10 REASONS TO USE GRASSES IN YOUR GARDEN
• DENSE, arching forms can be used as hedges and borders, to define and enclose areas.
• SHORTER grasses are useful as edgings to define the shape of a bed and bring a sense of order, without being too formal.
• FOUNTAIN-SHAPED forms and ‘wispy’ grasses like blue oat grass (pictured above) can create a soft edge.
• COMPACT, tighter grasses like NZ native Carex sp. will give a tighter, more formal look.
• WINTER-DORMANT grasses don’t offer much colour in cool months, but they can add interest thanks to drying seedheads, or movement.
• A BEAUTIFUL garden is always a mix of textures. You need fine textures among the bold or a garden can look ‘heavy’ and unappealing. For example, the large, brightly-coloured leaves and flowers of daisies and Eupatorium are softened and highlighted by the fine texture of grasses.
• GRASSES help to separate colours which might clash, or help bright colours to stand out more.
• A CONTRAST in form draws the eye and provides interest. Vertical, fountain, cascading, or mounded grass forms can provide striking accents.
• GRASSES help during transition periods between seasons when perennial flowering plants wane. They can fill in bare spaces, and contribute late season colour through their flowers, foliage or both.
• GRASSES bring movement to a landscape, especially when planted in large groups in windy sites.