The Carex family of grasses are evergreen, neat and so useful in any garden. Recently introduced (over the last 5 years or so) varieties add slightly different foliage colours, variegations and patterns. We use them on the edges of borders especially in raised beds where their graceful characters can be best seen.
Today we bought a few more Carex oshimensis cultivars to use as edging along the paths beneath our stepover apples. We chose C. o. Eversheen, C.o. Everest, C.o. Everlime, C.o. Evercream and C.o. Evergold. Their graceful habit and small size will be perfect for the purpose.
I placed the new plants on our Victorian railway bench to photograph them all together, then individually.
I then decided it would be good to wander around the garden and take photos of some of our Carex planted over the years showing where they are growing and what plants are their companions.
So there we are – we love our Carex varietes and feel sure we will find more!
greenbenchramblings 
5 replies on “Carex – the grass no garden should be without.”
In third to last picture is the dark bluish purple also carex?
No it’s an Ophiopogon which are related to lilies. It has small pale pink-purple flowers as well as its dark leaves.
Ah, thanks. I should have recognized it. Great selection of carex.
Do they spread a lot? I planted a similar one a few years back, and I had a mess. I eventually had to dig them all up, and I about broke my back doing it. I love the way they look but am hesitant because of that experience.
The only Carex that spreads a lot in our garden are Carex ‘Ice Dancer’. The others just throw up a few babies each year.