I used the request of some more grasses for a client’s garden as a good  excuse to travel down to Knoll Gardens in Dorset.

Knoll is a specialist grass nursery and gardens, and is well worth a visit, not just for those in the business, but for the general visitor.  The gardens are spread informally over a four acres with paths weaving this way and that (great to loose the children in!), with wonderful mature examples of their grasses and other perennials for you to see. Many garden environments seem to be covered, with shade, part shade, full sun as well as dry and wet areas, each exhibiting varieties for you to experience in the ground, rather than in the pot – which can, as we all know, be a completely different plant to what ends up in your border!

Staff are on hand to answer your questions, and if you are lucky, you may get the chance to throw a question at Neil Lucus, the founder of the nursery and writer of a popular book on designing with grasses. The nursery has good quality specimens available for purchase. It didn’t take much convincing to get out a trolley and buy myself some grasses! That wasn’t the reason for going at all, but I just couldn’t resist! I will find somewhere to put them!

On the downside, very few plants are labeled in the gardens, so remember to take a tablet or smart phone (anything with a largish screen) so you can show a member of staff any plant you needed identifying and they should be able to help you.

For more on Knoll Gardens, the nursery and access to their very informative  online catalogue, you can visit their site here. RHS members can get in free (I found out afterwards!! I always forget to ask!).