They are amazing! Can you tell us, what kinds you have planted? I am very interested in doing a "grass garden". Would really appreciate knowing what are people's favorites. I just purchased three Karl Foerester to get me started. I am in NE Iowa.

Becky

Becky,
This new 'garden' is a series of 3 large berms planted with hmmmm..... at least 30 different grasses AND this year it looks amazing!and... I'm leaving it all behind to move to a zone 3 or 4 garden! Looking forward to reporting on the hardiness of all my grasses in the next couple of years ;o)

From right to left in the above pic
Sorgastrum 'Sioux Blue'
Pennisetum alopecuroides
Miscanthus 'Malepartus'
Bouteloua gracilis
second berm:
Miscanthus 'Malepartus'
Pennisetum a. 'Cassian'
Deschampsia caespitosa
Imperata cylindrica 'Red Baron'

WOW!! What a fabulous job you did with those beds, achnatherum.

I wish I had pics. to share, but I lost all my garden photos last month when our computer got zapped during a nasty thunderstorm.

I hope the next owner of your property is someone who will care for and appreciate all those beautiful grasses.

Good Luck in your new home and thanks for sharing the lovely photo.

Renee

What a great garden photo.
Regarding the Miscanthus 'Malepartus', I think it's the pink feathered one. How high does it grow. I get 2-3 ft. of snow on the ground here in winter. Will it still be visible. I've never grown grasses before but that picture is an inspiration for me to at least try. Can you suggest some tall grasses to get me started next spring?

Rory

Those are very beautiful grasses!

Rory,
You are correct - the pink feathered one is Malepartus.
Many of the Miscanthus cultivars (including Malepartus) are a good 5 feet tall PLUS flowers and they have quite stiff stems that stand up well to snow, in most conditions. In zone 5 you should also be able to grow Arundo donax - not as attractive as Miscanthus in the winter but it is VERY tall.
Bluestem Nursery does a very good job of describing hardy ornamental grasses.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bluestem Nursery

That is great picture! Here are some of mine. A few are from last year.

Your grasses are stunning, A. I'd be hard-pressed to leave them behind. You'll take some with you, no?

Here's my favorite new grass for 2007:

It's Panicum virgatum 'Northwind.' I got them in the spring, as 21-sized plugs. Some went into pots, and some into nursery beds. These 6 are in a full sun nursery bed, and are as tall as 52" to the plumes, and 48" to the foliage, already. As you can see, they're extremely erect, and carry a definate touch of blue.

A few other random shots from the past few days:

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The other side of the same stand:

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You two take such good pictures! My photography really needs work.
Donn, if you get back to this post, what is the fourth picture down? I'm guessing it is some kind of pennisetum?

It's Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Moudry.' Black seeded Fountain Grass.

You're up early Donn! :o)
I love your image with the row of P. 'Moudry' - I lost my one plant of 'Moudry' last winter :o(. I'm jealous!

Derek - I think your photos are great! Especially like the one with the moon.

As for taking grasses with me. Yes, I plan to take quite a few of my grasses. I won't have as many Miscanthus cultivars as here but I will take as many different species of grasses as I can. I am quite interested in seeing how they will make out in a colder zone. I have many of them planted in a 'holding bed' and waiting for spring transplanting. Many of my 'tougher' perennials will be heading north next week.

Still looking for a gardener to buy this place!

"You're up early Donn!"

Yep. I've been planting my new part-shade beds in the front corner, and had to tweak the drip system this morning. I do tedious work better at the crack of dawn.

Here's the new beds:

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and some new occupants:

A row of Deschampsia caespitosa:

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a cluster of Carex muskingumensis 'Little Midge'

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Carex morrowii 'Ice Dance'

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and Carex oshimensis 'Evergold'

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All the Carex plants are fresh out of 4" pots. I hope they get themselves established before winter gets here.

Oh my goodness.... you are a bear for punishment. Cutting the grass will be quite a chore around all those dollops :o) And edging in the spring - lordy!

It does look great and I especially like the corner bit with the stone. Grasses & stone are a natural!

I have a few panoramic pics online showing the garden that I'm leaving if you're interested.

Here is a link that might be useful: garden panoramas

Donn, you answered my question from another post with your photos...I see you planted your new arrivals. Looks like a great spot for some hosta selections as well. I'm curious what the plans are for the rest of the semi-shade beds.

Acnatherum, what beautiful gardens! Best of luck in z3/4. It'll be a brand new challenge discovering potentials for that zone! Judging by the garden photos you posted, I'm sure you'll find some great combinations that work well for you and give you as much enjoyment.

A, I have acreage envy. Your gravel mound is bigger than my whole front corner bed pic above.

g_g Hosta are in the plan. I already have 3 'Patriot' plants I bought in the spring from Brent & Becky's half-price sale, and a few dozen seedgrown Hosta, none of which came true to their parents. There are also 3 Rodgersia podophylla from B&B and 6 Astilbe, including 'Serenade' and 'Red Sentinel,' which had to be moved from their old location due to a change in sun exposure (tree removal).

Other stuff going in will be seedgrown Heuchera 'Palace Purple,' Primula japonica, Geranium sanguineum 'Vision,' Potentilla atrosanguinea 'Melton's Fire,' Sesleria caerulea, Luzula nivea and sylvatica, species C. muskingumensis and Chasmanthium latifolium. I also have over 2,000 minor bulbs, mostly shade lovers, coming next month, so they'll get some room.

The town is due to remove the old Maple in the left rear of the pic, which will give me a good deal more early morning sun, so I will probably throw a couple Japanese Maples in back there. I have 'Bloodgood,' 'Crimson Queen' and 'Orangeola' waiting in 10 gallon pots.

There's probably more, but that's all I can remember. I also have a 36' by 8' north side foundation bed about to be cleared out. It's the overgrown wall in the picture, and is under a 70 year old White Pine, so is almost full shade. I'm going to have lots of shady spaces, so I'm open for any other suggestions. Ferns and Lamium will be high on the list next spring. I expect to bring in at least a couple of flats of them.

I mustn't forget Hakone! I have a couple 'Aurea' and a few species waiting in pots.

Since no one else is showing off, I'll continue to. Despite a brief rain delay, I managed to get some more planting done today.

Here's a small Euonymus japonicus which I started with a Rooter Pot last year, surrounded by 7 Carex elata 'Bowles Golden' babies:

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I plan to use the Euonymus as sort of an in-ground semi-Bonsai, and keep it at about 5' in height, standard form. This way it'll crown over the Carex.

Then I probed for and found a pocket between the roots of the big old Flowering Cherry. I scooped it out, sweetened up the soil with compost, and stuck in a Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' which has been sitting in the Pot Ghetto in a trade gallon pot:

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I like the contrast between the foliage and the craggy old tree trunk. The prevailing SW wind here will keep the foliage swept to the right, which is the way it seems to want to grow anyway.

Japanese Maples would look great!

The Hakone should look really nice where it is.

Here's a few grass photos I took this year. Some in my yard, some at Longwood Gardens, some wherever I spot grasses :)

eragrostis in my yard
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nassella in California
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panicum at Longwood
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miscanthus, eragrostis, and pennisetum in my yard
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miscanthus at Longwood
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Pennisetum at Longwood
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Miscanthus in Virginia
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Fescue at Longwood
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Grass Guy - what yummy grass pics! I especially like the pic in your garden (eragrostis, miscanthus & pennisetum AND the Miscanthus in Virginia.
What Eragrostis are you growing?? It looks quite a bit bluer than the ones Donn & I have and the foliage on yours is less 'weedy looking'.

Since I started this I thought I would post a few more pics. Mostly of the same berms - I am so delighted with them AND yes, it will be hard to leave BUT just think, a chance to create a whole new grass garden. You can be sure it will be BIG!!! :o)

Schizachirium, Molinia 'Windspeil', Calamagrostis 'Overdam'

Pennisetum oriental

Some people have gates at the end of their driveway .... :o)

I love it! You really know how to put together a garden. I consider myself a fairly good gardener as far as growing plants. But when it comes to design, structure and style, I'm no good at all. My grasses are gorgeous but the setting is all wrong. You have done a great job.

Ditto!

Your grass garden design is really beautiful.

That's Eragrostis elliottii...if i remember correctly :)