How long have grasses been used in Gardens?
We’ve used grasses for decades but we didn’t have many to choose from until recently. Think about Pampas which was big in the seventies and then nothing much happened until the early nineties when we got a big influx especially from Germany. Is it a passing fad or are they here to stay? They are definitely here to stay, many designers couldn’t imagine not having them in their palette as they add a different texture which no other group of plants can provide. Does the scale of a garden or landscape project affect which grasses you use? Can they be used on a large scale Landscape project? On larger scale projects I would avoid those that self seed or only live for a few years such as Stipa tenuissima. The clump forming Pennisetum and Miscanthus are particularly good as they are reliable and last for years with minimal maintenance. Do they all need sun or are there some that grow well in shade? There are some excellent grasses for shade including some of the best – Melica uniflora albida.
