From the Garden - Ornamental grasses give depth to any yard

Ornamental grasses, many of which are native to North America, haveearned a place in just about any landscape. But you would be hardpressed to find anybody more enthusiastic about them than HeatherBurkert of H. Burkert & Co, in Bolivia. As a landscape architectspecializing in environmentally responsible horticulture, she uses avariety of grass in small gardens, large landscapes and public spaces.

"Theyare very diverse, very dynamic [with] wonderful movement ... year-roundcolor and great textural interest," Burkert said of ornatmentalgrasses. "[They] change colors with the seasons., are low maintenance -a once a year cut back is about all they need - [and there is] nodeadheading. Grasses make good companions to most any other plant -ground covers, shrubs and trees - providing you get the right genus."

Grasscultivars can be found to match just about any growing condition. "Wetto very dry ... [and they are] weather resistant so we can use them inbeach gardens, wetlands, even in rain gardens and [they are] resilientwhen it comes to storms."

Burkert also pointed out thatornamental grasses are disease, mildew and fungus resistant, "and deerdon't seem to like them too much." That all adds up to a lot of pluses.

Lloyd Brinkley of Lloyds of Landscape in Wilmington also incorporate a range of different grasses into his landscape designs.

Often they show up "in more free form gardens, seascapes, rock gardens, as accents in large beds," he said.

Havea small landscape? Brinkley recommends Pennisetum "Hamlyn" (diminutiveat a maximum height of 8 inches) and Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Moudry'(2 to 2-and-a-half feet). Slightly larger are Muhlenbergia capillaris,with its graceful pink flower heads in fall, and a dwarf pampas called"Ivory Feathers," which is more compact and less invasive than theoriginal. "Get it division grown, if possible," Brinkley said, "becauseit will stay truer to color and shape."

For larger landscapes, heparticularly likes miscanthus "Cosmopolitan," miscanthus gracillimusand Zebra grass. As a ground cover, this designer and nursery owner,favors Pure Dwarf Mondo grass, which can even act as a substitute forturf (especially useful for areas where grass won't grow like under alarge shady tree).

The optimum time to plant ornamental grasses,Burkert, says, is early spring. Make sure you leave enough room for theplant to grow and expand - read directions carefully.