Class summary: Very successful in Vancouver, becomes weedy in drier climates. Leafy in the shade, produces more flowers in the sun. All centaurea species have distinctive flower bract. Flower has two parts – big petal is sterile, small petals are fertile.

Notes: Plant in well drained, light soil in full sun. Needs good ventilation to lessen problems with Mildew. Can be prospagated from cuttings or division. Violet blue flower that bloms in early summer, no flower fragrance, 1 m in height, .5 metre spread. 3-9 hardiness, tolerant of frost. Dead-heading will increase flower production and bloom time.

Aesthetic notes: The colour is attractive for its vibrant blue. However, I think this plant can be appreciated as a feature plant or viewed up close. As it’s floret details and bract, make it captivating.

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Class Summary: Blue flowering, likes sunny hot areas, tolerates competition (like most species in the Boraginaceae family). Sometimes out competes other plants. Needs weel drained site with heat.

Notes: Late Spring to early summer blooming. Short lived but easily self sows. Full sun, average to well drained, moist soil. Attracts bees and butterflies. 90cm in height, 60 cm wide. Good for cut flower or border. Needs staking. Deer resistant. Prefers cool summer climates.

Aesthetic notes: Striking blue colour, has a vibrant effect. I could see this paired with other plants that are violet, purple or blue, to create variance on a monochromatic colour scheme. Contrasting it with white or a cool yellow, is also appealing. I could also see this being a feature in a garden that has a variety of green foliage.

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Class Summary: Comes in bright red and orange, usually. Sometimes in pastel colours like pink. Leaves no trace or evidence before end of April or after July. It dies back. If planted, you need something that will take it’s place after it blooms in late spring, early summer.

Notes: Papaveraceae family. Red, orange, white or pink. 30-90cm tall/spread. Spring and early summer blooming. Dies back afterwards than shoots appear again late summer. Attractive pre and post bloom, interesting buds and seed pods. Full sun, average to fertile soil. Thrives in calcareous/chalky/lime soil. Can be planted with a border. Accompany with baby’s breath or catmint. Deer resistant. Poppy seeds can be used for baking/cooking. Cut back after blooms or it will attract slugs. Attracts bees, butterflies, birds.

Aesthetic Notes: The pastel pink is best complimented by green foliage. The butterfly stonecrop sedum beside the pastel pink, was a good choice that we saw at Granville island. Light or desaturated greens pair well with this colour of poppy.

Oriental Poppy with lady’s mantle.

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Class summary: Perennial geranium, part of the Geraniaceae family. Contributes to a good ground cover – forming a thicket, suppressing annual weeds. In addition, produces continual blooming flowers (through succession) with broad, large petals. Cranebill is attributed to the crane-like pod before the flower blooms. Horizontal leaves. Needs irrigation and will produce more flowers and foilage if left in light shade. Softens path edge. Deep purple flowers.

Sites conditions: Sunny with partial shade or shelter. Likes, moist, well-drained soil but do not over water. They grow to .5 to 1m. Ground cover, border. Cold resistant and winter hardy.

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http://herbaceousplants.homestead.com/Geranium_macrorrhizum_up_to_trunk.JPG

Aesthetics:  It is a ground cover that offers more of a robust feel than a creeper (geranium or blue star). Possess a fuller body and flowers are bright –  The deep purple hue saturates the eye with colour. The purple/magenta colour could potentially be paired with other bright flowering plants. What I enjoy about perennial geraniums, are their alternate/crooked like branches, that slightly tilt the flowers, creating spontaneity from the uniform leaves. The smell of geraniums are paramount in my favour of them. The mounding form with a slight wild texture could potentially look good under high branching trees or paired with rocks or taller perennials such as an ornamental onion.

Notes: Great source of nectar for bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, moths, flies, bubble-bees.

Cultivars:

G. platypetalum ‘Genyell’

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Nasella Tenuissima – Mexican feather grass

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Class Summary: Thin texture, continual splitting of strands as it blooms, seeds don’t do well in the rain. Seeds are known to coil, penetrating anything from soil to even animal skin. It is considered invasive in California. However, it is fine in our region. A tender plant that is zone 8 – will die with -10 degrees of frost. Otherwise, it is perennial and evergreen. It’s incredibly fast growing. Good for hot sites. Will act like an annual (dying back) in a cool garden site. Greenish small flower, turns brown in fall.

Site: Needs full sun, once established – occasional watering, likes hot, dry sites. Heat and drought tolerant. 7-10 Zone. Can be used as grass, container, or massing.

Aesthetics: Sculpturally, the thin, airy strands create a delicate texture which flows gently in the wind. The combination of the warm yellows, creams and light greens tones are appealing as they coordinate with the colour wheel schemes effectively.

I am seeing a trend of West Coast gardens pairing green conifers (Emerald green) with this type of grasses to create a curated informal look. I find the texture of this grass paired with flowering plants (i.e. Cone Flower or Lavender) particularly attractive and contrasting the form. Additionally, the tones of this grass seem to add a brilliant contrast to rustic forms – rocks/pebbles, rusted iron, hardscape etc.  In general, it’s a good plant for contrasting of form and colour. However, I am not a big fan of it in massing – looks unshapely and milk toast.

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Other Notes: Because of it’s shallow roots and toleration of heat/drought, this plant has been prized for green roofs. Lightweight, in shallow soil, it can tolerate lack of irrigation and would thrive in heat island effect. In addition, it can be used as a grass alternative. In Mexico, it is found in disturbed grazing sites – ‘old field’ habitat. It is considered invasive as it out competes other desirable meadow plants. Furthermore,  it should be avoided as grazing food – not easily digestible/causes ball in animal stomachs. It has low nutrient value but provides habitat for birds.