Things are Booming at Home

P8030005.JPG, originally uploaded by Jane Milliman.

Upon my return, I was greeted with what looked like the garden I had left behind GONE WILD! Someone's gonna get arrested! Sorry. No, seriously, everything was so big and bodacious, I was a little shocked. Of course, the smaller plants are being squashed mercilessly by the nicotiana and the perilla, even though I thinned everybody out before I left. The giant grass is a new one from Allan Armitage's company, Athens Select. It's called Pennisetum purpurea 'Prince', and even though the propaganda said it was going to get 5 to 6 feel tall and turn more and more purple as the summer went on, I didn't believe it, seeing as how it's a southern plant and all. Well. The thing is ginormous, stately, beautiful and low-care, and I love it. You could buy 6 in a spring and make your own temporary hedge. If you look to the left, you can see 'Princess', a smaller and more demure (of course!) version. Good in a container. The only thing to watch for with these babies is their crazy-big roots, which I think might shatter their pots. If you are mixing them up with other plants, you'll want to give more space and, likely, water.