Ornamental Grass Bed a Self Guided Tour
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Pennisetum Setaceum ‘Rubrum’ , Purple Foun- It is the purpose of the demonstration garden tain Grass—sun/part shade, 4’ tall arching grass to create an environment that informs our Ornamental with burgundy/red foliage topped by purplish pink community and illustrates environmentally spiked plumes that nod. Where temperatures drop sound methods of gardening in an atmos- Grass Bed below freezing, this grass is used as an annual. phere of collaboration and enrichment. Beautiful in a container. Pennisetum Setaceum ‘Fireworks’, Variegated The garden is an ongoing project demonstrat- Bed #12a & 12b Purple Fountain Grass—Sun/part shade, 2-3’ ing the performance of a wide variety of high strappy leaves with purple mid-vain flanked by plants, efficient irrigation and reduced chemi- pinkish-red. Produces beautiful red-burgundy fox- cal usage. Plants included are natives, trialed, tail flowers. Great accent plant and excellent in and not commonly grown in this area. containers. Pennisetum orientale ‘Karley Rose’, Oriental- Fountain Grass—Full sun, 3-4’ tall, uniform, up- right clumps of graceful arching dark green foliage Please visit the gardens again soon. A topped with long-blooming (June till frost) rose lav- ender plumes . To be trialed in 2011. Self Guided Pennisetum purpureum ‘Princess Molly’ Lafayette Parish Tour Ornamental Napier Master Gardener Association Grass—full sun/part shade, 14-20” tall, leaves are a deep burgundy with a cas- Downtown Office: cading growth habit. 1010 Lafayette Street They flower only in Suite 325, Lafayette, LA Demonstration completely frost free 337-291-7090 zones and are reli- Gardens able hardy perenni- als in zones 8 to 11. Across from Blackham (Photo left) on Coliseum Road While striking in the summer and fall and add- ing much winter interest, there are a few words of caution. While most ornamental Lafayette Parish grasses are clumping and very well behaved, Master Gardener some are not clumping but running, which can lead to an invasion you were not anticipating, Association others can be aggressive by seed, and still others get very tall and very large. Be safe and research the variety you are planning to Www.lsuagcenter.com use to make sure it fits in your proposed site. Lafayette Parish Master Gardener Association Durability and Why should I ? Festuca glauca ‘Boulder Blue’ - Bolder Blue Versatility with Style Fescue—full sun/part shade, 6-10” tall, clump The uses of ornamental grasses are extensive forming ground cover with deep metallic blue ap- and have several advantages over other pearance. To be trialed in 2011 in our demo bed. The purpose of the Ornamental Grass Bed is plants. They to demonstrate the durability and versatility of Melinis nerviglumis ‘Pink ornamental grasses in the home landscape. can grow in poorer soil than many other Crystals” - Ruby Grass— Located in an area of full sun and not covered plants full sun/part shade, 18-24” by our irrigation system the bed’s only water are virtually disease and pest free tall, erect blue-green leaves comes from natural rain. The term ornamental come in varying colors, shapes, textures with panicles of stunning ruby pink summer flowers grass as used here not only represents true and sizes that slowly fade to white. grasses but also sedges, rushes and others. provide unique winter interest Cold sensitive and can re- Understanding there are no ‘maintenance can be used in containers, as a specimen seed. (Photo right) free’ plants, the ornamental grass comes plant, background plant, border, ground cover, screen and also for erosion control Miscanthus sinensis ‘Little pretty close. They often grow in areas where Zebra’ - Dwarf Zebra other plants will not survive and in almost any have varying water requirements from Grass—full sun/part shade, type of garden soil, drought tolerant to water loving 3-4’ tall, clump-forming require little or no provide sound and motion not found in grass noted for its horizon- watering once es- many other ornamentals tally banded foliage. Wine tablished and are Many are excellent for drying colored plumes turning tan stand 1’ above foliage. Offers great winter interest. Currently in our bed. almost never both- ered by pests or diseases. While Just to name a few . Muhlenbergia capillaries, Pink Muhly Grass— Full sun/part shade, 4’ tall, fountain shape, thin the majority of or- dark green grass with soft, light, airy pink plumes in namental grasses Acorus gramineus pusillus ‘Minimus Aureus’, Dwarf Golden Sweet Flag—sun/partial to full late summer/fall. Another evergreen choice and prefer full sun, shade, 6” high, slow spreading ground cover; takes growing in the gardens here. there are a few lots of water, doing well wet areas and water gar- species that toler- dens. To be trialed in 2011 in our demo bed. Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’, Switch Grass, ate light shade. Northwind—Full sun/part shade, 4-5’ tall, stately Carex buchananii ‘Red Rooster’ , Leatherleaf upright, narrow and sturdy (great in windy loca- In the spring you Sedge—Full sun/part shade, 18-24” tall, vase tions), olive green to steel blue foliage topped with should cut dormant shaped, unusual reddish/brown to copper/bronze, yellow plumes in summer and fall, dries to golden grasses back to 3- thin, round foliage whose ends curl as they mature. tan and remains upright in winter for a unique co- 6” above the This unique plant looks great in rock gardens and lumnar structure. (Photo far left) ground allowing the new shoots free room to containers as well as well as small specimen grow. If the clump has become too large, you groupings. This one is evergreen (or ever-red). Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Moundry’, Black should dig it up and divide it in the springtime, Fountain Grass—Full sun/part shade, 2’ tall dense mounded green foliage clumps topped by just as it is breaking dormancy. New grasses Cortaderia selloana, Pampas Grass—Full sun, 8- brownish/black foxtail like plumes in summer, great can also be planted at this time and watered 15’ tall, dense fountain like grass with 1-3’ long feathery plums erupting in summer. Leaves can for use in arrangements. ‘Hamlin’ is a smaller ver- in until roots have set. Then sit back and en- have sharp edges. This one’s too large for our bed sion and ‘Little Bunny’ a dwarf. All three sizes are joy a garden companion that will stimulate all but provides a great privacy hedge! demonstrated in our bed. of your senses throughout the year. .