Regional Picks: Grass Companions – Northwest

1.Rusty Foxglove

Name:Digitalis ferruginea

USDA Hardiness Zones:4 to 8

sizing : Up to 4 feet tall ( in flush ) and 1 substructure wide

atmospheric condition : Full sunlight ; well - drained territory

The contrast of vertical cable helps the soft , rounded forms of grasses suffer out in a garden . Rusty foxglove ’s tall , flowering spires offer this just contrast along with a beautiful , interesting flower . In early to midsummer , this perennial ’s thin stems send up spikes of small blooms that are an interesting mix of a wan yellow exterior flush with apricot pink and a rich inside of favourable yellow and pumpkin orange with rust-brown dark-brown venous blood vessel . Once the bloom are cease , the seeded player heads turn a dark brown , offering textural and colour differences , diverging from the tan source heads of most Gunter Wilhelm Grass . This is a short - survive perennial , but it will gently reseed in open spaces , giving you mountain of young , vigorous plants that can be moved throughout your garden .

2.Naked Ladies

Name:Nerine bowdenii

Zones:7 to 10

Size:2 to 3 foot grandiloquent and 1 foundation astray

Conditions : Full sun ; lean , well - drained soil

Nerine , often referred to by its more risqué vulgar name , naked ladies , is a long - live on bulb of South Africa that get surprisingly shiny pinkish flowers in autumn . The bulbs stay on dormant all summertime then spring to life in early to midfall , when tenuous bud that resemble amaryllis sprout up and burst into whimsical spidery blooms . Plant them near the base of smaller weed where the colorful flowers glance through the fine , grassy foliage . Soon after the forage is cut down for winter , the bright gullible , strappy leaves of au naturel dame emerge and stay until recent spring to former summertime . Once the grass begins to grow , the fadingNerineleaves are hidden from view , bear their floral surprisal until the next autumn .

3.‘Ogon’ Spirea

Name:Spiraea thunbergii‘Ogon’

Zones:4 to 8

Size:4 to 5 feet tall and wide-cut

Conditions : Full Sunday to fond shade;tolerates a wide range of soils except pie-eyed locations

The loose , barbarian , wispy ontogeny of ‘ Ogon ’ spirea adds a touch of airiness that complements the motion of swaying grasses in the landscape . This toughened , delicious bush blooms in early spring with tiny blanched flowers strung along the willowy stems like gleaming small pearls . They are shortly surpassed by smart as a whip , lemon yellow leafage that glow all season long . The gold foliation is accidentally resistant to burning in full sunlight if apply water during droughty conditions , and it remains bright until pernicious shades of orange blush the clear yellow fall color .

4.‘Lucifer’ Crocosmia

Name:Crocosmia‘Lucifer’

Zones:7 to 9

Size:3 to 4 feet improbable in heyday and more or less less in width

Conditions : Full sunshine ; well - drained , intermediate soil

‘ Lucifer ’ is one of the best crocosmias for height and bright color . This robust , comfortable - to - produce , summer - bloom perennial can be planted at the base of smoke , where it will grow through the crown . large-minded , spiky crocosmia foliage then breaks through the all right grass grain in a delightfully contrasting manner as it sprouts up in tardy spring . By mid- to late summertime , the flower staunch will rise above the leave and break into brilliant displays of intense , Orange River - tinted red . The exhausted seed head can remain as an attractive yet more elusive constituent . Cut back the leaves in other autumn once the foliage get down to flop .

Richie Steffen is the conductor / conservator of the Elisabeth C. Miller Botanical Garden in Seattle .

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Nerine bowdenii

Photo: Richie Steffen

Regional Picks: Grass Companions—Mountain West

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Rusty Foxglove

Photo: Richie Steffen

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