Took a quick trip up to Greensboro where I was reminded how varied the South is, from a gardening perspective.

Perennials look totally different up there, in slightly cooler nights, heavier soil, and air drainage. Dahlias of all colors collide with garden mums – who can garden without old-fashioned mums?

Honestly, its easier to garden in the Piedmont. Its easier to get that expected, perennial border look. Sedum actually live, grasses dont totally fall over, soils like pathogen soup dont run amok. I know, all you Zone 7ers will pooh-pooh this statement; yall are talented but you have a sweet climate!

Zone 8-9 Grasses

Grasses in Zone 8 and 9 really are tough to use. They flop, they bend, they get 12 feet tall. So many of those I saw in NC yesterday, live totally different, messier lives when they come down here.

Jon Roethling, horticulturist at High Point University says, I find it fascinating the number of college campuses that look their best during late spring…but become fairly sterile in winter, at complete odds with when the students are on campus. I’m looking forward to utilizing sweeps of ‘Northwind’ with deciduous hollies and conifers for winter interest to the campus at High Point University.

Jon has a long, beautiful voyage ahead at HPU, and with experience from J.C. Rauston Arboretum, Plant Delights Nursery and PlantWorks, he has the vision and skills to plant a world-class campus botanical garden.

A few great grasses for either zone are:

Spartina bakeri

Great in huge masses. Evergreen grasses, no flowers but easy, elegant.

Muhlenbergia White Cloud

I know everyone wants pink. Just think of this a different plant. It’s much taller, flowers really move and catch breezes. Looks great peeking over something formal, like a hedge, or dark brick wall.

Juncus Blue Arrow

Upright, evergreen, steel blue leaves.

Tridens flavus Purple Top

Beautiful, see through plum colored flowers this time of year. Great with all the fall colors of yellow salvia, salmon dahlias, purple asters.

Cortaderia selloana

Silverstripe Evergreen grasses, smallish, to 4, cascading leaves great as a focal point.

Chasmanthium latifolium

Naturalized in my yard, this thing will take over, so use it only in big areas. Theres a new variegated cultivar that is seductive in the pot, but doesnt live or thrive. Chasmanthium laxum (sessilifolia) is smaller, more refined, great in really dry shade.

Panicum virgatum Thundercloud

Upright, bronze flowers. Beware, my coworker Erick Healy says irrigation on the leaves cause them to get all spotty. ‘Hanse Herms’ is my favorite, its short and nice burgundy in fall. These grasses stand up through late winter. Jon Roethling grows a stunning upright selection called Northwind.

In the picture above, purple sweet grass, garden mum and Crinum bulbispermum make for all summer beauty, in Zone 8, this combo will look great until mid December. Learn skills for combining different textures to make dramatic garden contrast; Sign up for the email list at www.jenksfarmer.com