Sometimes the plant that seems best for a spot doesn't work out quite that way. After six tries I thought I had found the right grass for the driveway island bed. Pennisetum grasses just had to be an excellent choice for that spot because they defy sun and drought better than most plants in my garden. With the added bonus of being absolutely deer proof, the only downside seemed to be that they reseed prolifically. So prolifically that I did not purchase a single one of the dozen or so in my garden. Nope, a couple years ago the seeds floated two doors down from my neighbor up the hill and I've been transplanting seedlings ever since. It was all good. Except this morning I found the pennisetum grasses had been flattened by one of our deluge storms last night with as much as three inches during the 6 am hour.
Just yesterday when I took photos of Neal trimming the Salvia greggii out by the street, I paused to admire the pennisetum grasses softly waving in the background behind the wheelbarrow. Did I think to take a better photo? No, of course not, those grasses would look that good for a couple of weeks.
Except they got hit by a storm. Now they're a mess with little chance they'll recover enough to display the winter interest I had planned on which means a replacement strategy needs to be in the works. From the above photo it's clear this prominent spot needs to look good all year.
I've reworked this bed six times including the yuccas which died after blooming and now it's back to the plant selection drawing board so to speak. Grasses are my preferred choice. Which grasses would work better? Taking a walk around the garden this morning I found native grasses stood up to heavy rain much better than the imports.
Lindheimer's Muhly (Muhlenbergia lindheimeri) looks great by the garage, evergreen with upright stalks. I'd like to use this in the island bed but I've not found another one as finely textured and compact as this specimen. Divisions from this plant have not transplanted well in the past but I might try again.
El Toro Muhly (Muhlenbergia emersleyi) remained upright in the storm though the seedheads are not soft enough to be an eyecatching plant at the end of the row.
Deer Muhly (Muhlenbergia rigens) is just sending up stalks and, from what I've read, they won't unfurl much more than this.
Around back in the circle garden more pennisetum fell flat...
...while Muhlenbergia lindheimeri remains sturdily upright (in the background). This very plant used to be in the island bed but it turned out to be too large and unruly for that spot so now it's in the circle garden where it works well. Also shown is Pine muhly (Muhlenbergia dubya) (lower left) which I like a lot but is not quite showy enough for a prominent spot.
Maybe instead of a challenge it's another opportunity. While the search is on for the right ornamental grass, I may end up with another yucca. The softness of grasses is preferred though yuccas do seem to hold up better
And to think I planted ornamental grasses for their low maintenance value. Ha!
I'm surprised to see so much variability in the resilience of these grasses. I can't say I've ever seen any of my grasses flattened by rain but then torrential rain is only as concept here. I thought of you when I heard that the San Antonio area experienced a deluge - I hope the squishing of the Pennisetums was the worst of it for you.
ReplyDeleteWe do get these storms and I'd rather have it a little more evenly distributed. A few mulch paths worn away and some other stuff but nothing big.
ReplyDeletecould you cut back the fallen centre, and perhaps the edges will grow upright?
ReplyDeleteIt seems to be only the centre that suffered?
I did go out and fluff up the edges so they look better and looked at that possibility. I would probably have to divide and reset them for best results. Still considering options.
DeleteHave you tried blue grama grass "blonde ambition"? It may be a little smaller than you want, but it is beautiful, takes blasting sun in my hell strip, and it does not need any water. La massing of little bluestem makes a great statement too.
ReplyDeleteI have several in the back garden where it hasn't done a lot although it looks great at the new museum on Broadway. It does stay small and needs to be massed to make an impact. Thanks because I hadn't thought of that but it might be time to give it a try.
DeleteOh yes, those deluges can wreak havoc with tall, upright plants. It's such a bummer--they're looking great and then the rain/wind/hail messes it all up. One of my friends had horrible hail damage all over her garden recently. It's so interesting to hear your perspective on winter interest. When I look out and consider winter interest, I imagine everything covered with a foot of snow. LOL. :)
ReplyDeleteSorry about your flattened grasses. On the bright side, you get to go plant shopping again.
ReplyDeleteYou know I am a fan of pine muhly. I like how they start blooming in July, how you can see through them, and they hold up through the winter. I think they look best when they are not crowded so you can see their shape. I need to thin out some of my bigger plants this winter.
ReplyDeleteHow does little bluestem perform in San Antonio? Their coppery winter color could bring a nice contrast to your garden.
When I first started growing grasses, I started with the most common ones: Miscanthus and Pennisetum. I had the same problems with Pennisetum that you have. The reason I got rid of both of them was because they were reseeding and becoming invasive in my garden and I was reading more and more about how they were escaping gardens and invading wild spaces.
These particular grasses have become thugs so they have to go. El Toro muhly unfurled and it looks gorgeous so I might move my existing grasses. Pine muhly is a good one too, it seeds in the circle garden so I may have a few for the front too.
DeleteI loved miscanthus 'Adagio' in my former garden. Its fall-through-winter coloring, streaked with pink and orange, was especially beautiful, and it didn't get bigger than 3-4 feet tall. I did find it needed dividing every couple-three years to look its best though.
ReplyDeleteI had that one for several years in the back garden and it was pretty. Maybe I'll look at it again.
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