Wolcott Garden Treasures
Ground covers and ornamental grasses are great for areas where a traditional lawn or flower bed isn't possible, like a steep hill, but they will also add texture, color and interest to your existing gardens. Moor Grass - the Skyracer variety throws its head up to 8' above a 2' base of green foliage. Blooming in August and September, it's also a striking form in the winter garden. Ivy - a very hardy, evergreen climbing vine, ivy grows 12-18" high, spreading along the ground and spilling over fences and rocks. Lysimachia (Yellow Loosestrife) - this fragrant perennial has prostrate stems and yellow flowers that bloom at various times depending on the selection. Height can range from 6-20".
Our assortment of ornamental grasses, in particular, varies greatly from season to season, depending on availablity from our suppliers. Please give us a call to inquire about specific plants or come in and take a look. The following is a list of groundcovers and grasses that we typically carry.
Ornamental Grasses
Blue Fescue Grass (Festuca) - mounded perennial grass has coarse blue foliage that maintains color through fall; will grow to 8" tall.
Feather Reed Grass (Karl Foerster variety) - this is the only grass ever voted our supplier's "Perennial of the Year"! Standing 4-6' tall and 18-24" wide, Karl Foerster is one of the first ornamental grasses in the garden to flower, with loose, feathery, pinkish flowers that arrive in June and fade to a tawny brown that is attractive through the late winter.
Fountain Grass (Pennisetum) - the dwarf variety grows to about 2' tall and blooms August to October. There is also an annual variety that really a perennial in some locations, but not in New England. This variety must be replanted each year, but it's worth the effort, with deep burgundy foliage and continuous blooms of reddish purple bottle brush flower. It will grow to 3-4' tall and is suitable for container gardening.
Indian Grass - growing 3-5' tall, this ornamental is a remnant of the American Prarie, as it was once a widespread native and predominant component of that environment (think of tumbleweed). Wide, bluish-green foliage and feathery seed stalks emerge in summer and attract birds. In winter, foliage turns bronze and seed stalks turn brown.
Japanese Blood Grass (Red Baron variety) - this aptly named grass has light geen leaves tipped with bright red. It prefers a sheltered location and will grow 12-18" tall x 12-15" wide. Full sun to part shade; no bloom.
Little Bluestem Grass - growing 2-4' tall, this grass has seed stalks that emerge in August and produce puplish-bronze flowers, followed by white, fluffy seed heads that attract birds. Foliage turns bronze to orange in the fall.
Miscanthus Grass - with fine-textured foliage, the zebrinus variety has variegated foliage and grows to 6-8" tall.
Northern Sea Oats Grass - this grass is extremely tolerant of poor, dry soil. With strong, upright growth up to 4-5', it has medium green foliage with a hint of red blotchiness on the leaf ends. Wispy flower stalks loaded with small, fine, pink seeds emerge from August to September and the foliage becomes much redder into the fall.
Panicum (Switchgrass) - the Heavy Metal variety has blue-green foliage and yellow fall color. It masses well and will bloom July through September.
Reed Grass - this grass has a rigid, stiff habit. The Karl Foerster variety has green with gold plumes and grows 5-6" tall.
Ground Covers
Arabis (Rock Cress) - a low-growing, spreading perennial, Rock Cress has gray-green foliage that is great for edgings, rock gardens and pattern plantings. We have several varieties that will reach between 4" and 10" in height and will bloom in shades of pink and white either spring or early summer.
Bugle Weed (Ajuga) - this vigorous, mat-forming ground cover is ideal in areas where lawn is not needed. It is available in a number of varieties that bloom late spring or early summer in shades of blue and purple, reaching from 3-8" tall.
Dianthus (Pinks) - this loose, mat-forming perennial has narrow, grass-like leaves and large flowers that cover the plant for 8-10 weeks in the summer. Pinks are available in a number of varieties of single and double blooms in pink, white and blue.
Euonymus - the dense spreading habit of Euonymus creates excellent groundcover with varying heights and leaf colors, depending on the variety.
Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla) makes a splendid groundcover in any moist area. The rounded, slightly hairy foliage is gray-green with flowers of varying color that bloom early to mid summer, depending on the selection.
Lamb's Ear (Stachys) - this ground cover, accent or border plant forms mats of white, wooly leaves with hairy 4-6" flower spikes. A popular variety, Byzantina Lanata, has light magenta flowers that bloom in summer and will grow to 12-18" tall.
Lamium (Deadnettle) - this rapid spreading perennial with attractive, silvery-green foliage forms clusters of pink, purple and white flowers that bloom at various times throughout the season, depending on the selection. Mature growth ranges from 8-12" tall and 16-36" wide.
Myrtle - glossy, evergreen leaves are covered with blue flowers in May and June. Great for use as a ground cover on banks, slopes and under trees, myrtle will grow 6-8" tall.
Pachysandra - an excellent native, fast-spreading groundcover, pachysandra has attractive leathery leaves and creamy white flowers. It will grow to 6-12" in height.
Phlox (creeping variety) - a widely used ground cover, creeping phlox is available in a number of flower colors.
Verbena is a superb ground cover with rounded clusters of tiny flowers that form mats of stems clothed with toothed, lance-shaped leaves. Pink or purple flowers will bloom in summer and the stems will reach 6-8" in height.
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