Gifford Garden Notes
Gardening for Winter Interest (continued)
by Diane Fagergren

Ornamental grasses can add tremendous interest to the garden at this time of year. If left standing in the fall, they add texture and structure to winter's barren landscape. Here are some examples:

• Calamagrostis acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' (feather reed grass) forms a clump of arching flat foliage that reaches up to 5 feet tall. Flowers are born on stiff erect stems in late June and hold their fluffy appearance through the winter.
• Chasmanthium latifolium (northern sea oats) has a clumping habit with flat flowers that droop from its stems. They are really very pretty in winter when accented by the brown bamboo type foliage. Growing to approximately 3 feet, this grass also performs well in partial shade.
• Erianthus ravennae (plume grass) is very dramatic because of its showy plumes that can reach up to 12 feet high. It can easily be used as a specimen plant that will create tremendous interest in the winter garden.
• Helictotrichon sempervirens (blue oat grass) grows in a stiff upright habit to 24" tall. Its silvery blue foliage remains year round.
• Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light' (variegated Japanese silver grass) has a silvery appearance due to a white leaf margin. It blooms fairly late and grows to about 4 to 5 feet tall.
  'Gracillimus' (maiden grass) is a fine textured grass with narrow foliage and showy plumes that grow to about 5 feet tall.
  'Strictus' (porcupine grass) has striking foliage with horizontal bands of yellow and green. Growing to approximately 6 feet, it stands very rigid with its pointed leaves giving it the appearance of porcupine quills.
  'Purpurascens' (purple maiden grass) is one of my favorites because of its brilliant red to orange color in the autumn. It grows to around 5 feet with fuzzy plumes in late summer.
• Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal' (switch grass) has metallic blue-gray foliage reaching from 3 to 4 foot high. In early fall, on top of its stiff stems that are finely branched, beautiful airy flowers emerge.
• Pennisetum alopecuroides (fountain grass) has a height of 3 to 4 feet. The foliage and tassels hold very well throughout the fall and winter. This clump forming perennial grass is outstanding for winter interest and so are some of its cultivars:
  'Hameln' or dwarf fountain grass grows shorter than alopecuroides (24-30") with a leaf blade that is narrower.
  'Moudry' produces black foxtails (flowers) that emerge in late August or early September and grows between 24 and 36" tall.
  'Cassian' ranges from 30 -36" in height and has great color in the fall. Its tufted flowers hold into the winter.

These are a just few suggestions for winter interests. Please bare in mind what zone you are in when selecting your plant materials. Some grasses are quite beautiful but not hardy in the planting zone where you live. I got a little long-winded this week so next time I will discuss some of the benefits of hardscaping.

Next week: some of the benefits of hardscaping.

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