Beauty in Garden Grasses— By Parker T. Barnes 



New 

 York 



CLEAR-CUT PEN PORTRAITS OF THE TWENTY-EIGHT BEST BAMBOOS AND OTHER GRASSES. — THEIR 

 PECULIAR MERITS AND ADAPTATIONS TO DIFFERENT SITUATIONS— GROWING PLUMES FOR WINTER EFFECT 



JUST because they are in the catalogues 

 as "grasses," the average amateur is apt 

 to pass by a host of very valuable garden 

 plants : grasses generally mean to him lawns 

 and pastures. But there are taller growing 

 kinds that lend a grace to the border, and 

 many are worth growing for their handsome 

 flowers or "plumes." Not particular as to 

 soil, they will grow where many showy 

 flowers fail, and in late fall give a character 

 and tone to a garden that distinguish it 

 from the average. If you want something 

 easy and singular, grow grasses. 



For convenience, they may be considered 

 under four main sections. 



I. GRASSES FOR BEDS AND MASSES 



The tallest and most stately of all the 

 ornamental grasses is the great reed (Amnio 

 Donax). Its tall, reedy stalks, rising afresh 

 each year, attain a height of eight to fifteen 

 feet, according to situation. The plumes 

 are rather insignificant, especially when com- 

 pared with those of the pampas grass, and 

 are not produced until just before the 

 frosts. 



It is an excellent plant for the centre of 

 large, formal beds, and, as a specimen plant 

 in emphatic points in the border, it is one of 

 the best grasses in cultivation. It must have 

 a rich, moist soil, and, although it is a per- 

 ennial, and perfectly hardy, it is wisdom to 

 give it a mulch on the approach of cold 

 weather, at which time the long stalks should 

 be cut down. 



The great reed has two varieties: the 



variegated reed (Arundo Donax, var. varie- 

 gata), not as tall nor as hardy as the type, 

 usually grows from four to seven feet, but 

 sometimes reaches twelve feet, and is well 

 worth the extra care which is necessary for 

 its existence. The other variety, sometimes 

 called the giant reed (Arundo Donax, var. 

 macrophylla, usually spoken of by the florists 

 as A. macrophylla, var. glauca), has large 

 leaves of a decidedly bluish tinge, and is one 

 of the most effective of border plants. 



THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OF ALL GRASSES 



The pampas grass (Cortaderia argentea, 

 known among florists as Gynerium argen- 

 teum) is the most beautiful of all the taller 

 grasses. It forms large tufts from which, 

 during the latter part of the season, are 

 produced the long stalks bearing beautiful 

 silvery-white plumes. There are also varie- 

 ties with plumes ranging from rose to car- 

 mine, violet, and purple. The plume it- 

 self, when grown in California, often reaches 

 three feet in length. If left to mature on 

 the plants, the plumes become frayed, and 

 assume a dirty- white appearance, but this 

 does not diminish their value in the land- 

 scape, and they will last in fairly good con- 

 dition until the cold weather approaches. 



The foliage is long, narrow and drooping, 

 and its fountain-like habit would alone make 

 it a desirable plant for the garden. Ex- 

 clusive of its plume-bearing stalk, which 

 sometimes rises to a height of eight or ten 

 feet, it makes a beautifully symmetrical 

 plant, six to eight feet high. The best 



In the north the eulalia (Miscanihus Sinensis) is an excellent substitute for the tender pampas grass. The 

 silvery plumes adorn the garden after the foliage has fallen from the trees. Dwarf bamboo (Arundinaria 

 'Jatonica, Known in the trade as "Bambusa Metake) in the foreground 



270 



plumes are produced on the seed-bearing 

 plants. 



The popular name of "pampas" grass is 

 misleading, for it does not come from the 

 pampas of South America, but from the 

 mountains, and usually is found growing 

 alongside water-courses, or in depressions, 

 where there is a constant supply of moisture 

 from some underground source. 



The plant is a perennial, but, unfortunately, 

 is not hardy in the Northern states; so, in 

 order to carry it over, it must be dug up in 

 the fall, the leaves trimmed off to within a 

 foot of the ground, and the ball stored in a 

 damp, but not wet, cellar where frost will 

 not reach it. In May, the plants are brought 

 out of storage, all the loose leaves removed, 

 but not the old stalks, and the clump is 

 planted at the same depth as before. 



As far north as Rochester, N. Y., plants 

 have been wintered out-of-doors, in sheltered 

 places, by first giving a heavy mulch, and 

 then covering with an inverted box filled 

 with dry leaves, hay or straw. 



For perfect specimens, plant in light, rich 

 soil, with a moderate amount of moisture, at 

 least during the early period of growth. 



The plant is easily increased by dividing 

 the roots in the spring, or by seeds, which will 

 produce flowering plants in two years. 



There are many varieties in the trade, and 

 all have Latin names. These differ from 

 the type in height, variegation of foliage, or 

 color of the plume. 



TWO RARER COLORED PAMPAS GRASSES 



Another species of pampas grass, which 

 competent critics say is better than the com- 

 mon one, is the lavender-plumed (Cortaderia 

 jubata, known in the trade as Gynerium 

 arcuato-nebulosum and Gynerium jubatum). 

 It differs from the true pampas grass in 

 having laxer, more graceful and nodding 

 plumes which are lavender colored instead of 

 white. Though it is sometimes killed by 

 zero weather, it merits cultivation and is not 

 nearly as well known as it should be. 



The uva grass (Gynerium saccharoides) 

 has beautiful purple spikes, but is so tender 

 that it cannot be grown even in California. 

 It is only for the Southern states, and grows 

 in damp places, often reaching a height of 

 thirty feet. 



A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE PAMPAS GRASS 



The best hardy substitute for the pampas 

 grass is the Ravenna grass (Erianthus Ra- 

 venna), a hardy perennial, growing four to 

 seven feet high. In the Northern states, it 

 stands next to the arundo for beauty and as 

 a bedding plant. It is equally effective 

 when planted as single specimens or in 

 masses. It forms graceful clumps of foliage, 

 from which rise long, handsome plumes, 

 resembling those of the pampas grass, but 

 smaller. They also may be cut and dried 

 for winter decorations. 



