Sesleria autumnalis is a meadow grass reaching twelve to eighteen inches with light green foliage. Flowers appear in the spring and fade gracefully throughout the summer. It tolerates a wide range of conditions. Sesleria caerulea is low growing to eight inches tall, The leaves are green on the bottom, silver on top and slightly twisted so that both colors are visible. Flowers are inconspicuous.
Stipa arundinacea (now known as Anemanthela lessonia) grows three by three feet in shades of olive and orange. This is a lovely grass for all seasons. A new variety, ‘Sirocco’, is smaller, about eighteen inches, with bright shades of copper and pink in cool weather. Both need full sun or they will revert to green. Both require only minimal water. Stipa gigantea has…
Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’ and ‘Siskyou Blue’ are both silvery grasses, growing about eighteen inches tall. They make great accents in the garden and they are easy to grow, requiring minimal water and care. They form charming clumps which look great in almost any landscape and are particularly handsome amongst rocks or along dry stream beds.
Carex tenuiculmis is a handsome, brownish red grass. It grows two to three feet tall in full sun and needs only minimal water. Carex testacea is another colorful grass that has very bright orange blades when planted in full sun. It stays attractive throughout the year and likewise requires only minimal water once established.
Bamboo is really a giant grass, hence its inclusion in the grass category. There are two main types of bamboo – clumping and running. Clumping varieties will increase gradually and not take over the universe. Bambusa and most Fargesia will do well in this area. Running bamboos can become very invasive if allowed to do so, but…