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If there’s a garden grass that your average gardener knows by name, it’s ‘Karl Foerster’. This eponymous creation of the legendary plantsman was the first ornamental grass named Perennial Plant of the Year.Naturally, we know (and grow) lots more, but this is the one to know if you know only one. It’s famous worldwide for its beauty, adaptability and ease of culture.Prolific breeder and author Karl Foerster (1874-1970) introduced over 600 plants and wrote two dozen books. His breeding motto was “

We grow over two dozen varieties of this multifaceted, cosmopolitan genus. Why so many? Because no two are alike. Let’s inventory their assets and characteristics.Size: Our fountain grass offerings range from awww!-some cuties like ‘Little Bunny’, a mere 10 – 12” tall, all the way up to statuesque six-footers in the Royal Collection.Foliage: Name it! At one end of the color spectrum is the bright chartreuse of P. alopecuroides 'Yellow Ribbons’. On the dark side are the Royals, with big, rippling

Pantone Color of the Year 2022The color gurus at Pantone have anointed “Very Peri” as THE color for 2022. In their trademark breathless prose, Pantone describes Very Peri as a “red violet infused blue hue” that inspires “carefree confidence” and “bold curiosity.” It’s so cool, it’s “a symbol of the global zeitgeist.” Wow!At ECG, we pay attention to this annual decision. Why? Because your customers do.Confidently, curiously or unconsciously, home gardeners will see, and buy, Veri Peri even if the

“Cool Crops” aren’t just for annuals.Need a way to keep your benches full and your heating bills low?With the right crops, it’s the possible dream – even with grasses and perennials! Calamagrostis xacutiflora“Feather reed grass” is a classic cool-season grass that thrives on warm days and easy-to-maintain night temperatures. We offer six varieties of this handsome, versatile species.‘Avalanche’ A handsome variegated form. Green blades with snowy white central bands.Height: 3’. Hardy in Zones 4

It’s practically blasphemy to rank any ornamental grass higher than world-famous Calamagrostis xa. ‘Karl Foerster’. It was the first grass ever named Perennial Plant of the Year, and rightly so. With sturdy vertical foliage and feathery plumes, it’s a handsome workhorse that makes a designer look like a genius. Not surprisingly, it’s among our top sellers. You’ll never hear us dis it.But we WILL say there are other options in the very same species that bring that same legendary reliability – all