Guilty

I am guilty. I admit to having and enjoying non-native plants in my garden. Sure, they are considered “xeric” and in fact do use little water. I’m happy with their performance with relatively little care, growing quickly and with a long season of interest. The colors work as I intended them to, bringing the colors of my interior outside. There is movement in the garden, and the wildlife is very happy (maybe too happy, considering the uncontrolled rabbit population in my neighborhood). So what’s there to be guilty of? Is there some underlying mental pathology, you ask?

Perhaps I may be overreacting. There’s nothing wrong with such stalwart performers such as Calamogrostis ‘Karl Foerster’, Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’, and Artemesia ‘Powis Castle.’ Here’s the dig: when I look out my window, I don’t see Albuquerque, I see Philadelphia. The time I feel I really see Albuquerque is when I look up and see the mountains or other parts of the garden. Why do I have all these non-native plants in my garden, when there are native plants that perform the same function, in similar or even identical colors, AND (here’s the kicker) retain the natural Albuquerque character? The effect may be slightly different, but isn’t that the point of living in Albuquerque? Why design a garden that looks like the East Coast?

Well what are my options? Plenty.
Let’s start with my favorite Calamogrostis. The plants green up early in the spring, quickly form impressive height, the plant has great movement and structure, and the color of the seedheads exactly match my interior accent color. Sporobolus is a genus that has several, if not many, options. S. wrightii has more than enough height, and the feathery seedheads which form in late summer are airy, moving with the wind as well. It has a looser structure than Karl, which is for me a bit disappointing, but that’s what makes it more Albuquerque. I’ve got to loosen up a bit. It’s late flowering means that I won’t have the 7+ months of color, but other plants can fill in during this time. S. airoides is similar, but smaller, to 2-3 feet and a more graceful stature. Festuca sp. can fill in while the Sporobolus grows. It is a cool season grass, and blooms early, providing early season tans that I want. Smaller, it can be placed in front of the taller Sporobolus. Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem) has the disadvantage of being a green tuft for most of the early season, putting on height only at the end. Still, the fall color can be a glowing russet with the seed heads sparkling in the sun, and the stems last all winter. Stipa neomexicana is another cool season grass, producing its silky awns early, but leaving buff colored stems atop green leaves. Although Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans) doesn’t bloom until fall, it has a similar upright stature and seedheads, but with native grace.

I would happily rip out any Miscanthus and replace them with other grasses. Although Miscanthus is a beautiful grass with many intriguing cultivars, and although it does not have an invasive habit in our climate, I can’t help remembering that this plant is from East Asia. It is a common wetlands plant in Japan, even covering vast stretches by itself. As such, it requires a good amount of water to look decent, especially the variegated forms, which burn every summer in Albuquerque even with moist soil. Despite its inherent beauty, there is no way you can convince me that it looks appropriate for New Mexico.

How about Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’? I don’t have nay in my garden, but every once in a while I catch myself looking at those Oehme Van Sweden gardens and wishing. Mostly I like this plant for the long lasting russet seed heads which appear in the fall after the pink flowers fade. I was never that fond of the pink. The fleshy leaves are nice, but not essential and burn without enough water. For even more attractive leaves of blue-grey and a similar plant size, look to Penstemon grandiflorus. In my garden it needs no water despite being a plains plant. The shell-like leaves stay attractive all winter and even when the large blue flowers fade. Several of the genus Eriogonum may also be better plants. Eriogonum jamesii has tufts of silvery leaves which produce umbels of white/beige flowers which fade to russet, Eriogonum umbellatum has green leaves and flower heads which start out in spring as impressive umbels of yellow. They fade to russet and hold for months. This plant has the benefit of winter leaves that range from red tinged to solid striking red. They smolder like embers all season until spring. Eriogonum corymbosum has similar size as the sedum, and similar russet seed heads. I’m trying E. ericifolia this year. It should have mounds of silvery leaves and masses of red umbels which fade to that russet color I love. Best of all, these plants tolerate much less water than the sedum, and they grow under the Albuquerque sun without burning.

Artemesia ‘Powis Castle’ is a beautiful plant. I can’t help but love its texture, color and size. It is easy to propagate from cuttings and grows quickly. The problem with it is that in the winter, the leaves collapse and the plant looks like a dead bush decorated with toilet paper. The fast growth also can mean a bunch of bare stems and more maintenance. Some other options include Artemesia filifolia, which has the same color, but in a graceful wispy plant that always appears windblown. It is taller than Powis Castle, however, growing 3-5 feet tall. The Eriogonums can also fill this niche. Mariola is a great plant with similar size and color as Powis Castle. It has the benefit of a wonderful fragrance, and small blooms in early summer. Ceratoides lanata is a plant that shouldn’t be overlooked. Although grazed by herbivores, it has silvery color, small stature, and the best winter appearance of just about any other silvery plant I know. If only I didn’t have rabbits in my neighborhood. I hear that once the plants are big enough, the rabbits leave them alone. Mine never get to that point.

So here’s the bottom line on the guilt: with a little searching, I could have had the same garden, with more Albuquerque character. As a Landscape Architect, I should keep this in mind. But, as guilt goes, it will be tough giving up my favorites for new ones.