Grasses, an introduction

mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'>          Most of the grasses are large mounding types. These take up space and are used like shrubs in the landscape (speaking of design). They are used as screens and divisions. They are very prominent and  worked around. Some grasses (like pampas grass) can get 10 feet tall or even more! These are used where there is room and where drama is needed.

 

          There are small mounding types too. These are used similarly but often in conjunction with other perennials. These can be grouped together for interesting designs.

 

          Some grasses are more like an accent rather than mounding landmarks. These can be more upright and spiky or arching. They can also have interesting parts to them (like papyrus) where they offer more than just interesting texture to the landscape.

 

          Many grasses are small and used more in land reclamation. These are often found in native seed mixtures, particularly grassland mixes. Your local native plant society can often guide you as what to use for making the natural landscape with grasses.

 

Warning: many grasses can be noxious weeds. Make sure you know which are truly native grasses before sending out plants or seed. Make sure that the grasses you have selected are not weeds. Hint- Don’t just ask your local nursery person. They often are out for the sale and may bend the truth to do so. In many parts of the US pampas grass (Cortaderia sellowiana) and fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum) are noxious weeds but there are varieties of each which are infertile and do not set seed.

 

Grass and color

         

          One of the most valuable uses for grass is to get lots of color into the landscape. Many grasses have bright-colored foliage and/or variegation in the leaves (yellow or white markings) that give variety to the average colors in the landscape.

 

Some examples of grasses with color:

 

RED and Purple

 

·        Red Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceum ‘atropurpureaum’)-red foliage

*this and similarly named varieties of this species are infertile

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