|
|
|
An Ornamental Grass Garden
|
 Enlarge photo
|
The Ornamental Grass Garden in Springfield, Missouri's growing botanical complex may be unique in the United States. Certainly it stands among the largest such gardens in the nation.
Created in 2006 by Dr. Bill Roston, the Garden was first planted with 75 ornamental grass varieties, with more to be added in the future. In addition to providing a beautiful place to visit, the Garden is designed to illustrate the wide range of variations in size, texture, color, color patterns, and flowering that have made ornamental grasses enormously popular in recent years.
Homeowners, amateur gardeners, and even professional gardeners and landscapers are more and more incorporating ornamental grasses to enliven and beautify their gardens and landscapes. A major goal of the garden, of course, is to enable visitors to view many varieties in order to choose the best for their yards and gardens.
Today the Garden is under the care of Friends of the Gardens members and Katie Steinhoff, coordinator of the Springfield-Greene County Botanical Center, who have taken on its expansion and improvement and the major task of making sure that all grasses are accurately labeled.
The Ornamental Grass Garden is one of 35 botanical gardens in Nathanael Greene/Close Memorial Park located at 2400 S. Scenic in Springfield.
|
Enlarge photo | | The Beginning
In 2006, the work began with nothing more than native stone, soil, a wheelbarrow, and the vision of an ornamental grass garden of unique design, value, and appeal.
|
| 
Enlarge photo | | The Big Dig
The construction of the Ornamental Grass Garden was one tall order, a project requiring the movement and arrangement of tons and tons of dirt and stone. The man tackling the job in the NewHolland loader is Bill Roston, the creator of the garden in more than one sense of the word.
|
| 
Enlarge photo | | Bermed Beds and Native Stone
Essential to building the Ornamental Grass Garden were bermed beds to provide excellent drainage and, to ring them, literally tons of Missouri's beautiful native limestone.
|
| The Bones of the Garden
 The first step in making the garden was to  create one "leg" of its design Taking what seemed a Herculanean task were Bill and Judy Roston, shown at right working in the background. Bill explained that the basic design is an old-fashioned, five-pointed sheriff's badge, also known as a "sheriff's star," with "wedges" between the points.
| Taking Shape
 Gradually the garden began to take shape,  with the star points clearly defined, as shown at left, and the centerpiece complete at right. At this point, all was ready for planting.
| The First Plantings
 The first plantings included seedlings and  divisions of smaller grasses such as oat grass (Arrhenatherum elatius), Japanese Sweet Flag (Acorus gramineus), and Dwarf Pampas Grass (Cortaderia selloana 'Pumila'). At right, the first star point planted.
| 
Enlarge photo | | Early Growth
It wasn't long before the Garden began to show enough good growth to suggest what it might become. Here Bill and Judy Roston have added colorful annuals to fill in and provide visual interest while new grasses are being added.
|
|
| 
Enlarge photo | | 'Boulder Blue' Fescue
One of the very first plantings in the Ornamental Grass Garden, 'Boulder Blue' Fescue (Festuca glauca 'Boulder Blue') is a perfect jewel of a plant that grows quickly into a dense mound of spiky silvery-blue foliage only 8 inches tall by 8 inches wide. Evergreen, drought-resistant, and perennial, it must have full sun to do well. Its size, coloration, and distinctive texture make it ideal for rock and Alpine gardens, border edging, and containers.
|
|
| 
Enlarge photo | | Idaho Fescue
Idaho Fescue (Festuca idahoensis) is a short-grass prairie plant native to many western states. An excellent wildlife forage plant, it should never be planted where deer are a problem. Perennial and drought resistant, it needs full sun and will grow to 2 feet or more tall and as wide. Its narrow, gray-green leaves lend texture and subtle color to the garden. The flowers are inconspicuous. Common names include Blue Bunchgrass and Bunchgrass Fescue.
|
|
| 
Enlarge photo | | Purple Fountain Grass
Purple Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum') is certainly among the most popular ornamental grasses in the world for its deep purple foliage and graceful reddish-tinged flowers. Beautiful as a specimen plant in the garden or landscape, it much prefers full sun and will grow to 4 feet tall by 3 feet wide. It resists drought and deer. In the Ozarks it must be grown as an annual, being hardy only in zones 8-11. Bonus: The flowers make superb cut flowers.
|
|
| 
Enlarge photo | | Hardy Sugar Cane
Hardy Sugar Cane (Saccarum arundinaceum) is, might be expected, the hardiest and the most visually attractive of the plants known as sugar canes. This perennial grass, shown here freshly in flower, can grow as tall as 10 feet and as wide. Flowers appear in mid-October and may be white to pale pink. This picturesque plant does best in full sun and with regular watering.
|
|
| 
Enlarge photo | | Mosquito Grass
Mosquito Grass (Dasypyrum villosum) is a perennial grass that features delicate-appearing green-gray foliage and flowers that that appear in summer and start out silvery and gradually turn purple. The flowers attach to the stems at right angles, creating interesting effects. The plant needs full sun and must have good drainage. It can grow to 3 feet tall and a foot wide. Common names include Grama Grass, Blue Grama Grass, Signal Arm Grass, and Eyelash Grass.
|
|
| 
Enlarge photo | | Variegated Sedge
Variegated Palm Sedge (Carex muskingumensis 'Oehme') is a sport discovered in the garden of famed modern landscape designer Wolfgang Oehme. It get its common name from its leaf variegation and the palm-like way the foliage radiates outward from the center. This superb accent plant grows slowly, likes part to full shade and moist soil, and tolerates many conditions. It can reach 2 feet in height with a similar spread.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Email this page  Printer friendly version
|
|
Powered by Machineware Contact the webmaster
|
|
|
|
