Suspicious requests
It’s not uncommon for strata owners to make suspicious requests, even though they don’t technically own the gardens outside their units. Let’s examine one recent case where the owners didn’t want drooping sedges (Carex pendula) to droop.
In typical fashion, as soon as the request came in, power shears came out. Five minutes later, what used to be a nice, large sedge was reduced to a hedgehog. No more drama; that ended as soon as the drooping long brown flowers went missing.
The long drooping flower stalks and catkin-like flowers give the sedge a distinctive appearance. It’s also well situated next to a water feature, in light shade. Why then do we shear off the flowers in early June? It makes no sense. The landscape architect would agree, I’m sure.
The sedge doesn’t interfere in any way but somehow the drooping flower stalks annoy the unit owners. So what if they have deep pockets? We can still attempt to educate them. Some requests don’t make any sense and this is one of them.
Prime time
The suggested season of interest for Carex pendula is June to winter. Any cutback should happen in fall when dead foliage starts to show. That’s it.
So, in early June there shouldn’t any power shearing going on. Just enjoy the show. Like the specimen below.
I love all ornamental grass and sedge growth habits. Let them grow. They know what to do.
Now, is this an improvement? All we get is a shaved hedgehog sedge without any drama. The long flower stalks give the sedge its distinctive look and add drama. Why anyone would prefer this look is beyond me.
Conclusion
Learn about the plants in your landscape and cut them back at the appropriate time. If you get a crazy request- and, inevitably, you will-try to educate the client first.
