infertile soil.

Site: Sun full, infertile, dry soil. Woolly fuzzy leaves form clump with bright yellow flowers that bloom May to August. Dry open, bluffs, rocky slopes common in low to middle elevations. Found in Canada to Mexico. Acts as annual.

Aesthetic: I appreciate the mixed meadow look for this flower. However, I think the woolly leaves are attractive and can be featured in a mixed garden, with shorter plants surrounding it.

http://www.worldbotanical.com/images/Eriophyllum/Eriophyllum_lanatum-271.jpg

Allium  cernuum – nooding onion – Amaryllidaceae family

http://blog.emergencyoutdoors.com/tala/uploads/2012/05/allium-cernuum-02.jpg

Class summary: Mostly found on the west coast of North America. Good to eat, pink to lavender flowers. Bumbles bee and honey bees love this plant and it attracts our native bee. Annual but it self seeds, good on a slope with well-drained sandy soil. Doesn’t need irrigation – zero scape. Good in window container too. 2 month flowering.

Site: Dry to medium well drained soil in sun or light shade. Zone 4-8. Found in Mexico to Canada. Usually grows to about a foot tall with purple flowers that bloom June to August. Found in open meadows or underneath Douglas fir trees. Onion/chive leaves that are green. Rock gardens, borders or naturalized areas. Attracts butterflies.

Aesthetic: the form is simple, elegant and modest. I think the drooping flower is attractive along with the colour. I could see this as a massing, or featuring the plant.

http://www.readerrock.com/wp-content/gallery/summer/Allium-cernuum-Nodding-Onion.jpg

Saxifraga stolonifera – strawberry begonia – Saxifragaceae family

http://d17vsf20mehj1i.cloudfront.net/22627_20110618T185234_0_jpg_354x326_crop_upscale_q85.jpg

Class summary: Evergreen, likes to be slight shaded, forms mat/ground cover, bigger and dense in shade. Woodland perennial. up to 50 different types (variation in spots, colour, etc) Small white flowers. Large leaf. Spreads by thin stolons. Red underneath leaf.

Site: Moist, organic rich soils, in shade. Zones 6-9. China origin. 1-2 feet tall and spreads. White flowers bloom May to June. Massing, streams, ponds, woodland garden.

Aesthetic notes: I think this would make a good ground cover. The leaves form a beautiful circular form with notable veins. The dark foliage along with the flicker of white flower could perform well in shaded, dim areas.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=allium+christophii&espv=2&biw=2133&bih=1087&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi–trKzr7NAhVLwWMKHTVDBLkQ_AUIBigB&dpr=0.9#tbm=isch&q=saxifraga+stolonifera+woodland&imgrc=0iY1DDRf9wslfM%3A

Allium christophii – star of Persia – Amaryllidaceae family

https://myhesperidesgarden.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/20130515_9999_15-blog.jpg

Class summary: Not as tall as some allium but huge form (volleyball). Can’t self seed – too wet in winter. Five chamber capsule that germinate. Novelty form.

Site: Best in dry sunny areas of the garden. Like sandy, gravelly dry soils. Form clumps over time. Purple flowers bloom in May. Zone 4-8. 2 feet tall.

Aesthetic notes: Interesting spherical shape. Size is uncanny and could be a playful accent to gardens or landscapes.

https://myhesperidesgarden.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/20130515_9999_15-blog.jp

Eryngium giganteum – Mrs. Willmott’s ghost – Apiaceae

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2287/2258067680_50986ba287.jpg

Class summary: Mrs Willmott loved these flowers and spread them around to friends gardens. Thus after she died, the flower was named Mrs Willmott’s ghost because they started popping up everywhere. South American. Strong upright form. The European version looks like this, roset of leaves, self seeds and then dies. Wasps like to eat pollen/pollunate. Old world colour – white sapphire blue. New world colour – dull green.

Site:  Full sun, moist, well drained, rich soil but will tolerant dry soil. Zone 4-7. Growing about 2-4 feet tall. Blue silver flowers that bloom June to August.  Forms rosette in first year, extends second year, then self seeds and dies. Can be grown in containers or borders.

Aesthetic notes: Ghostly silvery form, forms interesting sharp foliage and flower buds. These could potentially used as a feature plant or as a sculptural component to hardscaping.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GycLshYijto/VXW8kTeD_LI/AAAAAAAAVgs/YCXh7qz4iWw/s640/IMG_7322.JPG

Verbena bonariensis – tall verbena – Verbenaceae

https://www.rhs.org.uk/getmedia/5e888817-9cf2-4b3e-915e-c6455c62e17e/Verbena-bonariensis_WSYD0013564_71464.jpg?width=940&height=627&ext=.jpg

Class summary: From Brazil. Good here but not hardy in certain areas (i.e. North shore). Cold winter kills it. Flowers for months and months. Green stems. Purple top – common name or tall verbena. Aromatic stems. Mint arrangement. Regular and symmetrical. Best in sandy well drained, infertile soil. If the soil is too rich, it’ll fall over.

Site: Full sun to partial shade, zones 7-10. Sandy infertile soil that must be well-drained. Low maintenance. Average water. June bloom time. Purple flowers, attract butterflies. Can be used in a group or massing. Not very hardy, can be grow like an annual in certain areas – but can self seed. In some areas, can be an invasive species.

Aesthetic notes: Architectural, tall perennial. Wiry, interesting frame. Potential massing or contrasting low forming plants.

http://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/04/60/13/4601351_1a6efd7d.jpg

http://www.brokenarrownursery.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/1200×1200/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/c/a/calamagrostis_acutiflora_karl_foerster_habit_-_tower_hill_-_october_23_2015-3_426x640_.jpg

Calamagrostis x acutiflorus – Karl Forster Feather reed grass – Poaceae

Class summary – good against concrete walls. Completely herbaceous. Weedy grasses can be mized in the grown of the grass/not properly taken care of at nurseries. Purple Flowers. Dark green underneath.

Site: This grass prefers rich, clay soil, that is medium to wet. However can tolerant medium soil, if water well. Full sun. Has long blooming, purple flowers and fall interest in leaves. Suggested spots include, rain gardens, low points, banks. Zone 5-9.

Aesthetic notes: Vertical up right, grows up to 5 feet and is narrow. I think I agree it’s feathery texture can be strongly contrasted with conrete wall or pavement. The light colour seems to contrast and soften hard forms. I think it could potentially accompanied with an Acer griseum or Cornus stolonifera that would contrast bark forms. Also, could pair well with other grasses and textures. Definitely a good plant to work with for rain gardens.

Santolina chamaecyparissus – cotton lavender – Asteraceae

http://img1.sunset.timeinc.net/sites/default/files/styles/400xvariable/public/image/2015/09/main/santolina-wgb-m.jpg?itok=AjQt0_4B

Class summary: ‘Rosemary leaves’. Form shapes into good mounds. However, can split open in the centre. Needs steep slope to migrate and grow down towards – hiding or reducing splitting. Santolina rosmarinifolia/green cotton lavender is more saturated with green colour, fuzzier leaves and more of a disorganized form than this version. It is montane, denoting to low to the ground. Multi flowers inside.

Site: Evergreen, growing only to 1-2 feet, needing full sun, dry to medium, sandy soil that is well-drained, light watering, and is drought tolerant. Prefers limey soils, tolerates poor conditions but dislikes rich soil. Doesn’t like humid weather – fungal diseases. Yellow flowers should be dead headed. The shrub should be cut back in the winter, to encourage new growth and dense form. Grown as an annual. Zone 6-8.

Aesthetic: The density along with it’s consist structure, leads to a fantastic sculptural mounding plant. The colour is fantastic – cool, desaturated greens paired with bright lemon yellow flowers. This sculptural shape and colour tones could transcend well with a variety of accompanying shrubs – especially with contrasting colours (purples, i.e. lavenders) or monochromatic scheme (greens). There could be endless opportunities to create architectural foliage through shrub pairing, massing, borders etc. For example, the mounded form can correlate with similar shaped shrubs, leading to a compelling symmetry and contrast.

http://www.rwa.watersavingplants.com/PlantMaster/Photos/1190a.jpg