Still falling for fall grasses
Grasses, yuccas, agaves, and salvias make a great fall show, and many remain evergreen or can be left standing for winter interest. From left to right: Gulf muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris ), Nolina texana (in pot), ‘Whale’s Tongue’ agave (background), Yucca recurvifolia (foreground), pink Autumn sage (Salvia greggii ), and Miscanthus sinensis ‘Adagio’ (background by white ghost).
Autumn’s slanted light creates magic in the front garden when it filters through the ornamental grasses. These photos don’t capture the magic that I saw—they are too backlit and dark—but perhaps they give you an idea.
‘Adagio’ miscanthus and Salvia greggii
Across the entry courtyard, more Salvia greggii and billowy, pink Gulf muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris ).
Along the driveway, Lindheimer muhly grass is also in full bloom. Its tan inflorescence has a rosy tinge.
Purple coneflowers continue to bloom here and there.
And shrubby boneset, or white mistflower (Eupatorium havanense), seems to be aiming for a Halloween show.
Ahhhhhh. I love all your grasses. I’m hoping my pink muhly grass gives a show like that next year!
Congrats on getting your garden filmed! How cool is that?
As usual, I haven’t had much time for posting on my blog, but I did get a new post up! The topic is, drum roll please, a plant swap I went to in Fort Worth. Way too cool.
Keep up the most awesome blogs.
Rebecca
Thanks, Rebecca. I’m really enjoying the pink muhly this fall. Your plant swap sounded like a blast, by the way. What fun! —Pam
Ornamental grasses are a must in the garden, don’t you think Pam? they add so much beauty and extend to growing season too. Ornamental grasses look good most of the year. Love that pink muhly grass of yours! Must see if I can get it here too.
Yes, I can’t get enough of them all summer and fall. They are so beautiful. I do hope you can find the Gulf Coast muhly in the Netherlands, YE. It would be a worthy addition to your lovely garden. —Pam
Margaret really fell in love with Austin’s ornamental grasses while she was visiting. She particularly liked the pink Gulf coast muhly (there are several beautiful stands of it at Town Lake Park), and maiden grass.
I wish she could have taken some home to England. I saw the stands of Gulf Coast muhly at Town Lake Park. It’s gorgeous right now, but how will that monoculture look during the rest of the year, I wonder. —Pam
Nice grasses. I often wonder if they would go wild. All those beautiful seeds.
The ones I’ve grown never seed out. But then I have always had trouble keeping Gulf Coast muhly alive. Now Mexican feathergrass? That’s another story. —Pam
Love the pictures. I just bought a Moudry grass today and am pondering where to place it. Read it can self-sow pretty liberally so I’ll have to plan well.
At least grasses are fairly easy to move, if you misplace them. Enjoy your new grass! —Pam
Hi Pam,
Annie in Austin saw my post on agave nectar, and she said it reminded her of your posts on agaves. I came over and saw. You know a lot more about them than I do. I don’t have any in my garden, and frankly, I’m not sure which ones can come this far north. But, I do like their spiky architecture in the garden, and I love the nectar from the blue agave.
As always, your pictures are fantastic. Thanks.
Thanks, Dee. I’d like to try some agave nectar ; I never even knew one could buy it. Agaves are great for evergreen structure and bold form against all the small-leaved, drought-tolerant perennials I like to grow. They also offer lovely color, often blue-green or silver or even variegated. I don’t know which ones will grow north of here, but check out the websites for mail-order Yucca Do and High Country Gardens. Maybe they can tell you. —Pam