GARDENING WITH GRASSES

Grasses have a beauty all their own from the Giant Miscanthus to the Festuca or Blue Oat Grass .
The first picture above shows grasses as they emerge spring and early summer and the next two are late season pictures with their blooms and showing how they fit into the landscape.
Grasses need to be cut back in the early spring and have a winter character that few other perennials have. They are a shelter for birds, can be a wind break for tender shrubs and have a special accent in the winter landscape. Give them plenty of room, as they will spread in a few years and can be divided late fall but preferably early spring.
Their plumes are very impressive and occur from August through the fall. There are literally hundreds of varieties of grasses both for sun and part shade and many tolerate dry conditions so those who want to save water would do well to consider grasses in their gardens. They require very little care and if you buy them from a reputable source they will winter over nicely. One variety that will not winter is the red fountain grass (Pennisetum Rubrum) so beware of this one if you want a hardy grass. Other nice grasses are pictured below.