GORGEOUS GRASSES FOR EVERY GARDEN
Planting grasses in your garden is low maintenance and mostly water-wise. They are becoming more and more popular as a landscaping plant too. Planting in mass, it makes a brilliant display and can be used in both large and small gardens in full sun. Grasses are useful for preventing soil erosion and prefer well-drained soil. Water well till established, give a good mulch after planting and keep soil healthy by applying compost once a year. Removal of dead leave matter in winter is necessary to keep grasses neat.
Melinis nerviglumis
Their common names are Red Top Grass or Bristle-leaved Red Top. These grasses are pretty, tufted grass with a slightly blue, green leaf and a shiny pink inflorescence. They are an easy grower and attractive grass to any border or garden. It is native to Southern Africa and the flower heads appear from spring to summer.
Aristida junciformis
The common name is nGongoni grass (Zulu). It is a handsome, very hardy, thick grass with mauve plumes that sway beautifully in the wind during summer and autumn. It will grow in wet, clay soil as well as under normal garden conditions. nGongoni is considered to be the best grass to make brooms from.
Eragrostis curvula
The common name is weeping love grass. It is a robust, densely tufted grass that produces many long hanging leaves and cream plumes in early spring. It is fast-growing grass and valuable as a forage for livestock.
Eragrostis capensis
The common name is heart seeded love grass. It is a hardy, densely perennial grass with blue-green leaves of which the bases are usually purplish and the flower spikes are plump, heart-shaped spikelets in yellow. Heartseed love grass is a very hardy, fast-growing grass.
Themeda triandra
The common name is red grass which grows in dense tufts with red-brown spikelets on branched stems in summer. The foliage comes in many shades of green and turns reddish when older. This very hardy grass is also known to be fire resistant and a fast grower.
Ornamental grasses are highly valued as low maintenance plants and many grow well in poor soil. They provide interest for most of the year, are hardy and resistant to pest and diseases and are fast-growing. There is an ornamental grass for nearly every garden situation.
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