When the snow comes horizontally, it is time to put away the shovel and snow blower. Clearing the driveway under such conditions is futile; sort of like spitting into the wind.
The fury of last weekend's snowstorm was impressive. People walked at angles, birds struggled into flight and shoveled walkways disappeared under drifts.
Glimpses of brown occasionally filtered through this veil of white. It wasn't the UPS guy, but stands of ornamental grasses that a few months ago were vivid hues of green, white and orange.
It seems that nothing can keep this landscape workhorse down – even the fury of Mother Nature. Or is it Old Man Winter?
| ORNAMENTAL INFO |
For more information on using ornamental grasses, native species and how other companies have used them in their landscapes, check these articles from Lawn & Landscape magazine. Find more articles using the "Search" function at the top of the page. Plant Primer: Ornamental Grasses 101 |
SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS. Ornamental grasses are becoming more common in home and commercial landscapes and with good reason. They tolerate a range of soil conditions and perform well with minimal effort. Most prefer full sun but can handle partial shade.
Container gardens, rock gardens even water gardens will work. Ornamental grasses range from low-growing ground covers to towering plants, some 12 feet high. The foliage color can range from green to variegated yellow or white to red. And they are relatively pest free.
"Ornamental grasses are no longer a flash in the pan," said Paul Wronski, a sales representative with Greenleaf Nursery Co. of Oklahoma, a wholesale nursery that carries a wide selection of ornamental grasses. Wronski sang the praises of these perennial favorites during the recent Michigan Nursery and Landscape Association trade show in Grand Rapids.
"Ornamental grasses have been in the marketplace for 25 years, but have really taken off in the last 12 years," Wronski said.
"They are rapid-growing and easy to care for – a low-maintenance plant."
An endearing feature is realized now, when everything else is buried in snow. They give gardeners and landscapers something to look at other than piles of off-color snow. Seed heads sway in the breeze, offering food for birds.
"The year-round visual interest, plumes that stay through winter, are popular in the home landscape," he said.
SEASONAL CHANGE. Other than the spring, when they start growing, ornamental grasses look good most of the year. Arthur Cameron, professor of plant physiology at Michigan State University who wrote a book on ornamental grasses, calls them "the swans of the plant world."
Why is this? Well, assuming you kept the grasses around for winter, they'll need to be cut back in March or April. Prune nearly to the ground, leaving only a few inches of dead foliage above ground. By May, they'll be growing strong, especially if you give each clump ¼ to ½ cup of fertilizer.
They put on their show in late summer and fall when other plants fade. Just make sure it is a show you want to see in coming years.
Before you buy, get to know the plant, how tall and wide it gets and how it spreads. Ribbon grass, for instance, spreads by underground runners. Put it in the wrong spot and you'll be pulling out your hair – as well as the grass.
Once you find something you like, you can fill the yard using the same clump. Not all at once, of course. After about three to four years, grasses begin to die in the center of the clump. This is your cue to start dividing.
Late winter and early spring are the best times to divide most grasses.
Smaller varieties can be removed from the ground and divided. Throw out the dead middle section. Slice the healthy plant into 2 to 4 pieces and replant.
Dividing giants, notably Zebra grass, is no picnic. I broke two shovel handles before switching to a maul made for splitting firewood. It is not as clean as slicing with a shovel, but gets the job done.
Perhaps my shovels only work on snow.
The author is John Hogan, The Grand Rapids Press.