Both ornamental and native prairie grasses are being incorporated into the landscape to compliment traditional flowers, add drama, and liven up the winter yard.
Ornamental grasses are bold accents, providing year-round color, texture and shape.
Most do best in full sun and when started from rootstock, rather than from seed which cross-pollinates. Add sand and compost to clay soil before planting and water every other day after transplanting. Native grasses once dominated the North American Prairie. Today, along with their wildflower companions, they are being reintroduced for their appearance, ease of care and as a visual link to nature and our past. Five native perennial bunch grasses which are especially worthy of a place in the landscape are Big Bluestem , Little Bluestem , Indiangrass , Switchgrass and Prairie Dropseed .