Joe’s 5-plant prairie border
My plan takes some classic prairie plants and simply repeats the pattern, one next to another to create a sinuous, naturalistic look. It could be reduced, extended or easily adapted for a smaller or different-shaped border. The two excellent grasses have very different habits: the calamagrostis is upright in form, whereas the deschampsia is shorter and altogether frothier. They act as the glue, binding the scheme together while the perennials introduce contrasting shapes and seasonal colour. Yellow, red and deep pink may not sound like a classic colour combination but these plants all have a knack of working alongside each other − and they look beautiful in decay. Deschampsia cespitosa ‘Goldtau’ x approx. 14
A very good, low-mounded grass for both sun and light shade. The mid-green leaves are graceful and usefully evergreen. It flowers in summer when its frothy, light, silvery inflorescences catch and hold the light to great effect. I would never plant just one – always a sea of them – and as they work in sun and light shade, they can be ideal for linking the prairie theme into other areas of the garden. Height x Spread 75cm x 75cm
Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘Firetail’ x 2
The foliage is slender, dense and grows well in sun or light shade. In late summer, from July to October, it produces spires of burgundy-red flowers on thin stems above the leaves. Persicaria is often seen as a ground-cover plant, but it’s far more than that; when in flower it adds a vertical brushstroke into the planting, plus it’s a magnet for wildlife. It can get boisterous, so don’t be frightened to regularly lift and divide. H xS 120cm x 120cm
Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ x 7
A garden designer’s dream, as it adds lots of height with little spread. It’s a consistently performing, erect grass that combines well with other plant forms and flower shapes. I’ve used it as a backdrop to this scheme, but if you have greater depth to your beds it can help informally divide it or even work as a summer hedging plant. The flowers start off green, turn gingery and last well into the winter. Also great in pots. 1.8m x 60cm
Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’ (black-eyed Susan) x 6
Cheery yellow, daisy-like flowers with distinctive dark-brown centres and petals that face slightly downward in a relaxed manner. This one flowers freely for a long period and I particularly like its height, too. At around 60cm tall, it works nicely in front of other taller perennials and grasses, in the middle or towards the front of a border. If you plant a group of three or five plants, they’ll quickly bulk up into an impactful clump. 60cm x 50cm
Echinacea purpurea ‘Magnus’ (coneflower) x 12
There’s a wide range of echinacea flower colours, from pinks and deep reds to greens and whites. This one has horizontal, deep-reddish pink petals, which look stunning against the large, dark-orange centre. They flower from July to September and are likely to seed around. The oval foliage forms a lush clump, too. In a dry autumn, they’ll keep their stems and cones looking particularly good, especially when frosted. 100cm x 45cm