Ornamental Grass

FOR A GOOD TEN YEARS in the 1990s, my hobby at my gentleman’s farm in Leelanau County was growing and learning about ornamental grass. I raised over sixty varieties in nursery blocks, and over time, I added bamboo (also in the grass family). My hobby combined curiosity, work, and pleasure, and through the effort, I learned a lot about ornamental grass.

Ironically, ornamental grasses were popular in Great Britain during the Victorian era but fell out of favor for nearly a hundred years. Renewed interest and vast new offerings emerged from the nursery trade in the late 20th century, and their use in landscapes has really grown.

The above photo is of Calamagrostis acutiflora var. Karl Foerster, commonly known as Feather Reed Grass. It is a very popular, cool-season, upright-growing selection. It is used frequently in linear and mass plantings. It blooms much earlier than the popular warm-season Miscanthus family, which is at the center of popularity in ornamental grasses in Michigan.

The seedheads of Karl Foerster start with loose, feathery inflorescences that emerge green and then open to airy, rosy-pink plumes. After a few weeks, the color shifts to deep purple and finally to golden tan as the seedhead clusters begin to tighten on each stem during the summer. The plants’ flower stalks stay upright through fall and winter, adding interest to late-season landscapes. They are best cut down to 6 inches around their crown during early spring maintenance to prepare for their life cycle regrowth each year.

Gardeners can enjoy both grass leaves and the seedheads in the hundreds of cultivars available in today’s nursery trade.

The sun plays a prominent role in highlighting the grass's unique qualities, especially at dawn and dusk when seed clusters are “backlit,” creating a dazzling, showy display where the sunlight appears to be captured within the seedheads.

Grasses in motion create a wavelike effect with both their blades and feathery plumes swaying and dancing rhythmically in the wind.

Keep your eyes peeled and take it all in.

It is a sight to behold.

Notice the tightening of the seedheads after one week