Growing Place Choice Plants are a group of time-tested plants that were selected by our staff to meet the following qualifications…

• Stay attractive with minimum effort.
• Live long and healthy lives when planted in the right place.
• Are eco-friendly.

This list contains over 600 varieties of plants. They are noted in our Plant Guide and on our signs. Stop by either location to discover these low maintenance plants.

Bulbs | Trees and Shrubs | Perennials

Bulbs

Look for spring flowering bulbs to arrive around September 1st at The Growing Place.

Our selection goes far beyond the favorite tulips and daffodils. We offer many animal resistant bulbs including crocus, ornithogallum, galanthus, anemone, and many varieties of allium, frittilaria, scilla, muscari and camassia.

New this year is a specially priced selection at only $2.99 a package. Included are deer resistant bulbs and packages of mixed alliums, tulips, daffodils, crocus and hyacinths.

Did you know that some bulbs can be planted in September to bloom this October in your garden? Among them are Colchicum ‘Lilac Wonder’, ‘Album’ and ‘Waterlily’. Several varieties of Crocus are also autumn bloomers including C. sativus, C. zonatus, and C. speciosus.

Amaryllis and paperwhites for indoor forcing arrive around October 1st.

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Trees and Shrubs:

Summer Planting
The tree and shrub department at The Growing Place continues to stock a great selection throughout the summer. Although spring and fall planting is optimal because of cool air and soil temperatures, these conditions can be mimicked with proper watering and mulching, making summer an acceptable time to plant and a great time to plan for fall color. Our favorites include:

Acer miyabei ‘Morton’ (State Street Miyabe Maple) selected from the collections at The Morton Arboretum, is very heat, salt and pollution tolerant making it excellent for use as a parkway tree. The handsome corky bark and dark green foliage make it an attractive specimen tree for smaller residential lots. Fall color is a pale yellow. Grows in an upright oval shape to 40’ high and 25’ wide.

Itea virginica and Clethra alnifolia are available several cultivars. The two showing off their fall color are Scarlet Beauty Sweetspire (3’-4’ x 3’-4’) and Ruby Spice Clethra (4’- 6’ tall x 3’-4’ wide). They will grow in any light condition from full sun to full shade and perform best in an area where the soil tends to be moist.

Hamamelis virginiana (Common Witchhazel) is a large native shrub that will grow 20’ tall and 15’-20’ wide in sun or shade and is drought tolerant once established. The yellow flowers with ribbon-like petals don’t appear until mid-October. Good for naturalizing or screening.

Heptacodium miconoides (Seven Son Flower) is another large shrub (15’-20’ x 8’-12’) with a loose habit and great exfoliating bark. Its name refers to the white flowers that are arranged in seven clusters at the end of the branches. They bloom in late summer and are
followed by red bracts. Foliage turns a purplish color.

One of the best native trees for fall color is Nyssa sylvatica (Black Tupelo). A handsome specimen tree with horizontal branching will grow 30’-40’ tall and 20’-30’ wide in full sun or part shade. The glossy summer leaves turn a brilliant orange to red, brightening the fall landscape.

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Perennials

Ornamental Grasses in the Perennial Garden
When it comes to giving a garden a natural feel, the flowing foliage of ornamental grasses along with the radiance of their flowers have an unmatched grace and beauty. They vary in form and function and are equally at home in an informal or formal setting.

Grasses will tolerate a wide range of light and soil conditions and are generally easy to grow. There is one for nearly every habitat.

Ornamental grasses offer the gardener such features as form, texture, scale, line, contrast, translucency and seasonal interest. They are most noticeable in late summer, fall, and winter.

Most of the grasses that we offer form tight mounded tufts or clumps. A few of the varieties are well suited to areas where broad screening or a drift effect is desired.

Here are a few of our favorites:

Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ (Feather Reed Grass) Widely used, this popular grass has a distinct upright, clumping habit. Feathery, silvery-
pink panicled flowers emerge in late spring on reed-like stems. As the flowers mature, they take on a wheat-like appearance that persists into the winter. It is very hardy and effective in mass, looking like a wheat field set in motion by the slightest breeze. At 4 to 5 foot tall, it makes an excellent screening plant
Cal. ‘Overdam’, Cal.’Eldorado’ and Cal. ‘Avalanche’ are beautiful variegated forms of this popular grass.
Cal. arundinacea var. brachytricha is a bold form of Feather Reed Grass that looks like an explosion of feathery white plumes in the fall.

Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’ (Variegated Japanese Forest Grass) Elegant arching clumps of vividly striped gold and lime green foliage are stunning cascading over a rock wall or along a path in the shade. The soft arching leaves turn a reddish pink in the fall. It has a spectacular effect when combined with ferns, hosta and
other shade loving plants. Only 18 to 24 inches tall and wide, it is very slow to spread, but worth the wait. Other noteworthy cultivars are: H. ‘Beni-Kazi’, H. ‘Naomi’ and H. ‘Nicholas’.

Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gracillimus’ (Japanese Silver Grass) A classic and popular grass, M. ‘Gracillimus’ has finely textured, graceful arching, light green foliage with a central white stripe. Copper-colored flowers rise above the foliage in late summer. The plumes age to silver, then to tan and remain showy throughout the winter. It will tolerate dry soils, but is very tolerant of having its roots immersed in water for short periods of time, making it a good rain garden plant. Reaches 4 to 5 feet tall by 2 to 3 feet wide.

Miscanthus sinensis ‘Strictus’ (Porcupine Grass) Creamy yellow flecks run horizontally across the green leaves of this very upright grass. The dagger-like leaves are very showy, especially when the sun shines through. Copper flowers emerge in the fall, mature to tan and then change to white. The plumes last well into the winter. Standing 6 to 8 feet tall, it makes an impressive specimen or screening plant.
M. ‘Gold Bar’ is a showy new cultivar having its creamy–yellow, horizontal banding set closer than that of M.‘Strictus’. There is nearly as much yellow as there is green. It stands 4 to 5 feet tall.

Molinia arundinacea ‘Skyracer’ (Tall Moor Grass) An underused beauty, its long, graceful, thin flower stems rise dramatically above soft clumping foliage. This grass has a transparency to it that adds a bit of mystery to the garden. The grass itself grows about 3 feet tall with its thin flower stems rising 6 to 8 feet above the foliage.

Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’ (Switch Grass) An extremely upright clump-forming selection that is gaining recognition for its sheer beauty. Its tough, broad, sage-green leaves stand bolt upright even in the strongest of winds. In late summer it has a magnificent show of autumn colors and upright floral spikes. A native cultivar that is sure to become a favorite with homeowners and landscapers. It is 5 to 6 feet tall.

Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’ (Red Switch grass) Stunning bluish-green, upright foliage takes on a red color in June and becomes a more intense wine-color in the fall. Airy, reddish seed heads emerge in July giving it a misty appearance. Perhaps the shortest panicum, it makes quite a statement with its beautiful red highlights. Grows 2 to 3 feet tall.

Schizachyrium scoparius ‘Blue Heaven’ (Little Blue Stem ‘Blue Heaven’) A new native form from the University of Minnesota, this cultivar has bold, dark bluish leaves that have a bit of burgundy hues in the summer. As fall approaches it adds shades of purple, violet, and red. An excellent grass with a compelling color. It is tall and upright, growing 3 to 4 feet.

Sporobolus heteroplepis (Prairie Dropseed) This grass is native to our prairie state of Illinois and is a natural addition to the home garden. Dense arching clumps of fine textured, emerald green leaves give a fine texture to the garden. Thin, arching flowering stalks of wispy, popcorn scented seed heads add to the beauty of this eye catching native grass. It grows only 2 to 3 feet tall and wide.
S. ‘Tara’ is a more upright version of this beautiful, fine textured native grass.

Whether it is a large specimen that makes a statement, or a collection of small delicate grasses used to add a welcome softness along the edge of a path, every garden should include an ornamental grass.

We have many grass selections planted in our gardens at both locations. We invite you to come and view these beauties - you may just want to have them all!