Little Bluestem’s time to shine
Are ornamental grasses an overused plant in the landscape? Some people are complaining that when even fast food joints are incorporating grasses in their landscapes, this plant family has lost its luster.
You can’t give up on a plant that easily!
- Low-maintenance and drought-tolerant once established? Check.
- Clear foliage that rustles and blows in the summer breeze? Check.
- Beautiful seed heads to buoy the landscape and give it second life going into fall? Check.
- Seed heads that dry and hold up to provide winter interest, catching that low, precious sunlight just so? Check.
- Trimming as easy as giving the plant a buzz haircut one time in March? Check, check, check!
We’d be shirking our duty if we didn’t mention grasses’ hairy, deep root structure that pulls moisture deep down into the soil and prevents run-off. This in turn prevents water pollution. How cool is that? And some grasses are so tall (but not floppy) that they can function as an inexpensive hedge, never presenting the “bare bottom two-thirds” syndrome, as some other plants are wont to do.
We could tout the advantages of grasses all day. They may be getting more commonplace, but with an abundance of grasses hardy to Minnesota, there’s plenty of variety and jazzy combinations to go around. Get creative. And think of how nice it is to see some good-looking plants while waiting for your burgers. Things could be worse.
