I don’t remember planting this

I don’t remember planting this. One day when I looked, there it was. And I had no idea what it was, but it was beautiful, so I decided to investigate.

And another one here

It turned out to be Silky Thread Grass - Nassella (Stipa) tenuissima. Silky thread Grass brings gossamer grace to any spot where it's planted. It blooms from late spring into late summer with plumes of silky flowers that sway back and forth in the slightest breeze. Grows readily in most any soil with full to partial sun. Re-seeds itself readily.

Native to the Western US, it is supposed to be drought-tolerant, but as the hot summers wore on, and no matter how much I watered it, slowly over two or three seasons it died. Maybe I over-watered it....

Being non-indigenous to South Africa, it doesn't actually belong in my garden, but it is such a beautiful plant I could consider trying to find another one.

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You are a cultivator

You patiently tend to your garden, pruning each rose bud carefully.
You water the grass as you pull out the weeds.
You watch as the trees bask in the sun.
You help the plants, like you help others, to grow for a better tomorrow.
You are a cultivator.

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Autumn is on the way

Life without a garden would be empty 

Klisgras (Setaria verticillata)

As the weather pulses cold and warm and cold again, it is apparent that autumn is close here in Gauteng. For some time I have resisted cutting the grass so as to provide the natural flowering of Dandelions of different kinds, and the other smaller flowers that only grow with the grass. I do enjoy seeing what emerges when nature is left to itself, and that it provides for the tiny creatures that persist throughout the season.

A lot of the grass in my garden has already turned yellow or brown, I came upon this Klisgras (Setaria verticillata, a beautiful grass with spiky tussles) which had escaped the wrath of the lawnmower by growing close to the fence. It was glittering in the late afternoon sunlight with shades of yellow, green and brown.

Here in my garden I have planted a section purely with indigenous grasses in stead of Kikuyu, which uses enormous amounts of water and also needs to be cut very often. The indigenous grasses are also a good source of food for many birds and offers shelter to lizards, geckos, snakes and my tortoise, Torti.

The grasses also make great flower arrangements and I have picked quite a lot and placed them in vases throughout the house.

 

We've had non-stop rain for over two weeks now and the garden is light and bright. There is not much in the way of insects about although there are flowers still. The Marigolds have almost all gone to seed though they are still providing beautiful splashes of colour. They are still a haven for a few straggly bees, aren't seeing that many in the garden these days. It has been a tough season for the bees, with all the rain, and I really must plant more flowers this coming spring...

 

 

 

I've also picked the last of the Hydrangeas, placed some in vases and hung up a few for drying. Soon the main plants will be dying back and I'll be looking forward to their return in spring.

 

 

 

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Ornamental grasses in the garden

Ornamental grasses can be used as fillers or specimens, border plants or background plantings, as ground covers or screens, or they may be grown as container plants. Their adaptability and subtle beauty make them perfect companions to flowering plants and other woody ornamentals.

This beautiful fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum 'rubrum') thrives in warmer, drier areas and threatens many native species and has been declared as a Category 1 weed in South Africa and although it is beautiful, I have since removed it. Other Category 1 weeds are Spanish reed (Arundo donax), pampas grass (Cortaderia jubata, C. selloana) and tussock-grass (Nassella tenuissima, N. trichotoma)

Grasses can be used in the landscape just like perennials, but their usefulness extends far beyond that of a normal perennial. Grasses are useful for erosion control, space barriers, wildlife shelters, winter interest, as a background to flowering plants, and as architectural features, to name a few.

Grasses add the dimensions of sound and movement to the garden as wind catches and rustles the leaves. The dried stalks of many grasses remain upright for winter interest. The wide variety of colours, sizes and growth habits of grasses assures that one will fit almost any garden.

The term ornamental grass is used to include not only true grasses (Gramineae) but also close relatives such as sedges (Cyperaceae) (Carex), rushes (Juncaceae), Liriope, hardy bamboos (particularly the genus Phyllostachys), and others. The flower spikes (also known as inflorescences) can be found in different shades of maroon, red, pink, silver, white, yellow, or beige and are excellent for drying.

Ornamental grasses are not the kind of grasses that you broadcast spread across the front or back yard. Hopefully, you will never run across them with the lawn mower, either. Rather, Ornamental grasses are decorative. They look great in the flower garden. They are used to add depth and texture to highlight rock gardens or if they are mixed amidst shrubs.

Ornamental grasses add grace and motion to the garden with strap-like foliage that sways in the gentlest breeze. The fluffy flowers and seed heads on many varieties last throughout the winter, attracting birds and adding winter interest to the garden.

Silky grass in the middle of winter

Ornamental grasses include many species with different textures, sizes, colours, and flower forms. Each grass species has it’s own unique form. They may form low compact mounds, tall screens, or densely spreading mats. The foliage colours include various shades of green, blue and red, as well as variegated varieties having red, white or yellow foliage banded with ivory or yellow stripes. In the fall, the spring and summer colours change to hues of red, beige, or brown, providing a great winter garden accent.

Ornamental grasses fit into the herbaceous (non-woody) category of earth’s vegetation and they are divided into two categories: cool-season and warm season. As the name suggests, cool season grasses make their best growth during the spring and autumn and usually become dormant or semi-dormant during the heat of summer. Feather Reed Grass and Blue Fescue are prime examples.
Warm season grasses make their best growth during long summer days and go dormant during the winter. The popular Maiden Grasses are examples of warm season grasses.

SELECTING GRASSES
The selection of available grass cultivars is ever increasing. One will find a wide range of height, spread, colour, and flowering times available. Some grasses have become invasive in some areas, have been declared noxious weeds and have been banned from being grown in home gardens. Again seek the advice of a local garden centre before planting grasses.
One of the two key things to consider when selecting a grass is it’s height.

Tall (2m or more), upright growing types create visual interest, especially when used towards the back of a border. Their bold lines break up space over a long season, some remaining attractive well into the winter. These are the big guys! Plan their placement carefully because you won’t be able to move them easily!

Zebra grass - The foliage develops distinctive golden horizontal bands in midsummer. In autumn, silvery-white plumes appear and last up to two months. Zebra grass can grow to 2m or taller (Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus') (4-7 ft. tall).

Medium-sized (60cm to 2m) grasses may be effectively massed together, particularly in gardens with a low maintenance emphasis. Spring-flowering bulbs combine well with these for early season interest. These grasses also can be used a specimen plants throughout your garden without taking up too much space.

Low-growing (less than 60cm) grasses are ideal for edging around shrubs or combining with spreading evergreens. When mass-planted, they will form an attractive low-maintenance groundcover.

BAMBOOS
Bamboos are also grasses; they are made stiff by the presence of silica in their stems.  Often overlooked by homeowners, bamboos are a nice evergreen addition to the ornamental grass palette. There are two types of bamboo:  running bamboo and clumping bamboo.  Running bamboos can be quite invasive; therefore it is important to plant them in an area in which they can be contained or where their running habit is an asset, not a detriment.  Clumping bamboos do not spread; they form clumps. Bamboos are usually evergreen and therefore provide good winter interest.

SITE SELECTION
Most ornamental grasses reside in full sun, having spent most of their existence in savannahs or coastal plains. They don’t need copious amounts of rainfall or watering to exist and can easily survive extended periods of drought.

It’s best not to grow grasses with high water-dependent plants as either the grass will struggle with excessive moisture or the water needy will suffer from not enough. Group ornamental grasses with succulents, cacti and grey-foliage plants for their best rate of survival.

PROPAGATING GRASSES
This is by far one of the easiest plant families to propagate after succulents. The most effective method is via collecting seed and distributing in situ. The problem with grasses is not their ability to propagate but that they are so successful at it. You may find yourself weeding more often if you don’t want them to spread beyond their boundaries. In order to prevent reseeding, harvest the flower heads before they’re fully dry.

ORNAMENTAL GRASSES IN CONTAINERS
Growing ornamental grasses in containers is a great way to feature grasses without the worry of them spreading or taking over the garden. Here I've planted some Restios (Chondropetalum tectorum) in a tall pot. This grass can form a huge clump, spreading up to 1.5m in width if left unchecked.

Restios (Chondropetalum tectorum) next to my garden path - soon I'll either have to re-route the path or thin out the Restios.

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My sedges (Cyperaceae)

 Sedges growing amongst the paving in my garden

I have these beautiful, what I thought was grasses, springing up all over in my bathroom court-yard, but upon trying to identify them, found out that they are sedges. Grasses are characterised by 'nodes' along the stem - or jointed stems - as opposed to 'sedges' which have stems with no joints and which belong to another family. 

As in grasses, the basic unit of the inflorescence in sedges is the spikelet. Within the family there is enormous variation in spikelet and inflorescence structure. The spikelet consists of one to several, tiny, male, female or bisexual flowers, each borne in the axil of a boat-shaped glume (tiny bract) which is coloured in shades of green or brown, red, occasionally white or bright yellow. Mostly petals are absent, but when present, they are concealed within the glume and consist of bristles or scale-like structures. 

 

Distribution

The family comprises about 104 genera and more than 5 000 species world-wide, although estimates of numbers vary greatly due to differing taxonomic concepts of individual researchers and because modern sedge floras are available for only a few countries. The largest genus is Carex with about 2 000 species world-wide, followed by Cyperus with about 550 species. Sedges occur primarily in the tropics and subtropics, but may be locally dominant in some areas like the subarctic regions (tundra). 

In rather arid southern Africa there are roughly 40 genera and 400 species. They are found throughout the region, in particular habitats. Some species e.g. in the genus Tetraria are endemic (occur nowhere else in the world) to the winter rainfall region of the Western Cape, South Africa. 

Ecology

In southern Africa sedges are found mainly in wetlands (some are entirely aquatic) and along watercourses, but also occur in moist grasslands and along forest margins. Some genera (e.g. Tetraria) are common constituents of fynbos vegetation, which generally occurs on impoverished sandstone soils, whereas several species of other genera are pioneers on coastal dune sands. 

It is not surprising that adaptations to particular habitats are many. Many species are deciduous, and survive the unfavourable season as rhizomes, corms or tubers. Several species grow in semi-arid areas, and are able to survive periods of drought due to succulent, water-storing leaf sheaths. In arid areas many species have overcome the problem of temporary moisture (such as in pans) by becoming annuals, completing their life cycles in a month or two. Species occurring in fire-regulated grasslands often have protectively thickened and hardened or fibrous leaf sheaths. 

Sedges are generally wind pollinated, although some of the brightly coloured species are thought to be insect-pollinated. On several occasions I have observed thrips (tiny insects) in the flowers of Fuirena species, absolutely covered in pollen. It is almost certain that, as well as feeding on the pollen, they are also vectors. After disintegration of the spikelet the fruits are mostly dispersed by wind and water, and can also be carried long distances in mud on the feet of migrating birds. Some fruits have corky flotation tissue or further adaptations for water dispersal, some have elaiosomes (an oil-rich appendage on the seed) for ant dispersal, and others are equipped with tiny hooks and bristles for dispersal in the fur and feathers of mammals and birds. 

 

Economic and cultural value

The chief importance of sedges lies in their forming a major natural constituent of wetlands and riverside vegetation, where their densely tangled rhizomes contribute to erosion control and water purification. The consequences once they are eradicated are unfortunately all too easily observed. While on the natural theme, the dense sedge beds that form in swampy regions provide food and shelter for birds, animals and other aquatic life-thus attracting ecotourism. In grasslands, terrestrial game birds (e.g. francolin) feed almost exclusively on the small corms of some Cyperus species. 

Info from PlantzAfrica 

And here's the thing - termites absolutely love these sedges! A couple of days after taking these photo's, most of my sedges were all but gone. I sat for hours watching the termites chew a stalk off at the base, then cutting them into one-inch pieces and carry them down their hole. Termites are sometimes a big worry in my garden as I don't use any chemicals or poisons whatsoever. Termites are extremely nutritious as they have a good store of both fat and protein and are a nutritional food source for all kinds of animals from birds, to reptiles, to mammals.

But some new sedges are already springing up after the rain and now I sprinkle some diatomaceous earth around each plant, as well as where I suspect the termite holes to be. Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is the remains of microscopic one-celled plants (phytoplankton) called diatoms that lived in the oceans and lakes that once covered the western part of the US and other parts of the world. I also use it in the garden to keep snails and insects at bay as well as in my chicken coop as a control against mites, lice, mosquitoes and other harmful insects.

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