Plants I have to trade: IN SEASON ** face-to face only Ajuga reptens Burgendy Glow balloon flower: tall white or Sentimental Blue black-eyed susan Rudbeckia fulgida Goldsturm blackberry lily bellflower, clustered boltonia: pink or white butterfly bush cuttings: White Ball, Pink Delight, Nanho Blue, Nanho Purple chives: common or garlic coneflower / echinacea coral bells: Purple Palace coreopsis Rosea crocus: pickwick, yellow, or deep purple Daffodil: assorted single, double, or bi-coclor daylilys too many to list, email if interested downy skullcap evening primrose Ferns: dryopteris or onoclea sensibilis foxglove: native white wild lavender geranium -Geranium maculatum gooseneck loosestrife hosta Sum and Substance iris: tall bearded (many shades and patterns) Iris cristata; Iris reticulata Iris, Siberian (several colors, including white) Jacob's ladder Blue Pearl Jasmine nudeflorum cuttings Lamium Shell Pink Lemon balm Lily of the Valley (white or pink) lovage mint: spear, pineapple, lavender, apple or chocolate penstemon: Husker Red or native white Egyptian walking onion bulbs oregano: common or Greek stripped squil tansy or curly tansy valerian native violets: white, pink, or purple weigela cuttings: Wine & Roses, Pink Princess or Nana willow cuttings: pussy, weeping, contorted, fantail, purplosier, Hakuro Nishiki, curly red twig dogwood cuttings yarrow several colors ornamental grass (if you are strong enough to dig/divide them) Phalaris arundianacea picta Dwarf Garters switch grass - Panicum virgatum; species, Heavy Metal or Shenandoah Japanese Silver grass Miscanthus sinensis Kleine Fountaine blue-eyed grass -Sisyrinchium angustifolium Ravenna I am willing to divide almost anything in the garden (at the proper time) to trade for things on my want list. Garden Supplies: Bobbex, De-Thatch, liquid rooting hormone, African Violet food large variety of planters -most are new/never used.

I think it all depends on the size of the clump that you want. I just went out and measured my miscanthus sinensis gracillimus. The clump is in its 4th year, and at the bottom measures about 17 inches. In the fall, it measures approximately 5-6 feet across and about 5 feet tall. I personally like it this way, as it gives me a good screen. When I planted it, I put several plugs fairly close together so that I could indeed get the nice spray effect that I wanted. With my MS giganticus, I did a similar planting. It now measures 29 inches across at the base, but spreads beautifully to about 7 feet across, but 10 feet tall. I agree with Mr Morton, that I personally like to see them fairly densely clumped for the most pleasing visual effect. However, it does also mean that I have to go in and thin it out every spring. That is not a problem, as there are countless people who want a clump.

Some is and some isn't. There are many cultivars of Miscanthus sinensis, varying in height, habit, foliage color, bloom color and time. Some of them will reseed in your zone, and some won't produce viable seed.

Hi Heather, I too am in zone 5. My clumps of Miscanthus sinensis 'Variegatus' look like they are just beginning to get ready to bloom. Could be a week or two at this rate. As for trimming, go for it! I often trim back any leaning grasses, especially those that grow along pathways. Unless the shoot has broken or bent right over at the base you can often cut it off at about 2 or 3 feet and then it (they) can act as a natural girdle. A.