By MyFolsom.Com community member
Farley
One of the numerous options available to the Folsom gardener is to
use various types of grasses in one’s landscaping. Grasses are good
in pool gardens, Oriental gardens, and the every-day type of
landscaping. There are numerous grasses to choose from, and most
nurseries have a section devoted to grasses. Some grasses grow in
water, some prefer shaded areas, and some love the sun. Always
inform yourself as to what the requirements are for the grass of
your choice. Many grasses do well in containers, but they often
become root bound. Personally I think grasses do better planted in
the ground. Many grasses multiply by spreading root systems in the
ground. Clumps of some grasses can be divided every 2 to 3 years in
early spring.
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Mondo Grass
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Japanese silver grass
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Pampas grass |
Since there are so many different types of grasses, I plan to limit
this article to the following grasses: Mondo grass, Pampas grass,
Japanese Silver grass, Feather grass, Northern Sea Oats, Japanese
Blood grass, and Fountain grass. These are all growing in my Folsom
garden and have been successful.
Mondo grass is absolutely beautiful. It starts as a clump, but the
main clump continuously produces small clumps from the parent plant.
Eventually one has a beautiful dark green clump of grass that seems
incredibly abundant and round. Also it spreads to make more mounds.
This grass is especially nice in shaded areas, and it is often seen
in Oriental settings.
Our Japanese Silver grass is a variegated variety. It’s formal name
is Miscanthus sinensis “Variegatus.” This grass has narrow,
variegated leaves, makes an excellent specimen plant, and produces
silvery plumes in summer.
I happen to like Pampas grass. It does need lots of space as it can
grow very tall and wide. Each plant is a fountain of saw-toothed,
grassy leaves, and produces long stalks bearing giant plumes 1 – 3
ft. long. This grass may spread by sowing seeds into the wind.
A beautiful specimen grass is named Feather grass (Stipa spp.) This
is a fine textured ornamental grass with large, open and airy
plumes. It is perennial and requires regular watering. It’s primary
use is to impart motion to a garden as its plumes dance with the
breeze.
An interesting grass is Northern Sea Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium).
This is an attractive bamboo-like grass with showy, drooping
seed-heads remaining until late fall. Foliage color turns a bronze
color in fall. This grass is good near water or in perennial
borders.
Prized for its foliage, is Japanese Blood Grass. This grass has
bright red leaf tips. It has a self-spreading habit and is
semi-deciduous. For best color, plant in a sunny area. This grass
turns straw color in winter, so can be cut back to the ground.
Saving the best for last, Fountain grass is a particular favorite of
mine. We have 7 plants of Fountain grass in our garden. This grass
is a popular drought-tolerant perennial grass which forms neat
clumps of purplish-maroon blades. The plant is topped by rose-red
flower spikes summer through fall. It is beautiful as a landscape
specimen or planted in groups. For a neat appearance, remove old
foliage before new leaves emerge.
So these are some of the grasses I like to watch in my garden. The
biggest benefits are they are beautiful and the grass never needs
mowing.
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Feather grass
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