Why I Oughta...

This is just over the one-year mark for a trio of grasses that I planted in our backyard late last growing season .  They've been in the ground for 13 months now and are showing their annual seed heads.  These three Miscanthus sinensis 'Adagio' Maiden Grasses are tucked in behind the All Gold Japanese Forest Grasses and in front of the Little Lime Hydrangeas .   Have a look at the photo below to see the three grasses and their first-growing-season seed heads. This being the first full growing season, I'm thinking that these put down roots this year and will begin to fill-in next year with more foliage.  I put these in this spot to help create a bit of a 'layering' affect with the layers of grasses, shrubs and the Apple tree Belgian Fence in the far back.  Like I do with all of my ornamental grasses, I'll leave these Adagio Maiden Grasses up all Winter - for 'winter interest' and will chop them down early in the Spring/late Winter for the new years

Last Spring, I bought three Butterscotch Amsonia from the Morton Arboretum plant sale - after reading about how they're texture superstars in the garden.  I planted them as an intermediate layer - behind a row of Fanal Astilbes and in front of a series of Oakleaf Hydrangeas.   I spaced them out pretty far (based on the recommended spacing).  What do they look like today?  They've filled in and starting to put on size.  See below: They're all kind of leaning towards the east - where the sun is located - but are doing what they're supposed to do:  add a fine leaf texture to the garden.  Compare the size to what they looked like in October of last year (when they were yellowing for the first time) and you can see that they've put on both height and width.