Ornamental grasses

[Verdun]

I love growing ornamental grasses......from the beautiful maroon red leaves of imperata red baron to the brilliant blue leaves of elymus magellanicus. The clsssiest of all grasses is hackonechloa .....fantastic in a container or in the ground. The golden oat grass, stipa gigantea, is absolutely majestic in summer....8' plus flowers tremble in the slightest breeze. Its smaller cousin, tennuissima, has billowing plumes all summer. Similar but with colours of purple, red, orange hues beautifully reflecting the sun. Miscanthus for late summer and winter structure and calamagrostis for tall purple grey flowers from mid summer......hey! Have I said enough to whet your appetites for growing grasses? Or, do you grow them and how do you place them in your gardens folks? Hoping this year my pink muhly grass will flower here in the UK......those of you growing this in hotter climes can grow this superbly I think. Any pictures?

 

[Tetters]

Well I`m not sure the grasses are easily distinguished in this photo, but I only started growing them last summer. I am fond of Miscanthus - there are two clumps of Zebrina here, but am hoping to include a lot more varieties this summer. I like the silvery flowers on Mis. Silberfeder.
One of the best things about the taller grasses is the way they attract small birds during the cold winter months.

 

[Verdun]

Lovely garden Tetters
Great planting. Impressive

 

[Tetters]

Hey verdun - ''trembling in the slightest breeze'' is everso poetic. When I took the dogs out this arvo, I did a bit more than tremble - it was blowing a hoolie (love love love this little mauve face)

 

[Beaus Mum]

Gorgeous garden tetters
Today in the bitter cold my lovely other half has finished what I started a new bed for my stash of grasses and plants to go with them. Sorry I don't recall the names as brought them last October end of season sale at local nursery The Plant Specialist. Can't wait to get them in
Are we talking prairie planting VERDUN? Sounds like the American forum members will hopefully have some great pics to share

 

[johnny canoe]

OH MY WORLD, here I go again. Verdun, have i got a show stopper for you to see.
This is my pride and joy. People along my street call it my monster grass. About 15yrs ago I found this grass growing on a rocky hill along a bike path outside the city. I had to grow it. I went back sometime later and collected the seed. First year it looked like a small weed grass and I was laughed at for having it growing in a pot. The next spring I planted it and the rest is history. This is Great Basin Wild Rye. It is a native grass from here to California. I was happy a few years ago to google the grass and see my own grass picture on display.

 

[Tetters]

johnny canoe...that is amazing! LOVE it, and wonder if we can get hold of the seed here.

 

[johnny canoe]

Hello Tetters,
It is an amazing grass. Not sure if it's available but it might be. It's a native dryland grass and I don't think people see it as a garden plant. They view it as grass that free range cattle and the antelope would munch on. But with a good fertilizing routine mine is way more impressive than the patch I found out on the prairie.

And I must tell you your garden looks amazing. Very impressed indeed.

 

[Tetters]

Johnny, is it possible to send seed from there to the UK? Oh, and by the way, glad to have found you on here

 

[johnny canoe]

If one is allowed to send seed from Canada to the UK, I wouldn't mind at all to collect seed late this summer. I could check out what kind of rules apply here.

 

[johnny canoe]

Oh and the seed/flower stalk is covered in tiny yellow blooms. When it goes to seed the birds flock to it for a feast. Drought resistant and doesn't spread wildly. The roots go mostly down and down deep. After so many years the centre will start to die back. Last year I dug mine up keeping just a small heathy path which I planted again and it's been feeding on my old fish tank water. I can't wait to see the results this year.

 

[Tetters]

That would be most appreciated johnny. It was a similar gesture from verdun that gave me the incentive to plant up my new garden....including grasses OF COURSE....thank you

 

[Tetters]

Oh and the seed/flower stalk is covered in tiny yellow blooms. When it goes to seed the birds flock to it for a feast. Drought resistant and doesn't spread wildly. The roots go mostly down and down deep. After so many years the centre will start to die back. Last year I dug mine up keeping just a small heathy path which I planted again and it's been feeding on my old fish tank water. I can't wait to see the results this year.

Even better !! G'night

 

[Verdun]

Amazing grass johnny. Not sure we can grow it here.
Muhlenberghia, (hope I got that right) or pink muhly grass, johnny, do you grow it? I can grow it here and hoping for flowers this year. Late summer it is supposed to erupt into a pink profusion of flower.

 

[johnny canoe]

Hi Verdun,
No I don't but it sounds like an interesting grass. The only other ornamental grass I grow is some Calamagrostis Karl Foerster, a feather reed grass.