Festuca glauca Intense Blue ='Casblue'

Common name: Blue fescue

Description: Festuca glauca 'Intense Blue' is a compact, evergreen ornamental grass forming neat, tight tussocks of intensely blue-grey, needle-fine foliage that provides year-round colour and texture in the garden. In summer it sends up slender flower stems with small, beige-brown seedheads that add a delicate movement and further seasonal interest. Its vivid colour makes it an outstanding edging plant, a striking partner for warm-toned grasses and succulents, and an excellent choice for gravel gardens and contemporary schemes.

Other benefits: year-round foliage colour, drought tolerant, excellent edging plant, low maintenance, RHS Award of Garden Merit, good in containers

Wildlife attraction: seedheads are visited by finches in autumn and winter

Height & spread (approx.) at 10 years: 0.2m x 0.3m

Position: full sun; gravel gardens, borders, and containers; good drainage essential

Soil pH: neutral to slightly alkaline; thrives in poor, well-drained, sandy or chalky soils

Moisture: low; drought tolerant once established; does not tolerate waterlogged or persistently wet soil

Winter hardiness: fully hardy to approximately -20°C