Designing With Ornamental Grasses

Warm season grasses are preparing for a magnificent stravaganza as mid August approaches.  Among the most common families of warm season grasses are Panicum, Molinia, Miscanthus, and Pennisetum.  These are the grasses that like temperatures above 75 degrees.  Bloom time begins in mid August and continues through September.  Since they bloom so late in the season, the seedheads remain in tact through the winter in most climates.  I recommend not cutting these grasses down until late February or early March, as they bring so much enjoyment through the drearier months.  After a frost, the foliage turns tan, but remains upright and adds a much needed structural element to the garden.  Additionally, the foliage rustles quite dramatically in the winter winds, lending both movement and sound.  The seeds provide food and cover for the birds as well.