Grasses at Digging Dog
Acorus to Deschampsia
Including Calamagrostis & Carex
One of the most exciting trends in contemporary American landscaping is the recent availability of a wide variety of ornamental grasses. Grasses offer more than longevity and low maintenance; they bring movement, fall and winter pizzazz, lush volume, texture and line, even sound, to any situation. The design possibilities are mind-boggling!
Plant grasses for a stunning effect in groups by themselves, with wildßowers for a stylized meadow, as a transition area between surrounding Þelds or woods and the garden proper, or be even bolder and bring some into the perennial bed for vertical excitement. Think of them as shrub substitutes for hedges and semitransparent screens, as specimens to contrast with rocks and boulders, and by all means, place a few at water’s edge. Show grasses to best effect by backlighting, so that every tiny seed and hairlike Þlament seems illuminated from within. Ornamental grasses are simply unbeatable fresh or dried in arrangements, with ßowers or by themselves.
To prevent rotting during the rainy season, plant ornamental grasses high enough to ensure drainage away from the base of the plant. Wait until late winter or until they no longer look great, then shear ruthlessly to 4 or 6 inches. Divisions are necessary at least every three years. Once established, many grasses will reward you by being drought and heat resistant.
Please note some of the given bloom times have been extended beyond the actual flowering period to include the interesting dried effect of the inflorescences in winter.
View a slideshow of plant images from this page Acorus
White-striped Japanese Sweet FlagNamed for the pleasant, pinelike fragrance that emanates from the entire plant, Acorus is neither a grass nor a sedge. This variegated grassy perennial is an unusual member of the Arum family, once used as an aromatic addition to perfumes, gin and beer.
An illustrious, water-loving accent for damp shady
borders, shallow water or at pond’s edge, its waxy evergreen fans of upright, green flattened blades emerge from slowly creeping rhizomes while boasting neat alabaster striped margins.
Size: 8"–12" high x 18"–2' wide; hardy to zone 5.
Acorus gramineus ‘Variegatus’ (G-0460)
Each $7.00
Add to Cart Ampelodesmos
Mauritania Vine Reed
Mauritania Vine Reed/Rope Grass
Hailing from the Mediterranean, this stately grass yields fine textured, evergreen blades tough enough to fashion ties, ropes and baskets, and large enough to make an imposing stand-alone specimen in your mixed border.
Lofty, upward and arching stems race skyward, asserting mostly one-sided pearl-colored panicles above a dark green clump-forming mound. While airy purple-flushed inflorescences invite birds and gardeners alike, the robust Rope Grass maintains its majestic composure throughout the winter, requiring a sheltered, sunny position with well drained soil.
Blooms July–November. Size: 9' high x 3'–4' wide; hardy to zone 8.
AVAILABLE FALL 2013
Ampelodesmos mauritanicus (G-0479)
Each $7.00
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Andropogon
Big Bluestem
Historically renowned as the sod our ancestors broke their backs busting, Big Bluestem is the most widespread of all the prairie grasses. Its regal and wild color show makes it a must in our garden. Growing to great size, the stand’s lush, blue-blushed summer greenery becomes a burgundy and
copper glory at first frost. Soaring three-pronged red seed heads beg its other common name, Turkeyfoot.
Reliable, heat tolerant and sturdy, Andropogon gerardii thrives in poorly drained clay to dry sandy soils, and easily transitions the outskirts of your garden into the wild meadow beyond.
Blooms late August–October. Size: 5'–8' high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 4.
Andropogon gerardii (g-0448)
Each $7.50
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Sideoats Grama
For its distinctive inflorescences, colorful fall foliage and phenomenal drought tolerance, this Midwestern denizen reigns supreme. Purplish oatlike spikelets, uniformly draped along one side of the upright or arching stalks, eventually blanch to a straw hue. Enduring a wide range of soils and difficult sites, Side Oats Grama forms erect, wiry light green clumps that broadcast violet, orange and red autumnal shades.
Planted in drifts, meandering amid other medium statured grasses and smaller perennials, a dramatic statement is yours to enjoy, while the birds and butterflies feast on the fodder.
Blooms June – November. Size: 2'–3' high x 12" wide; hardy to zone 3.
Bouteloua curtipendula (G-0513)
Each $7.75
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Mosquito GrassWe wish more plants were like this one! This North American native is tough, drought tolerant, and adds delicacy and movement wherever it’s placed. Slightly iridescent, Mosquito Grass offers tiny seed heads borne atop thin, wiry stems. Resembling aerial minnows, the inflorescences dart above 1 ft. clumps of dense, narrow blades. Plant them next to a garden seat or steps where they can be enjoyed at close range.
Blooms June–November. Size: 18" high x 12" wide; hardy to zone 5.
Bouteloua gracilis (g-0002)
Each $7.75
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Briza
Rattlesnake GrassPeople delight in this Mediterranean native, and its playfully noisy nature has earned it amusing names like cowquakes, didder and dillies; it earns “Rattlesnake” for the rattlelike, heart-shaped inflorescences. On delicate, swaying stems, the small flowers emerge a shimmery green
highlighted with red, and dry to a light straw color.
Medium green, finely textured blades form dense, long-lived evergreen clumps, and forgivingly put up
with winds, drought and salt spray.
Blooms April–June. Size: 2' high x 12" wide; hardy to zone 4.
Briza media (g-0087)
Each $7.00
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Extremely tough, undemanding and hardy, this truly all-purpose grass brings bold, erect lines to the garden spectrum.
This distinctive newcomer is a variegated form of Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’ first spotted by Steve Schmidt at American Ornamental Perennials. Showcasing dramatically striped foliage, the medium-sized clumps spring to life as a hefty white central band bordered by narrow green margins embellishes each blade. Topped with an airy aura of rose-tinged green plumes that later take on warm, golden hues, ‘Avalanche’s straight-up stance forges a compelling specimen, or when planted en masse, a boldly patterned screen. Zone 4/5. (PPAF)
Blooms May–January. Size: 5' high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 5.
Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Avalanche’ (g-0469)
Each $7.75
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Karl Foerster’s Feather Reed GrassNamed for pioneering German nurseryman Karl Foerster, this selection bears loose and airy 12 in. seed heads, which tighten to slender plumes by midsummer. Rising above 2 ft. clumps of narrow green foliage, the inflorescences create an ideal semitransparent veiling effect. Plant with deep green Viburnums to accentuate its golden flowering stems.
Blooms May–January. Size: 5' high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 5.
Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ (g-0003)
Each $7.75
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Korean Feather Reed GrassWarmed by rosy maroon plumes, Calamagrostis brachytricha is native to the moist woodlands of eastern Asia. The inflorescences stay open and feathery, even when they dry, and eventually pale to an elegant silvery gray. Magical both in an arrangement or outside when the wind blows, the panicles leap from a clump of glossy green, upright and arching blades. This warm season grass exhibits a smaller stature, making it well suited for a container.
Blooms September. Size: 4' high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 4.
Calamagrostis brachytricha (g-0067)
Each $7.75
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Cape Mendocino Reed GrassGarnished by violet tinges, low loose mounds of glaucous blue-gray blades generally remain throughout the year and set this cool season California native apart from other North American Calamagrostis species. Slender tapering pinkish purple panicles sojourn just above the relaxed foliage in a lovely fountainlike fashion and by early summer adopt luminous flaxen hues.
Cape Mendocino Reed Grass is unhappy where it’s hot, appreciates summer irrigation and can be massed as an artful ground cover or peppered throughout a mixed border planting or a naturalized meadow.
Blooms May – November. Size: 18" high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 8.
Calamagrostis foliosa (G-0044)
Each $7.75
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Sedge
A diverse genus comprised of nearly 1000 species, most Carex originate in the moist habitats of temperate climates. Our graceful selections are easy to grow and promise to soften those hard edges in your garden.
Frosted Curls Sedge
Applauded as one of the most distinctive native New Zealand grasses, this Carex spotlights a frosted fountain of gracefully cascading hairlike blades. The iridescent light green leaves twist their tips and gleam with pewter highlights, while staging a dense evergreen clump that spills over rocks, walls or a favored patio container.
For an especially fluid display, ‘Frosted Curls’ is best planted en masse on a slope where its trailing foliage appears to flow like water.
Size: 12" high x 12" wide; hardy to zone 7.
AVAILABLE SUMMER 2013
Carex albula ‘Frosted Curls’ (G-0482)
Each $7.50
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Miniature Variegated SedgeGlistening, dark green slender leaves embellished with crisp white margins and small purplish white flowers on triangular stems hallmark this neatly tufted variegated Sedge. Fully evergreen in milder climates, the sturdy fine textured mound spreads slowly, casting a long lasting sprightly charm upon the rockery, woodland beds or patio pots. ‘Snowline’ relishes light shade and loose moist soil, withstands tree roots, wards off deer and, if planted closely, makes a picturesque easy to maintain ground cover.
Blooms May. Size: 9"–15" high x 10"–18" wide; hardy to zone 5.
Carex conica ‘Snowline’ (G-0533)
Each $7.50
Add to Cart Berkeley SedgeWe favor Berkeley Sedge for its lush meadow look. Ranging from Washington to California’s Monterey coast, this western native’s deep green and lustrous, thin evergreen blades elegantly arch out from a clumping base and yield inconspicuous brownish blooms held by lax, wiry stems.
Once established, the fast growing and versatile Carex divulsa can endure an array of factors: some drought, boggy areas, tree roots, sun or shade, and foot traffic, including the four-legged kind. However, regular watering and a trim every 6 months will ensure the most verdant growth. You can space it closely and mow for a turflike effect, plant en masse as a ground cover in a small or large area or create a shady vignette with Euphorbia characias x robbiae and Geranium sinense.
Blooms May–June. Size: 18"–2' high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 7.
Carex divulsa (g-0449)
Each $7.50
Add to Cart Kaga Brocade SedgeNishiki means “brocade,” and it rightly describes the variegated blades of this superb selection, which comes to our country from Japan’s Gotemba Nursery. Forming a tidy, fountainlike mound, each slender leaf has a green central stripe emargined in a radiant gold.
Long-lived and durable, ‘Kaga Nishiki’ makes a bright accent against the broad-leafed greenery in the border.
Size: 8"–10" high x 18" wide; hardy to zone 6.
Carex dolichostachya ‘Kaga Nishiki’ (g-0098)
Each $7.50
Add to Cart Bowles Golden SedgeThis beautiful sedge offers the clearest yellow of any grass, plus a courtly, rounded form. Its compact size is ideal for the rock garden or mixed border. Best of all, the coloring becomes even more brilliant in partial shade.
Use it to enliven the woodland garden, or make a stunning statement by planting it with other golden foliage or with the contrasting leaves of Pulmonaria ‘Roy Davidson’. Bowles Golden will become a dense stand in only a few seasons.
Size: 15" high x 18" wide; hardy to zone 5.
Carex elata ‘Aurea’ (G-0006)
Each $7.50
Add to Cart Solidly colored in clear golden yellows, this Carex’s graceful hummock will energize the ho-hum corners of your garden. With upright and arching, evergreen foliage, ‘Knightshayes’ requires moisture and bright shade to retain the gilt, fine textured hues. Try establishing singly or en masse near ponds, streams, in a damp border or even in water, where its glowing accents and reflections are sure to beckon.
Size: 15" high x 18" wide; hardy to zone 5.
AVAILABLE LATE SUMMER 2013
Carex elata ‘Knightshayes’ (G-0096)
Each $7.50
Add to Cart Carnation GrassWith its sea of striking blue, Carnation-like foliage, this handsome Carex is aptly named. Glaucous, narrow blades create a noninvasive, slowly spreading mass. Purple-black spikes appear to float like a subtle mist just above the solid, jointless flowering stems. Easy to establish and indispensable as a low
ground cover, Carex flacca tolerates drought, adapts to an array of growing conditions and effectively
interweaves a tapestry of Heathers.
Blooms May–June. Size: 6"–15" high x 12"–15" wide; hardy to zone 4.
Carex flacca (glauca) (g-0099)
Each $7.50
Add to Cart Weeping Brown SedgeInfused with rich earth tones evoking a Zen-like simplicity, the weeping ultra-fine clump of long and thin, dark chocolate-colored blades sets this mop-top New Zealander apart. Carex flagellifera’s easily melded tones and fluid upright arching form brings textural intrigue to containers, the rockery, walls or borders, whether installed as a stand-alone or a sweep. Arresting when juxtaposed against broad greenery, blue-gray foliage or any brightly hued bloom, Weeping Brown Sedge obliges sun, shade, moisture and somewhat dry conditions, and remains evergreen where winters are mild.
Size: 15"–18" high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 6.
Carex flagellifera (Bronze) (G-0532)
Each $7.50
Add to Cart Introduced by Barry Yinger, long-lived ‘Ice Dance’ comes to us from the woodlands flanking Japan’s low-lying mountains. Dark emerald in color, the reflexed, leathery leaves are shiny and heightened by creamy white margins.
This tidy evergreen ground cover is not invasive; its spreading rhizomes form a coarsely textured carpet that is somewhat drought tolerant once established.
Size: 12" high x 12" wide; hardy to zone 5.
Carex morrowii ‘Ice Dance’ (g-0088)
Each $7.50
Add to Cart Dwarf Palm SedgeTruly pint-sized in all aspects, this easily cultivated fine textured sedge was introduced by Limerock Nursery of Pennsylvania. Thin, tapered bright green blades resemble miniature palms as they radiate out from lax stem tips.
Best relished up close, the slow spreading ‘Little Midge’ is a superb option for small water features or containers, bog gardens and the rockery; or plant multiples for a verdant ground cover. It endures sun or partial shade with ample moisture, but is tolerant of drier conditions.
Size: 8"–12" high x 8"–12" wide; hardy to zone 4.
AVAILABLE JULY 2013
Carex muskingumensis ‘Little Midge’ (G-0521)
Each $7.50
Add to Cart While the species inhabits moist North American woodlands and meadows, this uniquely textured sport, discovered in landscape architect Wolfgang Oehme’s garden, is somewhat drought tolerant once established. First a solid color, later enhanced with narrow yellow edges, the bright green blades are tapered and arranged horizontally like palm fronds on mostly upright triangular stems, knitting a tropical-styled, semideciduous ground cover.
Versatile and deer resistant, ‘Oehme’s slow spreading steadfast clump produces chocolate-colored spiky inflorescences, handles sun or shade, favors ample moisture, especially when its hot and looks just right along a walkway, streamside, or in a container.
Blooms June. Size: 18"–2' high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 4.
Carex muskingumensis ‘Oehme’ (G-0505)
Each $7.50
Add to Cart Variegated Japanese SedgeTouted as one of the most graceful of the variegated sedges, this clump-forming evergreen Carex captivates us with dense and dapper, gracefully weeping blades. A butter-colored median band daringly lights up each long, fine textured dark green leaf. Carex oshimensis dwells amid the rock-laden slopes and dry woodlands on Japan’s main island, Honshu, rendering ‘Evergold’ a choice contender for your favorite pot, the rockery or woods. Smoothing over hard edges and luminous en masse, it happily obliges varied conditions, except intense hot weather.
Size: 10"–14" high x 12"–2' wide; hardy to zone 6.
Carex oshimensis ‘Evergold’ (G-0506)
Each $7.50
Add to Cart Oshima Sedge
Arching upward and out, this Carex’s lush foliage is elegant. A glinting cascade of refined, evergreen blades presents dark green margins with broad, alabaster-colored central stripes that mature to creamy yellow. Languishing if it’s too hot, slow spreading ‘Gold Strike’ thrives in moist, well drained sites, and makes a bold statement when its densely set, variegated tussocks are planted in a meandering swath amidst Pulmonaria ‘Benediction’ or Epimediums.
Size: 15"–20" high x 2' wide; hardy to zone 6.
Carex oshimensis ‘Gold Strike’ (G-0461)
Each $7.50
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New Zealand SedgeA cozy fusion of colors—from dark chocolate and cappuccino to reddish bronze—distinguish this fine textured evergreen sedge. Whether positioned in a border, cascading over a wall or embellishing a container, the long and narrow, arching foliage fashions a loosely arranged, graceful mound whose rich warm tones juxtapose green and golden leafage to great affect.
Carex tenuiculmis favors moist soil, and can be brought inside wherever it’s not winter hardy.
Size: 12"–15" high x 12"–15" wide; hardy to zone 7.
Carex tenuiculmis (G-0471)
Each $7.50
Add to Cart Orange New Zealand SedgeThe exotic look of lucent orange foliage paints the garden’s verdant canvas nearly year round. Long, fine textured strands first emerge an olive-green and later transmute stunning golden brown, copper and orange highlights. With its upright and dense arching tuft, easy-to-grow Carex testacea is a hardy, drought tolerant grass that entices gardeners, but not deer, insisting on full sun to preserve the extraordinary hues, and good drainage.
Let this evergreen New Zealand native spill over a container’s edge or cozy up to Yucca ‘Garland’s Gold’, Heuchera ‘Obsidian’ and Euphorbia myrsinites.
Size: 18"–2' high x 18" wide; hardy to zone 6.
Carex testacea (G-0495)
Each $7.50
Add to Cart Chasmanthium
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