So nice! I love the Karl Foerster Reed Grass and sedums! This has been the best year I've ever seen for sedums. They are loaded with blooms.

I am going to get some of the Karl Foerster Reed Grass. I had some I found on the clearance rack but they didn't make it. I only lost a dollar on them. They are so nice. How tall and wide are they? If they are narrow, that is what I need!

My Autumn Joy has been special this year, too. And COVERED with 'livestock' (honey bees, bumble bees, butterflies of all kinds, and a big assortment of wasp-y critters) constantly!

I'm thinking that I like that globe thistle, more than I thought I would.

It's a lovely, happy garden, punman.

Karl Foerster Reed Grass - My one plant was purchased 6 years ago for $10.49. Over time it has been split so that I now have six plants, ranging in height from 4-6 feet. It seems the more sun - the taller it gets. It does not self-seed and grows slowly. When I say grows slowly I refer to the expansion at the diameter. The ones in my pictures are about 18 inches diameter at the base. I will leave them that way in the winter and in mid spring I will cut them back to 10 inches height and by August they will be back in height to six feet.
I have not lost any of them in that time period and it has been as cold as minus 33 C.
They look great in the winter which is great because our gardens are typically bare from early October until the first part of May.
Not often do I spend more than $7 on perennials but this was a great investment for the price and I would spend that amount again for this plant if I lost it.
I also bought Overdam Feather Reed Grass - very similar but variegated. It has survived and looks okay but has never grown above three feet and has not expanded enough for me to want to attempt to split it yet.

What nice photos and gardens. I'm in zone 5, and my coneflowers and rudbeckia are over alraedy. I personally love the "ordinary" flowers -- it's what my garden is full of. I have never been attracted to the new and to my mind sometimes weird. A couple of years ago, there was a thread started by Carl, who posts here too, in "my" forum -- the New England forum called Ordinary Plants in Extraordinary settings. A lot of us added to the thread, some of whom are incredibly accomplished gardeners. I don't know how to attach a link, but here's the address (it's from Google, it's already fallen off the New Eng board). Enjoy
lucia

gardenweb.com/forums/load/.../msg0713412511728.html

Below is a link to that discussion.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ordinary Plants in Extraordinary Settings New England Forum

Give us a close-up of the echinops. I too like the reed grass punctuating the garden. Great!

You've certainly made the most of a cold zone. Great combinations, you've proved the point that you don't need fancy new introductions, healthy stalwarts really shine!

Everything looks lovely. Some great choices on plants.
Cher