Ornamental grasses shimmer with life—and live to spread

The topic of grass is vast—literally, 20 percent of our planet’s landmass is covered in grassland. Clearly, grasses are adaptable, maybe a bit too adaptable at times. Shimmering with light and moving with the slightest breeze, ornamental grasses animate the landscape. Just remember to pay attention to a plant’s growth habit to find a good fit for your garden.

Grass growth is temperature sensitive. Cool season grasses flush new growth in spring and often remain semi-evergreen in winter. Blue fescue (Festuca glauca), purple moor grass (Molinia caerulea), feather reed grass (Calamagrostis acutifolia) and giant needle grass (Stipa gigantea) are all cool season grasses that shine in Pacific Northwest gardens. Warm season grasses, like switch grass (Panicum virgatum), maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis) and fountain grass (Pennisetum ssp.), don’t initiate growth until temperatures climb and the soil warms up. Warm season grasses typically go dormant and are cut back to the crown in late winter. Plant a mix of cool and warm season grasses to extend garden interest.

Grasses get around in various ways. 

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GROW in The Seattle Times