Mass planting grasses on the oak bank

A spot of déja vu? Yes, we are back at the oak bank today. But not attending to gaura, but the grasses.  It was blustery and overcast today – the storm is coming. So I made sure I watered all the grasses well before I carried them up to the oak bank.

That way they were heavy enough not to roll off the bank and plummet to the courtyard below, merrily spraying compost as they tumbled.

I have placed 40 grasses on the three banks. But have left room for five more which I intend to loot from the garden in about a week’s time when the weather warms.  There are three on the shade garden bank that can be moved. And one right in the middle of the barn garden rocks that is too tall for the site.

That’s the fun of gardening, you get to move things about.  But really, I would like to say that most of the design of these first few acres is sorted now.  But I have reservationsa about the iris on the bank between the shade garden and the barn garden.  I had forgotten how scrappy iris leaves look in winter.  I might need to prune hundreds and hundreds of plants. Ugh.

Grasses are so much easier. You just grab a handful every February and snip the tops off.

And after the heroic cutting back of all the eragrostis on the pool bank, these three beds ought to be a doddle.  The slope isn’t as steep.  And I can sit down and cut them back quite comfortably.

I had a little companion all throughout the planting session today. Artur would prefer a warm house and a soft blanket in front of the fire.  But if he wants to be companionable, he is obliged to be outdoors and following me about as I planted endless pots of grass.

Besides, Jean Daniel is back from his travels, so it is time for Artur to resume life in his other home for a bit.  But try explaining that to the small furry creature who prefers the softer sleeping options in his ‘maison secondaire’.