Product Description

From spring green to winter gold, the drama of grasses is nonstop. There are the striking yellow-and-green ostrich plumes of Zebra Grass. The fine-textured leaves of Blue Oat Grass. Flame Grass's dazzling red-orange leaves, Fountain Grass's coppery brushes, the rich brown nuggets of Northern Sea Oats, the feathery purple haze of Switch Grass. Whether on their own or as backdrops for colorful garden flowers, ornamental grasses are admired for their color, form, movement, and texture. They also aid in erosion control, soil stabilization, and water retention, making them great conservation tools for gardeners in all hardiness zones. Although grasses are widely available at garden centers all over North America, few books advise the gardener on how to use them in the garden - and especially how to combine them with perennials and other plants. GRASSES features plans and practical advice for more than 24 unique gardens. It's complete with an identification and growing guide to the plants, and it features more than 150 full-color photographs, illustrations, and landscape plans.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10259 in Books
• Published on: 2002-01-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

From Booklist
No longer relegated to back-of-the-border backdrops for showy perennials or space-filling solutions for inconsequential garden areas, ornamental grasses are moving front and center as befits their versatile, adaptable, and irresistible nature. From their burnished glow when backlit by a setting sun to the textural richness they bring to a mixed border, grasses offer much in the way of gardening excitement and distinction yet require little maintenance in return. After succinctly covering the cultural basics of grass gardening, Ondra concentrates her efforts on extolling their multifaceted design distinctions. For every garden element, from borders, pathways, and containers to location challenges such as shade, slopes and screening, Ondra's capsule "designer's choices" offer brief but essential descriptions to aid in plant selection and planning considerations, and quick-reference lists highlight grasses that work well in such diverse conditions as hot-and-dry sites and low-and-wet bogs. Supported by Saxon Holt's captivating color photographs, Ondra elevates grasses from garden understudies to starring roles. Carol Haggas
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Review
Looking for handsome foliage, fascinating flowers and eye-catching fall color? Try Grasses Publishers Weekly "Supported by Saxon Holt's captivating color photographs, Ondra [Nancy] elevates grasses from garden understudies to starring roles. Booklist Grasses one of the year s best new garden guides. Country Living Gardener Beginning and advanced gardeners alike will find this book full of inspiration and advice on how to get the most from ornamental grasses. Chicago Sun-Times Love ornamental grasses but don t know how to work them into your garden? This book offers design possibilities Houston Chronicle "Plenty of photos of the many grass choices can help you focus on varieties that mesh with your interests." Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Illustrated with spectacular photos by Saxon Holt, Grasses focuses on design themes in landscapes throughout the seasons. Indianapolis Star " If your vision of grasses is limited to the wheat fields of Kansas, this book on ornamental grasses is sure to expand your horizons and may even inspire you " Hartford Courant

From the Back Cover
Select beautiful ornamental grasses, combine them with perennial flowers and other garden plants, and care for them so that they look great year round. Photos, plans, and plant lists for 20 unique garden designs, along with more than 160 color photographs provide inspiration for using ornamental grasses in a variety of garden settings.