Ornamental grassesis a very interesting and diverse group of plants that can be grown in a garden. Many grasses are resistant and durable species, among them there are plants suitable for perennial beds, rockeries, for planting the banks of ponds or even on slopes. Get to know the most interestingspecies and varieties of ornamental grassesand see whatgrowing ornamental grasses in the garden
Decorative grasses in the garden
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Decorative grasses - application
When designing a garden and creating perennial beds, it is worth considering the use of variousspecies of ornamental grassesA large variety of grasses allows for their versatile use. Grasses combine well with other plants, and some of them can also be grown in pots. There are species that form rosettes, others creep close to the ground, others grow high to large sizes.
Ornamental grasses decorate flowerbeds , they are used to turf the surface, low and thick grass can beautify the rockery, while the tall ones are a perfect background for lower perennials. Many grasses look good at the edge of the pond or as a border around the path. Although they are great for naturalistic plantings,ornamental grasses also look great in modern gardensin combination with stone and gravel. The grasses differ not only in terms of shape and size, but also in color. They can be dark green through brown, silver and red.
Ornamental grasses - species and varieties
Species and varieties of ornamental grassesshould be selected taking into account the habitat conditions in our garden, the amount of space we have and the aesthetic effects we want to achieve. Below we present the most popular species and varieties of ornamental grasses recommended for our gardens.
Pampas grass
Decorative grasses are usedas strong elements of the composition. Pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana) fulfills this function perfectly. Pampas grass is the most magnificent and the most decorative of all ornamental grasses, available in several dozen garden varieties, blooming white or pink or with striped leaves. Reaches a height of up to 2 meters. It blooms in late summer and in the fall - from September to October. Flowering is more abundant with time.
Unfortunately, in our climatethe problem is low frost resistance of pampas grassand sensitivity to excessive soil moisture during winter, so it must be properly protected, and so wintering often fails.Nevertheless, due to the unique beauty of pampas grass, there are many amateurs of growing it.
Pampas grass - Cortaderia selloana
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Cortaderia selloana pampas grass
Description:tuft grass with blades of 2 meters high, in autumn from a wide rosette of equilibrium leaves, magnificent panicles grow, which after drying retain their decorative value for a long time, having this extremely decorative grass is a dream of many garden owners,
Application:individually in exposed places (e.g. in the middle of the lawn), it can also be planted in groups as a background for flower beds and in the vicinity of ponds,
Requirements:sunny and secluded positions (does not tolerate drafts), moderately moist, well-drained soils,
Frost resistance:zone 7, before the onset of frost, the roots within the reach of the leaf rosette should be covered with a 15-20 cm layer of leaves, peat or sawdust,
Propagation:by division.
Kostrzewa
A very valuablespecies of ornamental grassesis the ash fescue (Festuca glauca), which belongs to the turf plants. With straight leaves, glaucous-blue in color, it forms a low, compact, spherical in outline, slightly flattened tuft up to 20 cm high. This grass is suitable for planting in flower beds, in rock gardens, it can be used as a border plant, and in dense planting it can serve as a cover plant. From May to June, the clumps grow numerous, small, dense, inflorescences.
The Ash Fescue is an evergreen plantIt should not be missing in any garden. Undemanding to the ground, it tolerates droughts perfectly. It reproduces quickly and easily. It looks great in combination with other plants. It also looks interesting in pots. One of the most interestingvarieties of this grassis the Ash Fescue 'Golden Toupee' with attractive, needle-like foliage.
Popielata Kostrzewa - Festuca glauca
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Kostrzewa popielata Festuca glauca
Description:also referred to as blue fescue, it is evergreen grass forming dense cushions of blue-green leaves, 20 cm high, blue-gray panicles appear in early summer, quite short-lived so it does not grow in turf,
Application:for rockeries, for containers, for naturalistic plantings in dry places and for greening roofs,
Requirements:sunny position, permeable soil,
Frost resistance:zone 5,
Reproduction:by division, if the inflorescences are not cut, it can spread by itself.
Sedge
It is also worth paying attention to the sedges(Carex). They are decorated with original ears in the shape of a fleshy star, appearing in great numbers in the period from June to August.Inflorescences are suitable for cutting into dry bouquets. Among the very interestingvarieties of these ornamental grassesit is worth mentioning the glossy sedge (Carex flagellifera) 'Coca-Cola', which produces dark brown leaves and a slight silver sheen, the Japanese sedge (Carex Morrowii) 'Variegata' o leaves with cream edges, or the palm sedge (Carex muskingumensis) 'Ice Fountains' with leaves growing from the stem, creating a characteristic pattern like a palm tree.
Palm sedge 'Ice Fountains'
Muskegońska sedge, palm sedge Carex muskingumensis
Description:sedge with original habit, grass-green leaves grow from the shoot at an almost right angle, height up to 80 cm, brown ears appear on plants from June to August,
Application:bedding compositions with funk and bergs, for planting the edges of ponds,
Requirements:semi-shaded or shaded positions, moist soils, when the soil is insufficiently moist - it tolerates increased insolation very badly,
Frost resistance:zone 7,
Reproduction:by division in spring or early summer.
Reed mozga
Ornamental grasses in the gardenare often used as masking plants. This function will be fulfilled byreed canary(Phalaris arundinacea). This fast-growing grass covers large areas in a short time and, reaching a height of up to 1.5 meters, is perfect for masking uninteresting places in the garden. It perfectly tolerates drought and the ground is poor in ingredients. One of the cool varieties is the 'Picta' reed canary, which forms beige inflorescence panicles that rustle in a characteristic way in the wind.
Reed mozga - Phalaris arundinacea
Fig. depositphotos.com
Reed mozga 'Picta' Phalaris arundinacea
Description:durable grass with two-color, white-green striped leaves, grows quickly and creates numerous stolons, blooms from June to July, height up to 60 cm (up to 100 cm in flowering circumference)
Application:for single or group plantings, as ground cover plants, in the vicinity of water reservoirs,
Requirements:humid and sunny position, but also tolerates partial shade and tolerates dryness,
Frost resistance:sufficient,
Propagation:by division.
Miskant
Miscanthus are impressive, very decorative ornamental grassesthat winter without any problems in the ground. Only young specimens are secured during the first 2-3 years of cultivation by making a mound of compost, sawdust or bark at the base of the plants. In autumn, it is also worth tying them up and leaving them for the winter. Cut dried leaves and shoots 10 cm above the ground only in spring (in April).
In the garden, miscanthus requirewarm and sunny positions, sheltered from frosty winds in winter. They grow best in relatively fertile, well-drained and moderately moist soils.When planting miscanthus in the garden, provide them with adequate space and remember that some of them, such as sugar miscanthus, can be expansive - they easily grow and choke other plants. Such species should be planted in containers or dug in strips of thick foil around the plants as a root barrier.
Chinese miscanthus - Miscanthus sinensis
Fig. Daderot, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons
Chinese miscanthus Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus'
Description:ornamental grass with fairly wide green leaves with transverse yellow stripes, up to 200 cm high,
Application:for single plantings on the edge of a pond,
Requirements:sunny position, fertile and constantly moist soil,
Frost resistance:zone 5, protection against frost requires young specimens,
Propagation:by division.
Sugar miscanthus Miscanthus sacchariflorus
Description:ornamental grass especially in autumn, when its leaves turn light brown, from August there are also fluffy inflorescences that can be admired until winter, height 150 cm, expansive growth through underground runners (it is necessary to use partitions to limit growth),
Application:in compositions on large flower beds or individually on the background of the lawn,
Requirements:sunny position, permeable soil,
Frost resistance:zone 6,
Propagation:by division.
Miscanthus giganteus
Description:Stems up to 10 mm in diameter, stiff, hard, woody and purple at the base, even more than 3 meters high, leaves lanceolate, dark green, with a blue shade with whitea strip along the main nerve, rarely found in Polish gardens, this unusually huge grass can be an unusual garden decoration,
Application:in winter, hardened stems (like bamboo sticks) form from grasses, they can be used as fuel or to build supports for plants,
Requirements:sunny position, moist soils,
Frost resistance:sufficient, but young specimens may be sensitive to frost,
Reproduction:in the Polish climate, the giant miscanthus does not bloom, so obtaining seeds is not possible, so we reproduce by rootstocks or dividing carp.
Other species of ornamental grasses
Selection of species and varietiesornamental grasses recommended for cultivation in gardensthere are many and it is impossible to list them all here. Below we present a few more very popular and often recommended ornamental grasses with interesting ornamental values.
Evergreen sheep Helictotrichon sempervirens
Description:evergreen grass with stiff, bluish leaves, forms clumps 40 cm high, in summer spikes 1 m high,
Application:discounts,
Requirements:sunny position, humus soils, permeable,
Frost resistance:zone 5,
Reproduction:by division throughout the growing season except mid-summer,
Rajgas haughty Arrhenatherum bulbosum 'Variegatum'
Description:grass with white-striped leaves, approx. 40 cm high, not very expansive growth,
Application:moor and naturalistic gardens, as well as borders and rockeries,Requirements:sunny position, with low soil moisture, the above-ground part dies faster,
Frost resistance:zone 5,
Propagation:by division,
Crested Spartina Spartina pectinata 'Aureomarginata'
Description:grass with narrow, arched, dark green leaves with yellow margins, blooms from August to September, height up to 150 cm,
Application:discounts,
Requirements:sunny position, moist soils,
Frost resistance:zone 5,
Propagation:by division,
Rose goldfish Molinia coerulea 'Variegata'
Description:grass with striped, yellowish-white-green leaves, forms dense clumps, grows up to 60 cm high, blooms from August to October,
Requirements:sunny position, moist, humus soils, but not excessively fertile, acidic,
Frost resistance:zone 5,
Propagation:by division,
Meadow grassland Alopecurus pratensis 'Aureovariegatus'
Description:meadow grass, dark yellow-green striped leaves, height 30 cm, height up to 70 cm during flowering,
Application:for turf cover, beaver tolerates mowing, so you can plant it on lawns to obtain interesting color effects,
Requirements:sunny position, removal of shoots with ears,
Frost resistance:zone 5,
Reproduction:by division, frequent division and rejuvenation is advisable for better coloration,
Sand ducks Leymus arenarius
Description:creates blue leaves with sharp edges, expansive growth through underground stolons,
Application:for naturalistic plantings, perfect for strengthening coastal dunes,
Requirements:sunny position, permeable soils,
Frost resistance:zone 6,
Propagation:by division,
Ornamental grasses - cultivation in the garden
Ornamental grass growing station
Growing ornamental grassesis successful mainly in sunny locations, although we can also find shade-tolerant species. We can look for shade-loving grasses, among others. among sedges.
Soil requirements of grasses
Most of the grasses do well in barren and fairly dry soils. However, the diversity amongornamental grassesis huge, so before planting them in the garden, it is worth knowing the exact requirements of a given species or variety. Of the most popular grasses, for example miscanthus and most evergreen grasses require a fertile substrate. On dry soils, however, we can successfully plant numerous sedges and fescue.
Ornamental grasses in the garden. Many of the ornamental grasseshave interestingly colored leaves, e.g. red or maroon
When to plant ornamental grasses?
Seedlings of ornamental grassesare usually sold in pots, which allows them to be planted throughout the season from spring to autumn. However, it is best to plant new grasses in the spring, because then they will grow and strengthen until the winter comes. Spring is also a good time for grass trimming. Mostly dried and yellowed leaves are removed.
Watering ornamental grasses
Decorative grassesare watered as needed - young, newly planted grasses are watered systematically, older specimens less often because they are more durable. Remember that some grasses like dry soil, while others like wetter. Therefore, it is worth getting acquainted with the requirements of the species that we planted in the garden.
Wintering of ornamental grasses
Ornamental grasses that are not fully frost-resistant require winter cover. Usually with the help of dry leaves or twigs of conifers. You can read more about this in the article how to protect ornamental grasses for winter.
