Ornamental grasses occupy a special position in the perennial bed. Their slender stalks and narrow leaves relax its appearance and sway gracefully with the slightest gust of wind.Among colorful flowers, larger clumps create places of exceptional peace.For gardeners, these qualities are a sufficient incentive to plant grasses. Today, the role of grasses in the garden is changing a bit. Increasingly, they are not only a graceful addition to ornamental plants, but even occupy a central, foreground place in the bed.
Cultivars with intensely colored leaves make it possible to create new, attractive arrangements with flowering plants, and even only from the grasses themselves.Now, in the fall, many of them take on intense colors, showing their full beauty.
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Trzęślica naturally fits into many discount compositions (Photo: Fotolia.com) |
One of the most beautiful varieties is 'Shenandoah' millet. The grass delights with its maroon leaves almost all year round. On the other hand, 'Rehbraun' is decorated in shades of copper only in August.A slightly different impression is provided by the 'Heavy Metal' variety with blue-green leaves.
The Chinese miscanthus Miscanthus sinensis stands out with a multitude of different forms. The cultivar 'Ghana' is almost completely unknown, the leaves of which in August take on an intense chocolate color.It has straight blades, therefore it takes up little space in the bed.A characteristic feature of the varieties 'Strictus' and 'Zebrinus' there are yellow spots on the leaves.However, these grasses bloom very rarely. If we want an additional ornament, which are ears of grain, choose a similarly colored variety of 'Pünktchen'.
Ornamental grasses in a pot
On our balconies and terraces, grasses are still rather rare.It is a pity, because ornamental grasses in pots have similar qualities as those grown in a bed.
Some species, such as Stipa tenuissima, perfectly complete the arrangement and soften the appearance of colorfully flowering balcony plants. Perennial grasses in containers can spend the winter outside the house, but the ground must not be too wet.
The diamond grass Achnatherum brachytrichum is beautifully yellow in autumn.Its silvery-pink inflorescences are strong and long-lasting.The holly reed Calamagrostis acutiflora maintains its attractive appearance for a long time in winter. The narrow blades of Molinia are a nice decoration of the beds. Its varieties 'Windspil', 'Cordoba' and 'Zuneigung' shine bright shades of yellow in autumn.
Trzęślice are not very durable grasses and lose their decorative value already at the beginning of winter.Therefore, different varieties of miscanthus and reed are recommended to beautify a winter garden.
The exotic grass of Imperata cylindrica is a strong color accent on the perennial bed. Its dark red blades shine wonderfully in the rays of the autumn sun. The grass may freeze during harsh winter.Therefore, in late autumn, cover its root ball with a layer of dry leaves.
Some forms of Carex grass-like sedges flaunt their beautiful leaves all year round. The 'Ice Dance' variety has leaves adorned with white and green stripes, while 'Evergold' is yellow-green.
Most popular ornamental grasses
1. The sedge 'Evergold' Carex hachijoensis has beautiful green and yellow striped leaves.
2. The giant Stipa gigantea grows its openwork ears at a height of about 2 m above the ground.
3. Cortaderia pampas grass is proud of its magnificent silvery panicles, crowning blades up to 2.5 m long.
4. Stipa barbata is decorated with long, feathery inflorescences, slightly rising and waving in the wind.
5. Chinese miscanthus 'Flamingo' delights with loose pink inflorescence panicles.
6. Chinese miscanthus 'Zebrinus' M. sinensis creates clumps of green leaves with distinct yellow spots.
