Diane, If you want to plant it this fall, I would go ahead and do it. I just finished my fall perennial planting, but you probably have an extra couple of weeks of warm weather in NC that would give the grass enough time to get established (first frost here is usually in the middle of October, and yours is probably towards the end of Oct or beginning of Nov. I would guess). Depending on how cold it gets there in the winter, you might just want to mulch it a bit to make sure nothing happens over the winter. Even though a lot of Hakone Grasses are marked as Zone 5 or 6 plants, from what I've read anecdotally about it, it can survive temps well colder than that anyway, even the cultivars. It's tough, too!
Ornamental Grasses
greg - as you said, the Hakone Grass can survive colder temps than those it's labelled as 'cause it's been in my zone 4b garden for about 5 years! I love it too, it's so graceful and contrasts well with hosta. I have it next to Great Expectations hosta.
gemini - Yes, I totally agree about combining sedums and grasses. I love the textural contrast.
This combo of Sedum 'Purple Emperor' with Blue Fescue may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I like it.
sanannie, That is a beautiful mature clump of Hakone grass. I don't think anyone could ask for a better testament to its hardiness! I don't intentionally try to create Japanese themes in my gardens, and I managed to stick a North American native fern between my hosta and my hakone grass, but it is amazing how good Hakone grass looks with other Japanese natives like hostas, toad lilies, and kirengeshomas. Fortunately, most of the hardy Japanese garden plants grow beautifully in New England, so I have a lot of fun with these plants.
Oddly enough, I have a weird combination in my garden that includes Blue Fescue also. I put it in front of an 'Obsidian' heuchera, which is black, and though it isn't for everyone, I like what I call my garden's "bruise".
-Greg
Greg - after your suggestion I think I'd like to give kirengeshoma palmata another shot, it died on me the first time I tried it a few years back but I don't know if it was a hardiness issue or just had it in the wrong spot. I think the Blue Fescue/Obsidian combo would be great! Big contrasts to me are exciting. Right now next to Heuchera 'Obsidian' I'm trying Brunnera 'Jack Frost' and I like it a lot.
Greg, thanks for the sources. Adding to my mile long wish list! Had to chuckle when you said "bruise" in the garden. I have an area I call a "symphony of bruise tones" to!
sanannie, beautiful as always; you are truly a Rembrandt or Picaso in the garden! Love that graceful quality of the Hakone grass and the fescue-sedum combo is lovely.
Geesh gemini I'll say thanks for such undeserving praise but I'll give it right back at ya...'cause who else can rhyme off the most beautiful combinations of plants so that we can just close our eyes an envision your wonderful suggestions? e.g. your post above of Sept 12 at 8:31pm
Greg,
We can have frost here as early as mid-October, but it's usually later as you said. I'm recovering right now from back surgery and can't drive around yet to the nurseries to look for some. I'm going to check online, as I would love to get some going before winter. The pictures that sanannie posted are great, too. Thanks again for your help.
Diane
Sanannie - Beautiful pairing. I love the hakone grass, want to at least try it. I could always water, LOL.
sanannie, I had trouble establishing my first Kirengeshoma, and it ultimately died too. I babied the second one, and now that it's established, it requires little care. Before it got larger, its leaves would lie on the ground, and bugs would have a field day. It's apparently delicious too, but it eventually turns into something almost shrublike and upright. I am going to get another clump of Hakone grass to plant with it next season. I wish the Hakone would be a little more aggressive sometimes so I could take plugs from it, but it behaves like an angel and only sends out shoots for me after extended wet weather. I wouldn't mind if it had some of the confidence of its fellow "countryplant", the Japanese Blood Grass (another grass I like a lot) which will turn from one blade into a clump in a year.
Just to comment on Blood Grass, it has gotten some bad press because it can be invasive and is an introduction that has escaped in some places. However, if you don't mind keeping an eye on it, you grow one of the (still very vigorous) cultivars, and you don't mind its somewhat non-descript appearance in the spring and summer, it is stunning in the cool weather of mid to late fall.
Greg, how much shade is your Kirengeshoma in? I bought one from Forest Farm this spring and it's grown pretty well, but has started getting a little pale now toward the end of the season. I have it in a spot that's pretty shady.
Gemini, Mine gets almost full shade, maybe with a little bit of dappled sun during midday, and seems to like this situation.
Thanks Greg. I'll leave mine where it is (thank goodness, it's hard to find plants for that spot). Neal
Fun thread!
Not for the lower zones but giant papryus is a "giant" favorite of mine. I love the lesser types too.
Another misimpression about Japanese Forest Grass - this is growing in full sun in zone 9. As long as they get enough water they are fine. My dogs think that it's yummy too. I can't figure out that one though. It's mighty sticky.
Love it all Doss! The textural contrast of plants, the effective use of grasses and papyrus, the garden art and structures- all superb! Very well executed indeed! Neal.
Japanese blood grass. It can take dry but is very happy with more water. Says that it can get up to 2 feet but mine's never been above 12. Not a spreader in spite of what it looks like.
Here's my other favorite grass. Unfortunately I don't know it's name but it's only about 18" tall. There is another grass that looks very similar but it's much taller.
Went out on a walk and took pics of the grasses in our little neighborhood. These are at the golf course, especially pretty combined with the russian sage...
This is a picturesque little planting around the fountain...
And at the entrance another grass...
I like these combinations and wish there were more along the roads and public spaces around here...I wonder if prairie grasses are difficult to grow...I would think not, but the road crews might not want to bother with something 'different'...ah, well...
And here's one from my garden--not so elegant, but I tried! (=:
I love your planting tabasco. What color are your iris? I do love the color combinations you have now.
Tabasco,
I love your garden! Your aster is really going to town, mine is just opening its eyes, long anticipated blooms!
Doss,
Love your blood grass! Maybe someone here knows what the pink one is.
This message was edited Sep 18, 2005 11:57 PM
Thanks, doss and pg, for your (undeserved) compliments.
I believe the iris are old fashioned border purples. They have never really bloomed for me (because they are too crowded?)...
I know thjat technically this isn't a grass, but it always gets included in with grasses in any articles over here.
this was an accident, it crept accross from the path, and came up through the silver plant, the other side i have it mingling with a yellow sedum
with the sedum.
they're none of them at their best at the moment, but in spring, when both are growing strongly, the contrast is beautiful
Lovely combo tabasco! Great echo in the verbena and aster. And don't be so hard on yourself! While your pics of neighborhood plantings are beautiful and great ideas for ways to use grasses in the landscape, I actually prefer the more natural, casual look of your gardens. Gertrude Jeckell was known for her cottage garden designs that had the feel of wildflowers that occured there naturally. That's often more difficult to accomplish than more formal designs.
Neal.
So, are you comparing me to Gertrude Jeckell?! LOL Well, I suppose what the camera lens leaves out (and I can see everytime I drive out the driveway) is what tells the truth about the garden...and it is pretty awful, believe me! But I was surprised at the pleasant verbena/aster echo, of course, I didn't mean to make it, though!
Hope everyone is having a good day...I am going out to plant my peonies, siberians and some poppies from my sis. t.
doss - love, love, love your pics! I have a papyrus in my pond - it is only 2'H. Your giant one is unbelievable. What is the large-leaved green plant directly behind the Japanese Forest Grass? I wonder if the beautiful pink flowered grass is a Muhly grass?
tabasco (aka GJ)- I like the way they've grouped the, what looks like Feather Reed Grass, together enmass in your third shot. But tabasco, I agree with Gemini, don't sell yourself short....your aster, verbena and the sedum in the background is an inspiring combination. Wonderful!
sueone - I can see how the contrast is stunning! Is it black mondo grass? I've tried it without success here, I was hoping I could grow it in my rock garden because it would really have stood out against the light-coloured rocks there.
The large leaved plant behind the forest grass is a lotus. I don't even care if it blooms the leaves are so great aren't they? The pink flowered grass sure looks like a Muhly but the only ones I've heard of get four feet tall.
I've only been able to grow black mondo in shade - aren't you a little north for mondo? It's only hardy to zone 6? Or were you growing it as an annual?
This is a new planting but using a couple of my favorites - this is Carex Morrowii Ice Dance - a great ground cover. Along with some violets and some yellow forest grass. There is a form of varieagated carex that is similar but clumps.
here's some red carex - again don't know the name but it's growing in total shade and I love the way it mirrors the color of the rocks. It will show up once the white dicondra and pale yellow sedum get close to it.
I've been redoing a lot of my beds this year and having a great time at it.
doss - yes, I was trying to push the zone limits with the black mondo grass, 'cause I wanted it so bad. Oh well.
When you say 'yellow forest grass', do you mean that new Japanese Forest Grass that's out that is all yellow? Just a minute I'll look it up......yes they call it 'All Gold'. Is that what that is....it's real nice! And that last pic is a knockout too. Do you have any more pictures? I love your eye for texture contrasts. This is fun.
I'd be happy to - but is it OK with Prarie girl? I don't have more grass photos.
Doss - Have at it! I agree with sanannie, this is fun, and you both have a great eye for texture contrasts, which is what grasses are all about. I didn't even know when I started this thread that there was a separate grasses forum. If you want you can start a new thread, but I don't mind sharing!
How about sking Admins to move this thread to the grasses forum?
Ok, here's another. statice, dwarf nandina, variegated iris and some lovely flowing grasses I have no idea the name
This is mostly ferns. The spotted yellow plant is Ligularia - a house plant for anyone colder than zone 9. A hosta, some mondo, there is another grass here but it's behind me. This is an area that is established. Hopefully the rest of them will get there too.
That spotted ligularia is especially eyecatching and is really special paired with the delicate ferns and grasses. Ummmm-hmmmm!
I love the ligularia. It always looks as if sun is filtering down from the trees although the shade is dense there.
Here's a red Japanese Maple with Dusty Miller. Of course I was out of my head to put the dusty miller there - but it has a smaller gray perennial under it now and is very happy. This was in March.
Here are two kinds of Mondo grass in a pattern. This is a walkable path under an oak tree. The leaves from the tree fall off of the mondo pretty well. No mowing or raking.
