IT’S that tricky time in our gardens when all the perennials are disappearing and we’re waiting for the bulbs to come. But to prevent a bit of bleak empty-bed syndrome - have you considered grasses? Not only do they look fabulous throughout autumn and winter, they’re easy to care for and can create much needed structure in your outside space. Neil Lucas is director of Knoll Gardens - the UK’s leading Ornamental Grass specialists, in Wimborne, Dorset .
He told Sun Gardening : “These days we want our gardens to work well, but require less work to do so - and grasses fit that bill in all sorts of different ways. “There’s such a wide range, and a lot of the wow factor grasses with all the big flowers tend to flower late August, September, October and November. GARDENING “So they have a wonderful winter presence.
Plus they’re so easy to look after - they just need cutting down in February, March or even early April, so the new shoots can come through. "And they need very little feeding and a bit of sun and shade.” Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’ Very popular, it stands so well and makes a nice informal screen and works even in the smallest of gardens.
Panicum ‘Sea Mist’ . A really nice upright form and at this time it's still looking beautiful. It's starting to turn some beautiful warm yellow colours, which is quite fabulous.
Mollinia 'Overdam ' Generally upright, they're about waist high with lots of individual flower stems. Purple to start with, but at .
