Prairie Planting

The third Designer Bed installation was 'Prairie Planting' by Katie's Garden's Catherine McMillan, author of Gardening for the Uncommitted: What You Really Need To Know When You Don't Really Want To Know.

“Prairie planting is all about using big blocks and swathes of perennials and ornamental grasses: repetition is key to the look.

If you want a stylish garden that doesn’t take a lot of effort, I highly recommend prairie planting.

Using a small number of varieties means you only have to remember how to look after a small number of varieties!

The planting in this bed skews towards late-summer and autumn colour, but many of the plants will develop seedheads that look attractive through the winter.”

The design went with a punchy colour scheme of electric pinks and blues, and strong yellows and oranges. The effect is countered with soft sandy coloured grasses, dark leaved perennials and bark pathways.

Mini railway sleepers "planted" upright along with rusted metal ornaments kindly loaned by Sarah's Attic of Monks Eleigh completed the look.

The garden stayed in place from early September 2021 through to spring 2022. Throughout autumn a variety of plants came into bloom, including Peruvian Lily Alstroemeria, Black Eyed Susan Rudbeckia, Coneflower Echincea, Red Hot Poker Kniphofia and Dahlia Electro Pink.

Long-flowering Verbena bonariensis and Erigeron karvinskianus provided interest for much of the time span, as did the variety of evergreen grasses and perennials used.