Pampas Grass

[valB]

I am being very cheeky but I was wonderring if anyone in Deux Sevres might be thinning out estabished Pampas Grass and possibly have some to give away. If not, where is the best place to purchase some..

[woolybanana]

Columbian Mothercare?[6]

[valB]

Very droll  !!!!!![:P]  [:P]

[woolybanana]

Any garden centre will have it and I have also seen it in HyperU I think when they have plant sales.

I have a large one (hooooooooo) which I allow to run riot because it attracts birds, in the spring, seeking nesting materials.

[valB]

Can I have your address and you might find it has halved in size overnight. Seriously, thanks for the help.

[Bugsy]

We have two, both now about three metres high

[IMG]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p211/Bugbear2/IMG_0451.jpg[/IMG]

[Pads]

Val do you want ones as big as above ? because you can get mini ones that grow half that size , you can alo get pink or white ones ... they are very easy to grown from seed , all of mine in the garden I grew ( much cheaper than plants ) and only take a couple of years to get to full size.   

[valB]

Thanks Pads for your email and also for this thread. I am a very impatient gardener and I look for very quick results but the info in the mail you sent is worth looking into. Cheers.

[valB]

Hello Bugbear  Can I have half of them , pretty please  xx   Seriously, let me know when you thin them out and I will wing my way to you.   [;-)]  [;-)]

[Pads]

You cant take cuttings you have to follow the roots and see if any new plants have come up in the ground ... dosnt happen often...

[WJT]

If you want to make a trip down to Dordogne, I have one you can have.[:)]

I know nothing about them but assume when the leaves turn brown and die you must cut them right back to the ground. I did this year before last and it grew back very quickly but is all brown now so assume I must do it again.

I must be the only one here that doesn't particularly like them.[8-)]

[Ron Avery]

A word of warning, I had this in the UK, we had two fairly small bushes already in place in a house we bought.  But, unless you really want this as a permanent fixture in your garden do not even start it.  After a very short time it develops a root system that is so tangled, deep and hard you will find it almost impossible to get rid off without a JCB cutting a very large and deep hole under the plant.  If you do decide to grow it, the usual method of cultivation is to set it alight after it has "flowered" but do take care as its like burning a bale of straw, but it will flourish on being razed to the ground each autumn.  The wands do also make nice indoor decorative features and last for a long time.

[valB]

Gosh !! They are definately a permanant fixture then. We have a very long garden,, mostly grass and i had thought of using it as a center piece to break it up somewhat. Any other suggestions for a biggish plant to use for this.  I have not given up on the idea of Pampas Grass but will consider other ideas. Thank you for all your replies.

[valB]

Thank you for the offer WJT. Where do you live so that I can see how far from us and after reading Ron's reply, would it be possible to dig it up with tangled roots  etc.

[Pads]

I have just emailed you some pics of a gunnera .. I have 3 and love them they loook great , but also you could plant some privet or box as a centre piece and as it grows shape it into a deer or any thing your heart desires .... see email

[valB]

Pads  I have mailed you back. Shape into something ? You are not aware of my gardening expertise are you but you should be by now as my veggie plot only went well because of all your advice.  We have a freezer full of Runner Beans and frozen Spicy Cabbage soup thanks to you.    [:)][:)]

[WJT]

[quote user="valB"]Thank you for the offer WJT. Where do you live so that I can see how far from us and after reading Ron's reply, would it be possible to dig it up with tangled roots  etc.[/quote]

ValB, we are near Sarlat in SE Dordogne. I don't know how possible that would be. It is growing somewhat between a wooden fence holding our postbox. It is all brown and dead looking at the moment. I can take a photo of it if that helps.

[Belle]

We have just planted a new pampas, we are using it as a screen, however, we have noticed that it's pink, our other two are the cream variety, we have also checked the label that came with it, and it doesn't mention any colour, we are wondering if Pampas start out pink,then change to the cream.

[Pads]

No you can get pink and cream ones , but you find that quite alot of pink ones fade to cream over the years

[Belle]

Thanks Pads, would you know though, what we should look out for to make sure we start off with the cream variety, as I said in my previous post, the lable indicated nothing to do with the colour, our other two were planted by previous owner, and also do the feathers thicken up with age, ours is quite high, but thin and wispy looking.

[valB]

I think Sarlat may be just a bit too far for us but a big thank you for the offer. I will have a look in some garden centres around here and Pads has recommended some other grasses as well, she really looks after me. I do wonder after what others have said if it would be possible to dig it up and I would hate to see you wasting hours trying to no avail.

[WJT]

Valb, if you aren't coming to take it, I will just leave it.[:)] As I mentioned, it is at the top of the drive next to our post box so I guess it really adds a little interest, it just doesn't look very French to me.

If you don't find what you are looking for and find you are ever in the area, you are more than welcome to take as much or as little as you want.

[Georgina]

Here is Morlaix we are being told to get rid of them as they are so invasive.  I thought they were really lovely until I saw the damage that they do with their roots and they really take over.  If you were to try and dig one up, you would have a right old job on your hands.

 

[Thebiga]

I have just dug up two of them over the last four days and will now go and lie down in a dark corner somewhere for several days.....