urban native planting - small bed - Ask Extension
hi! - i have a very small bed bordering my garage that i'd like to spruce up --- would native grasses work? do you have any recommendations?
small,...
Knowledgebase
urban native planting - small bed #862742
Asked March 28, 2024, 2:58 PM EDT
hi! - i have a very small bed bordering my garage that i'd like to spruce up --- would native grasses work? do you have any recommendations?
small, full blazing sun, vinyl clad back wall w/ concrete walkway bordering area
Scott County Minnesota
Expert Response
point of clarification - the current "grasses" are fake :' (
Most native grasses grow well in full sun, but the bed appears to be narrow, so tall, robust species might outgrow the space or flop onto the walk.
Relatively compact, low growing natives to consider are Eragrostis spectabilis – purple love grass and Sporobolis heterolepsis – prairie dropseed.
Festuca glauca-blue fescue and Helictotrichon sempervirens – blue oat grass are non-native grasses with a similar growth habit.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/eragrostis-spectabilis/
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/prairie-dropseed-sporobolus-heterolepis/
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/blue-fescue-festuca-ovina-glauca/
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/blue-oat-grass-helictotrichon-sempevirens/
The following references may be useful:
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/files/2022/02/Ornamental-Grasses-in-the-Landscape-Kiss-My-Grass-Handout.pdf
Relatively compact, low growing natives to consider are Eragrostis spectabilis – purple love grass and Sporobolis heterolepsis – prairie dropseed.
Festuca glauca-blue fescue and Helictotrichon sempervirens – blue oat grass are non-native grasses with a similar growth habit.
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/eragrostis-spectabilis/
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/prairie-dropseed-sporobolus-heterolepis/
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/blue-fescue-festuca-ovina-glauca/
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/blue-oat-grass-helictotrichon-sempevirens/
The following references may be useful:
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/files/2022/02/Ornamental-Grasses-in-the-Landscape-Kiss-My-Grass-Handout.pdf