Selecting, Using & Maintaining Ornamental Grasses

Now is the time to start planning your landscape additions. We suggest the use of low maintenance ornamental grasses.Long adored in Europe and the Orient, ornamental grasses have finally become accepted into American gardens.

COLOR DISPLAY OF ORNAMENTAL GRASSES:

In late winter - leaves display attractive shades of straw and tan. Some evergreen species remain green all winter long such as liriope. During March: these leaves should be removed – to make room for the new year’s growth, which begins in late April. By May, the new leaves begin to grow very fast, and by midsummer they begin to mature.

During summer and fall flowering begins and the color effect is spectacular. Flowers of grasses include shades of tan, pink, purple, russet, yellow, white, and silver. Flowers are often large, showy, and persistent. And, like the leaves, they often remain effective throughout the winter months. In the fall, grasses often change color or intensify their colors. Grass leaves are available in about every shade of green and blue, golden and yellow, bronze, red, silver and green striped, gold and green striped, gold and green banded.

Planting Your Ornamental Grass:

Grasses may be planted anytime the ground is not frozen. For ground preparation for a running type of grass, restrict the boundary with a deep plastic edging. Dig a narrow trench two feet deep and insert a sheet of heavy duty plastic from the bottom to the top of the trench. Then back fill with soil. This will prevent the rhizomes of the grass from spreading out of control.

During summer, it is wise to water your new plants frequently enough to keep the soil moistened, until root establishment. And, during fall, you may plant up to the day the ground freezes. Mulching is always a good idea, and will prevent the freezing/thawing action of the ground from disturbing newly planted ground covers.

Maintaining Ornamental Grasses:

Maintenance is easy! Grasses (with the exception of the evergreen bamboos) should be cut down to a height of 2” once each year. You can do this in the fall, but it’s best to wait until spring. Grasses look nice through the snow during winter, and they give birds a place to perch and feed should the grass be seed bearing. By late winter, it becomes tattered looking. In March, it should be cut down. To do this you may use a lawn mower, or if the grasses are very stout, pruning shears or a weed eater equipped with a rotary blade. (See anyone in our nursery for advice.)

DESCRIPTION OF DIFFERENT VARIETIES FOR INDIANA

Acorus (Sweet Flag) – fleshy, grass-like plants that thrive in moist setting such as water gardens or bogs as well as in average garden soil. Heights range from 3” to 3’. Their colors are outstanding – golden yellow, lime-green, dark-green, or striking variegation. Their varied sizes, beautiful, bright colors, and delightful scent make them a great addition to garden areas.

Andropogon (Broomsedge) – North American native grasses. These perform well during fluctuations in climate and variable conditions. They are extremely drought and soil tolerant and require very little maintenance. They do best with no additional fertilizer and can droop if over fertilized. Most exciting are their beautiful fall colors and unique seed heads.

Carex (Sedge) – includes over 3000 species. Many of the native and exotic Carex are perfect in small gardens. Because of their short stature, they are often planted in front of tall grasses. They grow in a variety of conditions from sun to shade. Their colors range from bronze to brightly variegated greens, creams, and gold. Foliage varies from erect to wispy to cascading. Using a Carex can solve many design problems by providing new textures and variety in the garden.

Miscanthus (Maiden or Eulalia grass) – Miscanthus is popular in both European and American gardens. Miscanthus is chosen for their diverse colors, sizes, and seed heads. This grass does especially well in northern climates when the blooming season is shorter. It ranges in size from 2’ to 12’.

Panicum (Switch Grass) – make great native grass substitutes for exotic tall grasses. Panicum gives us great foliage colors – blues, greens, and reds – as well as a variety of heights. The Panicum genus does not require special care or fertilizer and has excellent drought tolerance.

Pennisetum (Fountain Grass) – called fountain grasses because their graceful, arching foliage resembles a fountain. Their plumes can ranges from one inch to one foot long.

USES FOR GRASSES:

In Landscaping: They perform a variety of functions. Some of the shorter types can be walked on. The shorter sedges (a genus of grass like plants) even grow in the shade and only need mowing once a year. Others serve as ground cover and may be either colonizing spreaders or short growing clump formers that tolerate close spacing. Large clump forming selections make nice specimen – or accent plants and can easily take the place of small to large sized shrubs.

Naturalized Plantings: Certain native grasses can be used at home or on a commercial scale in prairie type gardens. They can be combined nicely with other prairie species such as perennials and annuals.

Grasses en masse as Ground Covers:
You have to be a bit open minded to visualize a 6’ tall grass as a ground cover, but when thinking large, or commercial-scale, this becomes easy. On a residential basis, the smaller types such as Carex, Panicum, and Pennisetum, may be more appropriate.

Grasses as Specimens: Grasses can take the place of shrubs in the landscape and perform the function of a specimen. They can be planted alone and enhance the landscape with their own unique features and architectural merits.

Grasses for Erosion Control: Grasses have extensive fibrous root systems and when planted on steep slopes, en masse, do an excellent job of stabilizing the soil.

Grasses as Companion Plants: Grasses are great companion plants, interacting well with a host of ground covers and perennials. Some of the most popular companions are Rudbeckias, Coneflowers, Sedums, Russian Sages, Oreganos, Lavenders, Daylilies, Geranium cultivars, Caryopteris, Campanulas, and Asters.

Grasses for Accent: Use alone or in small groups to draw attention and visual support to other plants or landscape features such as benches, sculpture stairs, decking, light poles, rocks, and fences.

Grasses as Hedges: Tall clump forming grasses make fabulous hedges and screens. Grasses cost much less than a fence, are typically exempt from zoning ordinances and taxes, and never have to be painted! Selections of Miscanthus are commonly used for hedging, but Erianthus, Panicum, and Calamagrostis also work well.

Grasses for Edging: Low growing clump forms are ideal for edging pathways, stairs, and sidewalks. They add beauty, soften sharp edges, and require little maintenance.

Motion and Sound in the Landscape:
Even the shortest grasses respond to gentle breezes and create the elements of motions and sound, so important to our enjoyment of the landscape. (These are also deterrents to ducks, geese, and deer!) They are much appreciated for their calming effect on the tired mind.

SOME VARIETIES AVAILABLE
THIS SPRING AT DAMMANN’S

• Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’
  (Feather Reed Grass)
• Calamagrostis brachytricha
  (Fall Blooming Feather Reed Grass)
• Carex ‘Bowles Golden’ (Bowles Golden Sedge)
• Chasmanthium latifolium
  (Northern Sea Oats; Native Species)
• Erianthus ravennae
  (Plume Grass; Hardy Pampas Grass)
• Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’
  (Elijah Blue Fescue)
• Hakonechloa ‘Aureola’
  (Golden-leaved Japanese Forest Grass)
• Helictotrichon ‘Sapphire’
  (Sapphire Blue Oat Grass)
• Imperata ‘Red Baron’ (Japanese Blood Grass)
• Leymus ‘Blue Dune’ (Blue Dune Wild Rye)
• Leymus Glauca (Blue Wild Rye)
• Lirope (Lily Turf)
• Miscanthus giganteus
  (Giant Chinese Silver Grass)
• Miscanthus ‘Gracillimus’
  (Narrow leaved Japanese Silver Grass)
• Miscanthus ‘Little Zebra’ (Dwarf Zebra Grass)
• Miscanthus ‘Malepartus’
  (Japanese Silver Grass)
• Miscanthus ‘Morning Light’
  (Japanese Silver Grass)
• Miscanthus ‘ Strictus’
  (Porcupine Japanese Silver Grass)
• Miscanthus ‘Variegatus’
  (White variegated Japanese Silver Grass)
• Panicum ‘Heavy Metal’
  (Heavy Metal Switch Grass; Native Cultivar)
• Pennisetum Hameln’
  (Hameln Dwarf Fountain Grass)
• Pennisetum ‘Little Honey’
  (Dwarf Variegated Fountain Grass)
• Pennisetum ‘Moudry’
  (Black Flowered Fountain Grass)
• Pennisetumm “Rubrum (NOTE: ANNUAL in Indy; purple Fountain Grass)