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Ideas for using cereals in landscape design: varieties, varieties of cereal plants and nuances of cultivation. Ornamental grasses: current landscape design Low-growing cereal grasses

The choice of ornamental grasses is large; there are more than 200 different types. Act as tapeworms or can complement other plants. They decorate rockeries and alpine hills, look impressive near ponds, and frame the edges of flower beds. In autumn and winter, the garden will not be empty. Unpretentious panicles grow until frost and even when dry remain decorative. They will add a special charm to a country house, a chalet-style house, or a cottage made in a modern style.

Overwinter in the middle zone (with or without shelter)

One of the medium-sized, very decorative cereals, which involuntarily attracts the eye with its airiness. The leaves are bluish in color, narrow, hard, 35-40 cm, form a hemispherical dense bush already in the second year after sowing the seeds.

It is effective in a rocky garden, in rock gardens, rock gardens, as a border plant, it can serve as an addition to conifers in single plantings, repeating groups, while it is a completely independent plant that will not get bored even in single plantings.

Blue fescue is unpretentious and frost-resistant. It can be transplanted to

throughout the entire growing season. After flowering, it is recommended to remove the flower stalks and comb out the bush with a three-horn hoe.

It is a perennial, sown with seeds in spring or before winter. It feels calm without shelter, grows very strongly and quickly, so once every 2 years blue fescue turf should be divided to renew the plant.

Cortaderia, also known as pampas grass, forms a bright, spreading shrub with fluffy flower heads at the ends. This cereal plant is very tall. Under favorable conditions it grows up to 3 m, but its low-growing species are no less good. The main condition for beautiful flowering is a lot of sun.

Here is another pinnately bristlecone, completely different from its American counterpart, but no less beautiful. This perennial grows strongly and quickly, so it is worth limiting it in some way. Its height can vary from 30 to 60 cm. The leaves are thin and flat, and the panicles are spike-shaped (up to 10 cm). The golden spikelets are surrounded by feathery hairy bristles, which is why it appears “shaggy”.

Miscanthus

Miscanthus forms lush tall bushes up to 2 m high. Long leaves hide playful golden, golden-pink or silver paniculate inflorescences in their axils.

Miscanthus - Miscanthus sinensis "Zebrina". Very andInteresting decorative form with transverse golden stripes on the leaves.

Feather grass as a steppe grass is loved by many; it is happily planted in mixborders or in flower arrangements. The delicate feather grass (Stipa pulcherrima) looks especially unusual in plantings.

The unusual pubescence from a distance looks like silvery crystal threads enveloping the plant. It grows no more than 80 cm in height, and its long thin awns reach a length of 50 cm.

Spectacular perennial grass 50-90 cm tall. Impressive with the coloring of the leaves, which, like a chameleon, changes throughout the season. Dark green in May-June, the leathery leaves turn gold, pink, orange, red and brown by August. From June to September, openwork greenish-purple spikelets form a light, picturesque “fog” over the bush. Created for the role of a soloist, he is so beautiful and unusual. It is ideal for voluminous garden flowerpots, the center of a raised flower bed, or an alpine slide. A single plant or small groups look good against a lawn. The inflorescences are used as cut flowers for live and dried flower arrangements.

Nicknamed foxtail, it is an exclusively ornamental cereal plant up to 1.5 m in height. Tolerates frost well.

Can be used for planting in shady gardens to create a background in combination with other perennial flowering plants. Prefers shaded areas and moist soil.

The seeds are suitable for human consumption.

Other names: mosquito grass, buffalo grass, pasture grass - an elegant ornamental plant. It is most effective in large masses or in large groups, especially against a contrasting background: pure black earth or dark gravel.

The name is due to the position of the spikelets, which hang on one side of the stem, although located on different sides. It grows in height from only 10 to 40 cm. As it grows, it changes color from bright red to brown-brown, and in the fall it becomes straw-yellow.

Prefers bright sunny places. For maximum decorativeness, the plant must be mowed periodically.

It is popularly called “pike”.An amazingly decorative garden plant, represented by a huge number of varieties, differing in the length of the leaves, the height of the stems and the shades of the spikelets.

The best place for pike is a mixborder, the edge of a lawn or an edge, where it will look very impressive against the background of bushes or in combination with broad-leaved plants. Can be used in a garden in the style of a natural landscape or in a rock garden in combination with large boulders. Used as an accent, tapeworm on the lawn, magnificent in masses when it forms huge wide clouds of flowers that change color depending on the season. The pike is spectacular against the background of dark earth and various types of mulch: bark, gravel, pine nut shells. Do not forget that it self-sows, and there is a possibility that you will have to pick out sprouted young plants from the gravel.

Forms clumps of green leaves with thin stems with one-sided racemose paniculate inflorescences with shiny drooping spikelets. The spikelets are often purple in color. The plant is quite frost-resistant provided the soil is well waterproof.

Another name is reed canary grass - it is distinguished by very decorative variegated leaves with green stripes on a white background.

Tall, fast-growing plant. It blooms in August with straight, rigid panicles.

Perennials 40-150 cm tall, usually forming rather loose turf, with short creeping rhizomes.

Groups of molinias look exceptionally beautiful in naturgardens, near trees or shrubs. As accent plants, they are very decorative in low mixed borders, near lawns or in heather gardens.

Hakonehloe

Or Hakonechloa. The plant is the most elegant member of the grass family and deserves a special place in every shady corner of the garden. There is only one species in the genus Hakonechloa.

The height of the bush is about 40 cm. It grows quite slowly and in a distinctive way: a dense bush produces shoots that grow in one direction, forming an interesting cascade. Hakonechloa large is distinguished by its green foliage, reminiscent of bamboo, which turns a shade of pink in the fall.

Loves a warm place protected from the winds. With good soil moisture, it can be grown in a sunny place.

Or the downy flower, the absolute giant of the world of ornamental grasses. Tall ornamental grass is the best decoration for the autumn and winter landscape. The downy flower can reach a height of 3-3.5 meters. At the end of summer, silvery panicles bursting upward from the base of gray-green leaves reach just such impressive heights. Erianthus, with its tall, slender stems and fluffy panicles, adds a touch of charm to a harsh winter landscape.

A perennial dense-grass grass with grey-blue, rigid foliage. The "blueness" of foliage depends on the intensity of light. The length of the leaves of the basal rosette is about 5-7 cm. The diameter of the rosette is 10-12 cm. The foliage of the rosette is wintering. The height of the curtain during the flowering period is up to 40 cm (depending on soil fertility). Spikelet light green color unlike foliage. The stems of the inflorescences are quite rigid and do not fall apart (they hold their shape well). The green color of the spikelet remains until the beginning of August, then the spikelet turns yellow. Requires well-drained soils with a neutral or alkaline reaction. With age, the center of the curtain falls out and the plant requires division. Propagated by dividing the bush or seeds. In the conditions of the north-west it is frost-resistant (does not require shelter for the winter), but there is a possibility of winter fall due to waterlogging. The rosette is decorative in early spring during the period of leaf regrowth and in the second half of summer during the period of re-growth of leaves after flowering. During flowering, wheatgrass is decorative due to its spikelets. Suitable for decorating alpine slides and gravel gardens.

Many species are used in landscape design when decorating reservoirs. Cotton grasses during the fruiting period (about 1.5 months) are very decorative due to their pure white or bright red puffs. Suitable for growing along the edges of reservoirs, especially broadleaf cotton grass.

Excellent plants for decorating rockeries, heather gardens and the banks of reservoirs, where they should be planted in groups or masses. Fading cotton grass inflorescences are often used as cut flowers to create live and dried flower arrangements.

It has dark green, rather thick stems 10-50 cm high. A perennial plant with numerous thread-like stems 5 to 50 cm high, at the ends of which there are tiny cone-shaped inflorescences. Leaves on plants are absent or reduced to barely noticeable scales. Location: light-loving and very moisture-loving. Prefer slightly acidic soil. Plant directly into the ground on a sunny, marshy shore or in small containers that can be submerged up to 10 cm under water.

When grown in containers, they require monthly feeding. complex fertilizers. For the winter, containers with hanging swampweed are placed in a bright, cool room. Swamps are a wonderful decoration for small ponds and streams. Cold-resistant species can be planted on low, well-moistened banks or in shallow water. More heat-loving species are grown in containers.

The grayish-bluish foliage forms a neat straight tussock 60-120 cm high. The shape changes from strictly straight at the beginning of growth to a free arched one in adulthood. Summer foliage color varies, with some plants being bright green, others glaucous or slightly bluish, often with a noticeable purple tint. In autumn, the color of the plant changes from yellow-brown to copper-orange. The flowers - elongated spikelets located at the top of the stem - are invisible until they dry out, then they become silvery and especially attractive when illuminated by the autumn or winter sun. They are good all winter, even when it snows.

Frost-resistant. This grass requires full sun and good drainage to grow successfully. It tolerates even extremely dry soils, grows in both acidic and alkaline soils, but, of course, does not mind fertile soils and good moisture. Propagated by seeds or division in spring.

Or Indian forest grass, tall prairie grass - Sorghastrum nutans. Indian grass was originally used as high-quality fodder, and several cultivars were obtained for these purposes, but among them were quite ornamental. Panicles are good for cutting.

Gives abundant self-seeding. Because of this, it is used to restore prairies and create natural gardens. In small gardens, the grasshopper is a nuisance due to its self-seeding. Annual efforts are required to remove annual seedlings, best done in late fall or early spring.

Herbaceous perennial, forming shoots, 60-90 cm tall and 30-60 cm wide. Dark green, glossy, needle-thin, hard leaves. The flowers are pinkish and turn the plant into a pink or purple cloud in the fall. In late autumn this cloud turns light brownish. One of the most beautiful herbaceous perennials. Winter hardiness is average - up to (-18). In the southern regions it winters without shelter, in the north-west with shelter.

Perennial. Height up to 60 cm. Rich, copper-bronze, thin leaves are formed on the bush of Red Rooster sedge - one of the most popular series of ornamental grasses. Tufted and erect form at the beginning of growth, eventually turning into a more drooping form. The linear leaves curl as they mature, with thin tips that bend gracefully in the wind.

Amazon Mists sedge (Carex albula Amazon Mist)

Perennial. Height 25-30 cm. Lush bush, drooping. The foliage is silver-green on the upper side and green on the lower side, and curls slightly. An excellent offer for retaining walls, mixborders and compositions in containers.

It overwinters in the southern regions; in the northern regions it is used as a tub or annual plant.

At this point, many may be surprised, because it is believed that millet grass (Pogonatherum paniceum) is a houseplant; it is often even called “indoor bamboo” or “indoor reed”. But in fact it is a grass, it belongs to the Poa family and is used for planting in tubs and large containers. In the summer, it is quite possible to decorate the garden with pots of pogonaterum, and in warmer areas they can be left to overwinter in the ground.

In our latitudes, it can be cultivated in the south of Russia, although the summer of 2014 was hot in the middle zone. At this temperature, pogonaterum feels good not only during the day, but also at night.

One of the varieties of setaria (Setaria italica) is the well-known chumiza, which is grown in some regions as forage plant. But not everyone knows that it is also very decorative. Chumiza has large yellowish or green drooping panicles, which look great in an ensemble of plants and solo.

The second variety of setaria is known to us as mogar, or bristleweed; it has smaller brownish panicles that grow straight.

Setaria bushes are large, sometimes even taller than 1 m. This ornamental grass loves warmth and fertile soils. It is resistant to drought, but loves watering just as much as sun and fertility. The plant has gained the love of designers of dry bouquets, as it dries perfectly and does not crumble. And when cut with other plants it will look no less original.

Maned barley

Maned barley (Hordeum jubatum) is said to be stately and playful. In my opinion, it is more than self-sufficient in the world of not only cereals, but also many ornamental plants. It is a perennial, but more often it is cultivated as an annual because of its ability to freeze in winter. This ornamental grass forms dense bushes up to 50 cm in height with a scattering of shoots, on which there are spikelets of inflorescences with very long awns.

During flowering, the awns are pink-violet, and when they dry out, they turn white. Under good conditions, maned barley will not only not freeze, but will also produce excellent self-sowing.

Pennisetum bristles forms bushes up to 1.5 m, depending on the subspecies. On long stems there are bright inflorescences reminiscent of fireworks.This plant is very impressive in combination with evergreen spruce or pine trees.

Another beauty from the Pennisetum family is Pennisetum glaucosa, also known as American pinnate bristle, or pearl millet. The decorative appearance has a straight, dense panicle and leaves of a brownish-violet or bluish color. African millet is heat-loving, but tolerates low temperatures well. Can be used both in mixborders and in group plantings.It is very beautiful when cut, and the dried plant retains its shape and color perfectly.

This cute grass truly lives up to its name: its small fluffy inflorescences really look like a bunny's tail. The haretail, also known as Lagurus ovatus, can reach a height of just over 50 cm, the spike-shaped inflorescences themselves are about 3-4 cm long.

We love it by many gardeners not only for its elegance, but also for its high decorative qualities in dry compositions. This plant can grow in partial shade, which makes it possible to plant it in places where other ornamental grasses cannot grow.

This very original annual cereal has inflorescences in the form of an unusual dark brown loose spike with round grains. The leaves of sorghum are wide, dark green, their layout also gives the plant some unusualness.

Used both in group plantings and individually, as a background and for spectacular winter compositions. Sorghum tolerates cold well and is not demanding on the soil.

Viviparous sheep (Helictotrichon sempervirens) is often confused with blue fescue. The color and somewhat similar shape are confusing, but the tussocks of the sheep are much taller and more spreading. TThis grass not only perfectly frames flower beds, but also goes well with all kinds of stones.

Hasmantium latifolia

Chasmanthium latifolium, or wild oats, or flat grass, despite its apparent simplicity, looks very original with many plants and in single plantings. The inflorescences and spikelets of this cereal are flattened and located in the same plane. They hang from the stem like strange forged earrings.

With good humidity and sufficient quantity sunlight grows about 1.2 m in height. It begins to bloom in the fall, in September - October.

The brightness of this cereal will not leave even the most picky gardener indifferent. The leaves of Imperata cylindrica are thin, with bright red tips. By autumn it reaches the peak of its decorativeness and is completely painted in crimson tones.

The most decorative species of the genus, has long been cultivated in Western Europe as a border or lawn plant, but is especially suitable for dry bouquets. Reaches its greatest decorative effect in full sun.

Winter annual, usually highly branched from the base, 20-60 cm tall.

Zoysia thin-leaved(Zoisia tenuifolia)

Perennial, but in Russia often dying off in winter, plants 5-20 cm tall, with creeping and rooting above-ground shoots at the nodes, bearing very numerous leaves with very narrow, lengthwise folded plates.

Cultivated in the USA and in many other countries as a lawn plant. It usually does not bloom in Russia.A promising ornamental plant for the south of Russia.

Zubrowka southern (Hierochloe australis (Swartz))

A plant with beautiful silver panicles and a pleasant smell due to the presence of coumarin. Worth growing for dry bouquets in temperate zones. Prefers light sandy and sandy loam soils.

Plants are 20-50 cm tall, forming loose turf, with short creeping rhizomes.

Forest shortleg(Brachypodium sylvaticum)

It grows in height from 40 to 180 cm, depending on the shape. Forms turf. The stems are straight, shaggy at the nodes, the leaves are dark green, dense, flat. The inflorescence is spike-shaped, 7-15 cm long. Grows in shady places. Used as ground cover plant in landscape compositions. Propagated by seeds.

It is a perennial, but in our country it is grown as an annual ornamental grass.Forms a compact bush 50–60 cm high.

The ideal location for this plant is sunny, fertile and well-drained soil. The beaded plant looks best in group plantings or as a border plant.

Ornamental grasses can be selected to suit every taste, for gardens of any style and for any location. Playing with different heights, different inflorescences and shades encourages new ideas for garden design. Cushion-shaped, overhanging or growing herbs - if desired, you can find the required type and variety of any shape. Ornamental grasses are surprisingly hardy plants and easy to care for. They grow well even in environments where other plants simply cannot exist due to harsh conditions.

Ornamental grasses have an amazing ability to fit into any landscape. With their help you can create original and very expressive garden compositions even on poor soils. In terms of attractiveness, such plants are not inferior to many flower crops, and are often the main decoration of a garden or local area. In order to independently create a spectacular grass flower bed on your site, you should learn more about the types, growing conditions and rules for combining ornamental grasses and grains.

Ornamental grasses and grasses

in landscape design

TO ornamental grasses usually referred to cereals and sedges . They began to be used in gardening from the middle of the last century. These plants are widespread in all climatic zones, from tundras to deserts. They can be found in forests, steppes and mountainous areas, in meadows, along the banks of reservoirs, on sea dunes and other places. More and more often in our gardens you can find ornamental grasses . Many of them have beautiful narrow leaves, sometimes brightly colored, graceful stems and inflorescences. These plants are especially beautiful during flowering.
Planted among ornamental plants in flower beds, they will create a feeling of movement and airiness, emphasize and complement their beauty, and add harmony to any mixborder. Some grasses can be used to decorate the edge of a flower bed (for example, turfgrass). In addition, cereals form the basis of lawns.

The use of ornamental cereals and herbs

in landscape design

Ornamental grasses They are used not only in various flower beds, but they can be used to create independent groups and arrays. Some grains can be used as tapeworms. They are also indispensable in alpine hills and rocky gardens (rockeries). Besides this, ornamental grasses widely in demand in shady and water gardens. The clumps of cereals near the water look especially picturesque. Thickets of sugar-flowered miscanthus, manna, reeds, cattails, sedges, etc. enliven the banks and shallow waters of ponds, giving them a natural look. Low grasses can be placed in the foreground of the flower garden (gray fescue, foxtail, sesleria, ozhika, etc.).

In rock gardens

Ornamental grasses are used everywhere. Sun-loving, compact, drought-resistant grasses fit best into an alpine hill. These are graceful betulua, soft buharina Variegatus, blue keleria, alpine foxtail, Gautier Peak Carlite fescue, Snowline canic sedge, ciliated pearl barley, Silver Needles dog bentgrass. The rocky garden will be the highlight of the area with cereals as a landscaping agent. They are planted both at the foot and on the slopes of the rock garden, depending on the chosen variety.
In the rock garden

Cereals add a touch of lightness and provide additional volume in winter. Effectively complementing the stones, grasses do not distract from them, but only soften transitions and accents. If the gardener wishes, cereals can add height to a rocky flower bed, making it more majestic and noticeable. The viviparous sheep, thanks to its spreading nature and green-blue tint, frames the stones in an original way and resembles an extension of coniferous bushes. And although the rocky flowerbed does not like bright colors, empress cylindrical is often planted for contrast and to add brightness.

In collective plantings
Ornamental grasses are good because they are not afraid of weather vagaries. They do not bend due to precipitation and gusts of wind. Herbs have many faces and can be planted in any layer. It all depends on the type of plant. Miscanthus, boron, fargesia, brassica, molinia and switchgrass fill the lower tier of the composition. They are the tallest. Turf pike, meadow grass and pearl barley, due to their average growth among cereals, are planted in the middle layer of a large mixborder and the last tier of a compact one. The first step of the composition is usually decorated with low cushion-shaped grasses: maned barley, haretail, sesleria and sedge.
Grasses make excellent border decorations. Even under the snow they look beautiful and elegant. Lush panicles of reed grass or perietochaete decorate and zone the area. Miniature types of herbs that grow slowly are suitable. For hedges, on the contrary, they use aggressive species that quickly fill all the available space. Decorative millet, along with yarrow, roses and catnip, is ideal for a living garden border in a sunny area.

Combination with other plants

Meadow grass need space, you should carefully choose neighbors for them. By limiting cereals, you may not see their decorative value in full force, while aggressive species deprive many plants of the opportunity to exist nearby. Cereals look harmonious in combination with conifers. Therefore, they are frequent neighbors in rock gardens and alpine hills. Pennisetum bristles is compatible with pine and spruce trees.
Verbena, crooked bread, meadowsweet, helenium, phlox are ideal partners for a harmonious colorful composition. Autumn mixborder - red-leaved cylindrical imperata, copper-red switchgrass and plants with bright yellow inflorescences. Viviparous sheep, blue fescue and flowers of all shades of red will not leave anyone indifferent. This successful combination is well planted near the walls of a house or in the shade of trees.
Orange helenium and yellow rudbeckia combine wonderfully against the background of reed grass. This beautiful drawstring prevents the colors from mixing and losing their sharpness. Smoothed oregano is combined with pink panicles of oriental pinnate. This mixborder looks fresh and romantic. Decorative red poppies look amazing next to the beautiful feather grass. Silvery awns envelop the flowers like precious threads.

Features of cultivation and reproduction

ornamental cereals and herbs

Currently, these plants are increasingly included in flower beds of various styles. It is impossible, for example, to do without using ornamental grasses when creating a natural natural style. However, it must be borne in mind that some of them grow quickly and often suppress the growth of neighboring plants. Therefore, the area occupied by plants of each type must be strictly limited by digging strips of durable plastic or metal into the ground to a depth of at least 40-50 cm, or planting these crops in a separate large pot (container).
Grasses and sedges belong to monocotyledonous plants. Outwardly they are similar, but upon closer examination it is easy to notice differences between them. Thus, the stems of sedges are triangular, less often more or less cylindrical, not hollow (like those of cereals), but filled with a pith. In addition, the stems of sedges do not have thickenings at the nodes, but they are visible in cereals. The leaves of sedge are alternate, three-rowed, most often attached to the lower part of the stem. In most sedges, the leaf blades have very rough, sharp edges due to the presence of small teeth. Most types of sedges grow in areas of excess moisture.
Reproduction cereals and sedges dividing the bush, cuttings and seeds. Plants are usually divided in the spring when roots begin to grow or in the summer after flowering. The leaves of the divisions are shortened and planted in light, well-drained soil, in partial shade. Water the plants regularly until they are completely rooted.
Cuttings are used for tall species (for example, grasshopper, miscanthus, canarygrass). Cuttings are taken in the spring. For good rooting, cuttings 6-10 cm long are planted in a greenhouse or cold greenhouse in a light loose soil. After rooting, the plants are accustomed to the open sun, and a year later (in spring) the plants are planted in a permanent place.
If the area is not flooded with water in the spring, the seeds can be sown before winter. Cereals can be sown as early as late April - early May, when night temperatures are low. This natural stratification is useful for those plants in which active growth begins early in the spring. The soil above the crops must be compacted, watered and mulched with humus. It is important that the seeds are in moist soil (they will not germinate in dry soil).
Shoots appear in 5-14 days. Many species reproduce well by self-sowing, for example, average shaker, maned barley, etc.
The large species diversity of grasses and sedges allows you to select the types of these plants for different soils: poor dry sandy or more fertile and moist.
Dry areas are necessary for plants of the steppes and southern mountains, which prefer well-drained soils with increased content lime and sand.
In recent years, breeders have created new varieties and forms of cereals and sedges, differing in height, color of leaves and inflorescences.

Species and varietal diversity

ornamental cereals and herbs

Cereals, like flowers, are divided into annual and perennial, heat-loving and frost-resistant, and differ in height and growth rate. Most of these plants have small and inconspicuous flowers, and are valued for the color and shape of the leaves. The decorative effect is fully manifested after the clump grows or when a certain area is sowed with cereals, but single plants cannot always boast of such attractiveness.

Low-growing cereals

To the short ones cereals include plants with a height of 15 to 40 cm. These cereals are indispensable in the design of borders, framing garden paths, and look great in carpet flower beds. Most often they are planted in rocky gardens, rock gardens and rockeries, creating an imitation of natural corners.

Representatives of low-growing grasses, often found in landscape design:

winding meadow,
bulbous ryegrass,
celleria gray,
fescue,
ovate haretail,
golden lamarckia, etc.

Medium-sized cereals

Medium-sized cereals include plants with a height of 40 to 90 cm. Representatives of this group are very impressive in group plantings, and are most often used to create multi-tiered flower beds:

hairy feather grass,
Muhlenbergia hairy,
phalaris canariensis,
maned barley,
cirruschaete,
Imperata cylindrical, etc.

Graceful stems with bright panicles or spikelets give the effect of continuous flowering in mixborders; they also look good when planted in separate groups in the garden.

Tall cereals

Cereals are considered tall, reaching a height of 90 cm. They are usually used in multi-level flower beds as a background. In addition, plants planted in a row can serve as a screen or screen, hiding cozy corners in the garden from prying eyes.

The most popular representatives of tall cereals:

acute-flowered reed grass,
broadleaf flatgrass,
tall pearl barley,
cortaderia,
miscanthus, etc.

When decorating your garden with ornamental grasses, you need to know that they can be cold-growing and warm-growing.

Cold growingcereal herbs

In cold-growing cereals, during active growth begins in the spring, they grow quickly and slow down with the onset of hot weather; the second period of their growth is observed in the fall.

Cold-resistant herbs growing at temperatures of 15...24 ° C include:

Spreading boron

Spreading boron (Milium effusum)
Can be used for planting in shady gardens to create a background in combination with other perennial flowering plants. Prefers shaded areas and moist soil. The seeds are suitable for human consumption.

Veynik

Short-haired reed grass (Calamagrostis brachytricha).
Nicknamed foxtail, it is an exclusively ornamental cereal plant up to 1.5 m in height. Tolerates frost well.

Cocksfoot

Cocksfoot.
Hedgehog is a perennial grass more than 1 m high. The rhizome is creeping, thickened. Numerous stems form a loose bush. The basal leaves are numerous, broadly linear, alternate. The inflorescence is a compressed one-sided panicle. The number of flowers in spikelets depends on the type of plant. The fruit is a grain.
There are from 5 to 10 closely related species of hedgehogs. One species is widely used in landscape design - the hedgehog.

Meadow foxtail

Meadow foxtail.
The Foxtail genus includes more than 70 species of plants that are distributed throughout the world, except in tropical zones. There are 18 representatives found on the territory of our country, one of them is used in landscape design for arranging green and smooth lawns. Meadow foxtail is also used in single plantings. To form decorative hummocks, variegated forms are chosen. The most common variety in cultivation is Aureovariegatus (or Aureus). It is distinguished by erect, and by autumn slightly drooping leaves of a golden hue with bright green stripes. In cultivation, it is stable, non-aggressive, reaches a height of 30 cm, peduncles - 50-100 cm. Regardless of whether you cut or leave the spikelets, the bush will turn green in the shade, but in the sun it will remain yellowish in color.

Mannik big

Mannik is big.
Large manna is an interesting cereal plant. It grows well both in the sun and in the shade, in water and on land. Very unpretentious and perfectly suited for our goal - to create a garden without hassle. In flower beds it can be combined with almost all perennials and shrubs. Manna looks great planted in a garden pot. Also good among stones. Its only drawback is its rapid growth and capture of new territories, which can be easily eliminated if, when planting, you limit the area allocated to it in the flower garden to a depth of 20-25 cm.

Fescue

Blue fescue.
One of the very decorative cereals that involuntarily attracts the eye with its airiness. The leaves are bluish in color, narrow, hard, 35-40 cm, form a hemispherical dense bush already in the second year after sowing the seeds.
It is effective in a rocky garden, in rock gardens, rock gardens, as a border plant, it can serve as an addition to conifers in single plantings, repeating groups, while it is a completely independent plant that will not get bored even in single plantings.
Blue fescue is unpretentious and frost-resistant. It can be transplanted to
throughout the entire growing season. After flowering, it is recommended to remove the flower stalks and comb out the bush with a three-horn hoe.
It is a perennial, sown with seeds in spring or before winter. It feels calm without shelter, grows very strongly and quickly, so once every 2 years blue fescue turf should be divided to renew the plant.

Sedge

Decorative sedge
Decorative sedges (Sagekh) are remarkable for their plasticity. They adapt perfectly to different conditions and feel comfortable in almost all gardens: they grow in the sun (you just need to remember about watering) and in the shade, both in dry and damp areas. There are variegated and yellow-leaved forms of sedges. ...

Ozhika forest

Ozhika forest.
A beautiful forest loose turf plant with shiny, rather wide leaves and loose panicles of light brown flowers. It has interesting golden and variegated varieties, which, however, are often more heat-loving.

Spreading rosemary

Spreading rosemary.
Rusticum is spreading, spreading - short-rhizomatous, green perennial, with cylindrical stems 30 - 120 cm in height.
The inflorescence of the rush is paniculate, with crowded unequal spikelets - twigs.
One of the most unusual and decorative varieties is Juncus effusus ‘Spiralis’ (Juncus effusus ‘Spiralis’) - a plant up to 50 cm tall, with pure green stems twisted into a skein.
Rush grass and its varieties are planted in a sunny place - directly on the shore of a reservoir, or in containers.
Rushes are undemanding when it comes to soil.
The planting depth of the rush plant is 5 - 10 cm below the water level, the divergent rush plant is planted to a depth of 10 - 20 cm.
In the conditions of the Moscow region, rush plants grow without problems, but they do not grow as quickly as in warmer climates.
In the conditions of central Russia, rush shoots die off in winter, so the plants need pruning in the spring.
Species rushes grow relatively slowly, but they sow well, so you will have to track the ripening seeds and cut them off in advance. Juncus effusus ‘Spiralis’ (Juncus effusus ‘Spiralis’) can freeze in very harsh winters and needs shelter.
Rustic bushes are perfect for landscaping ponds of any style, both natural and regular.
Rushes look very beautiful next to broad-leaved plants - whitefly, marigold, as well as water lily leaves floating on the surface of the reservoir. Rustic varieties with spirally twisted shoots look especially picturesque.

Medium shaker

The shaking is average.
Shaker (lat. Briza) or briza is a genus of herbaceous plants of the Poaceae family (lat. Poaceae). The Latin name of the genus is found in the works of the ancient Roman physician Galen. This plant is also popularly known as “cuckoo’s tears.” It is called a shaker because of the unusual inflorescence, which consists of “droplets” on thin stems, so even with the slightest breeze they sway (shake) charmingly. Briza is often used for decorative purposes and as a forage plant.
Medium shaker (B. media) is a perennial herbaceous plant, usually reaches 30-50 cm in height. The leaves are rich green linear, no more than 8 mm wide, up to 20 cm long. Paniculate inflorescence up to 12 cm long consists of green ovoid spikelets with pinkish-purple tint of scales on long thin branches. The species includes several decorative varieties, differing in the size and color of the spikelets.

Soddy pike

The pike is turfy.
This plant is also called turfgrass - lat. Deschampsia cespitosa, belongs to the perennial herbaceous plants of the Meadows genus, the Poaceae or Poataceae family. The name of this herbaceous representative says a lot about itself. It is called turfy because during the growth process it forms dense turf and hummocks.
Meadow is one of the most decorative crops. She is not a rare visitor to our latitudes. Its dark green leaves look like a small hummock about thirty centimeters. Somewhere in the month of July, at the peak of their flowering, panicles can reach up to one and a half meters. The flowering period is very short. The plant is unpretentious and not capricious; it develops under any conditions, but does not tolerate heat and dry places. Although it blooms better in sunlight, it nevertheless requires plenty of moisture.

Maned barley

Barley is maned.
Maned barley (Hordeum jubatum) is said to be stately and playful. In my opinion, it is more than self-sufficient in the world of not only cereals, but also many ornamental plants. It is a perennial, but more often it is cultivated as an annual because of its ability to freeze in winter. This ornamental grass forms dense bushes up to 50 cm in height with a scattering of shoots, on which there are spikelets of inflorescences with very long awns.
During flowering, the awns are pink-violet, and when they dry out, they turn white. Under good conditions, maned barley will not only not freeze, but will also produce excellent self-sowing.

Warm-growing cereal grasses

Warm-growing cereal grasses do not begin to grow until the soil warms up properly. The optimal temperature for their growth is from 26 to 35 ° C. These herbs grow slowly at first, then quickly and bloom in mid to late summer. Many of these grasses (miscanthus, molinia, millet, etc.) retain their decorative properties throughout the fall.
Almost all cereals are light-loving, drought-resistant and not too demanding on soil. You can prune cereals in autumn or spring.

Warm-growing herbs growing at temperatures of 26...35 °C include:

Miscanthus

Surely many owners of land plots strive to plant some beautiful plants that can please the eye for a long period. One such plant is Miscanthus. The Miscanthus plant itself, or as it is also called Fantail, is considered one of the closest relatives of sugar cane. It belongs to the Bluegrass family, which is popular in tropical areas of Asia. In total there are about 40 varieties of this plant.

Molinia

Molinia has recently begun to be used in Russian garden design, although it has undoubted advantages: a beautiful bush shape, graceful inflorescences, cold resistance and unpretentiousness.

Rogoz

Small cattail.
Cattails in landscape design are used to create artificial ponds in landscape or English style. A perennial planted directly into the soil helps strengthen the banks. In the shallow water zone, its neighbors can be calamus, irises, reeds, swampweed, lobelia, sedge
The crop is best planted in late spring, when the water becomes warmer and the perennial has ideal conditions for intensive development. The cuttings are planted in containers that are placed in shallow water.
Before planting seedlings, it is necessary to prepare appropriate soil. A suitable substrate is a mixture of clay, sand and gravel; you can add a little compost or peat. Poor soil is also sufficient for normal growth if you change the substrate in the container every 2 years.
After planting the plant, the top of the soil should be covered with a layer of gravel to prevent the soil from being washed away. Every two to three years it is necessary to divide the perennial to maintain normal development and lushness of the bushes. Division is carried out at the turn of April and May.

Switchgrass

Switchgrass millet.
Switchgrass millet is an unusual and creative design solution for decorating a garden plot. This is the most unpretentious plant of all that decorate the territory. Growing cereal is easy. It is enough to understand some features and you can start decorating the garden.
Switchgrass loves warm, sunny places. It is not picky about the soil. Some species with a blue tint can tolerate partial shade. Millet tolerates moisture, drought and even waterlogging well. Therefore, you can grow a decorative bush anywhere. Millet in a sunny place Millet in a sunny place The plant is placed in the background of flower beds or as a hedge, separating areas with vegetables from decorative elements. When thinking about the location of millet, consider the plant’s ability to self-sow. That is, it forms a small shoot, choose a place with “reserve”. Switchgrass begins to develop late - late May, early June. Blooms in August, September. Therefore, it is better to choose remote areas so that during the growing season of other crops, still dry millet stems are not visible. Regarding climatic conditions- they can be anything. The plant will grow in any weather, it is unpretentious, tolerates frost, drought, and heavy rains. It is advisable to plant seeds in May, when the ground has warmed up sufficiently.

Spartina comb

Spartina comb.
Spartina is an excellent ornamental perennial grass. The grass develops a powerful curl and is decorated with cascading leaves, forming a fountain bush. The length of the leaves reaches 2 meters. The plant loves bright places and moist, dense soils. To limit growth, install plastic or metal tape. The plant is propagated by seeds or by dividing the bush. It blooms with narrow brownish panicle inflorescences in August. After this, it bears fruit - seeds. Spartina is magnificent for its twists, which look great near ponds and in lawns.
Spartina is a completely unpretentious plant. It is winter-hardy and tolerates severe waterlogging well. Resistant to diseases and pests. A very profitable plant.

Southern reed

Southern reed.
Southern reed is also known as common reed. This rhizomatous plant is one of the crops of the family called Poagrass.
Southern reed is endowed with a rather tall stem, the height of which can reach five meters. This stem contains many nodes, the rhizome is very branched, and the leaves will be lanceolate-linear. The width of such leaves varies between five and twenty-five millimeters. The panicle of this plant is quite large, and the length is about thirty centimeters; the length of the spikelets will be approximately six to seventeen millimeters.
The spikelets of southern reed are dark purple in color and consist of three to seven flowers. The glumes are lanceolate, with the length of the upper glume being about three to nine millimeters, and the lower one not exceeding five millimeters. The lower flowering scale of the southern reed is leathery-membranous and equipped with an awl-shaped point. The length of such a tip can exceed the length of the scales of this plant itself.
Flowering of this plant begins in July and ends in August, while the fruits ripen around August-September. It is noteworthy that flowering and fruiting do not occur every year. About fifty to one hundred thousand grains are formed in one inflorescence. Growth will require a temperature of about twenty degrees, but the plant will begin to grow at temperatures as low as ten degrees. It is noteworthy that the viability of southern reed seeds will remain for one year.

Description of the most popular ornamental cereals

Miscanthus

Today it is believed that Miscanthus is most suitable for landscape design, which is used to decorate various ponds, lawns and other floral compositions.

One of the most popular ornamental cereals can be considered miscanthus, numbering more than a hundred varieties. These plants are most often tall, with narrow, hard leaves of various colors. The panicles of the inflorescences are small and of various colors (from white and pink to brown and burgundy, depending on the variety). Root system in miscanthus it is powerful and deep.
Miscanthus love open sunny places, protected from cold winds. It prefers loose, fertile, loamy, moist soils, but grows well in any nutritious and moist soil. However, they cannot tolerate excessive moisture. Shoots begin to grow slowly in mid-May. Miscanthus can be grown in groups or as individual plants, in mixborders, rock gardens, or on the banks of a pond.
Miscanthus is propagated by carefully dividing the bush in the spring, when shoots begin to grow. There should be several such shoots in the division.
When grown from seeds, plants become decorative after 3-4 years. Seedlings are grown in pots to avoid damage to the root system. Without transplantation, miscanthus grow in one place for many years.

Miscanthus chinensis

Miscanthus chinensis Zebrinus. A very impressive bright specimen. Overwinters with little root cover. For winter, the trunks must be compressed and tied into a sheaf. The foliage is bright green with transverse creamy yellow stripes. The bush has luxurious foliage of medium hardness - it looks very beautiful: the lower ones are slightly bent and imposingly bend towards the ground, and the rest create the effect of a vase. Panicle inflorescences appear at the end of summer and do not even always ripen. They can be used for cutting and arranging dry bouquets. Plant height up to 1.7 meters. Watering is moderate. Almost any planting location, but in shady places loss of variegation is possible.

Miscanthus chinensis is most often grown in cultivation.. This plant, originally from Southeast Asia, forms a dense bush 1.5-2 m high. The leaves are arched with a white central vein and turn yellow-brown and burgundy in autumn. In August–September, paniculate inflorescences are formed. The panicles at the beginning of flowering are red-brown or pink, up to 30 cm long, and when the seeds ripen they are silvery-white.
For winter, mulching and dry shelter are required.

Miscanthus sugarflower

Miscanthus sugarflower is a fairly tall plant, up to 200 cm tall. Long silky leaves up to 60 cm long. The inflorescence is large, up to 25 cm, white or silver with a pinkish tint, on a high peduncle. The inflorescences are as lush as cotton candy. Flowering begins in July. Despite the fact that the plant wakes up relatively late in the spring, it then grows quickly and blooms very impressively. Miscanthus sugarflower remains decorative until late autumn and even in winter. This type of miscanthus is unpretentious and grows on any soil, including clean sand and heavy loam. It will feel great even in damp areas. The main thing to choose for planting is open sunny place. The plant is winter-hardy and does not need shelter.

Another species is Miscanthus sugarflower, found naturally in the Far East, forms clumps of strong shoots up to 2 m high. The leaves are arched, long (up to 60 cm), hard, narrow, green with a white central vein. Blooms in mid-summer. The panicles are white up to 25 cm long. For the winter, it is advisable to mulch the soil around the bush and cover it with coniferous spruce branches. It should be noted that this type of miscanthus forms powerful underground shoots and grows quickly. Therefore, its area must be limited or the plant must be grown in a container.

Another grass, molinia, has a beautiful bush shape.

Blue molinia thicket and reed molinia thicket are grown in the gardens.

Blue molinia

Blue molinia. This cereal is effective in evening light, when it is slightly illuminated by the sun. It is necessary that 2 seasons pass until the plant matures, and then over the next years this charming plant will not need care.

Blue molinia forms a dense bush of leaves 3-10 mm wide, 40 cm to 1 m high. Blooms in late summer and autumn. The color of the inflorescences and panicles is bluish-violet, and when the seeds ripen (August–September) they are yellow. During flowering the plant is very beautiful.

Molinia reed

Reed molinia is a plant up to 1.1 m tall. The leaves are linear, narrow, and yellow in autumn. Blooms from July to October with brown panicles.

Molinia reed– forms a larger bush, 1.5-2 m high, with wider leaves than blue m.; in autumn the leaves turn yellow. Blooms in August – September. The bushes grow slowly at first and become very decorative only after 3-4 years.
Molinia prefer moist, even waterlogged soils. They grow well in any soil - from acidic to alkaline, in sunny and semi-shaded places. In hot and dry weather they need watering. In autumn, dried flower stalks must be trimmed.
Molinias are propagated by dividing the bush in the spring or by seeds. Plants are used for shady gardens, mixborders, in rocky gardens, near trees, shrubs, and along the banks of a reservoir. Lightning plants look beautiful in single plantings, surrounded by low-growing or ground cover plants.

Fescue

Various fescue trees are very beautiful in the garden.

Gray fescue

Gray fescue is a decoration for any corner of the dacha.
A low ornamental grass with narrow, bluish-gray leaves.
Forms a lush bush up to 60 cm high.
The inflorescences are gray-green, in soft panicles on a straight stem, turning light brown after flowering.
Flowering in June–July.
It is widely used in landscape design.

So, for example, suitable for a rocky garden gray fescue, which grows in the form of a semicircular bush about 30 cm high. It has very narrow linear grayish (gray-gray) leaves, with strong shading they become gray-green. Grows well in a sunny, open, warm place. Does not tolerate too wet soil.

paniculata

Paniculata fescue is a low perennial plant (10-15 cm tall including spikelets). It has light green graceful leaves 5-8 cm high. It blooms in June, the seeds are ready in July. Over time, it forms large cushion-shaped thickets. Ideal for rockeries.

Another view - paniculata grows in the shape of a pillow up to 20 cm high. The leaves are needle-shaped, prickly, bright green. It blooms in mid-summer, forms numerous panicles 35-40 cm high. Grows well in sunny places and in partial shade, on loose, well-drained, poor, dry soils.
These fescue trees can be grown in rock gardens and rock gardens, in flower beds and in containers. Fescue trees are propagated by seeds and by dividing the bush. You should know that during hot, rainy summers, cold-growing plants stop growing.

Greater manna, or Glyceria

Manna is large: plants are 1 - 2 m tall, with long creeping rhizomes. The stems are erect, rather thick. Leaf blades are up to 1.5 cm wide, flat. Panicles 15 - 40 cm long, more or less spreading. Blooms in summer. Forms thickets.

Greater manna, or Glyceria V natural conditions forms dense thickets along the banks of reservoirs. The height of its stems reaches 2 m. The leaves are long, green, gracefully curved. It blooms in mid-summer, forming loose panicles. The culture uses variegated varieties and forms. Glyceria clumps are decorative from May, when new shoots grow, until late autumn. The plant is unpretentious, cold-resistant. Grows well in open areas, on various types of soil. In waterlogged areas and shallow waters it forms lush thickets. In drier areas it grows more slowly and the height of the shoots is much smaller.
In autumn or early spring, after new shoots grow, old dead shoots must be trimmed. In dry, hot weather, plants should be watered abundantly.
Manna can grow strongly, especially in waterlogged areas. When planting, it is better to limit the area of its growth in advance.
Manna plants are propagated by dividing bushes and seeds. Varietal and variegated forms are propagated only by dividing bushes or parts of rhizomes throughout the entire growing season.

Soddy pike

Pike or soddy meadow grass (lat. Deschampsia cespitosa) is a typical species of perennial herbaceous plants of the Meadows genus of the Poaceae family, forming hummocks or dense turfs. Numerous varieties are used in the landscape design of Kazan as ornamental garden plants.
Pike grows well in the sun and in the shade, although, of course, it blooms more profusely in a bright place.
Pike goes well with plants that have leaves and inflorescences of a different shape (astilbe, buzulniki, Rogersia, echinacea, hosta, daylilies). Compositions with lilies, Siberian and marsh irises are very impressive.
Many varieties of turf pike differ in the length of the leaves, the height of the peduncles and the different shades of the spikelets.

Soddy pike– a cold-growing plant that begins to grow very early. Its homeland is the wet and swampy meadows of Eurasia and North America.
This perennial forms dense clumps consisting of thin long dark green leaves 30-60 cm high. Lush inflorescences and panicles appear in late June - early July. Subsequently, the panicles change color from green to golden straw. Peduncles reach a height of 0.8-1.2 m. It grows on any soil in the sun and in the shade, but blooms more profusely in illuminated places. It has many decorative varieties, differing in the height of the stems, the length of the leaves and the shades of the inflorescences.
Propagated by sowing seeds and dividing bushes in spring and autumn. All varieties self-sow.
All pike are unpretentious and long-lived plants; they grow well in the most different soils, but prefer wet ones, under different lighting conditions.
Pike are used in single and group plantings on the lawn and in rocky gardens. They go well with astilbes, buzulniks, rogersias, and look impressive among Siberian irises.
In addition to the species described, the range of cereals for planting in the garden is quite large. Experts advise choosing herbs that match the area where the garden is located. It is necessary to know the origin of the chosen herb and its growing conditions in its homeland. All grains go well with stones and are an important element of Japanese and Chinese gardens. Most cereals are sun-loving, but there are also shade-tolerant ones: soddy pike, drooping pearl barley, spreading boron. These species naturally grow in forests. Maned barley is very beautiful in the garden, which was written about several times in our newspaper

Video: Garden compositions with decorative cereals

It turns out that beautiful garden compositions are obtained with ornamental grasses. It would seem like cereals. But summer residents like to experiment on their site, and decorate the site with ornamental grasses. They are also good because garden compositions with them turn out to be unique, and they seem to create a complete image. That’s why many summer residents decorate their flower beds and flower beds with ornamental cereals.
They look complete, elegant, unique. Country Design

Video: All about garden cereals

Grains are easy to grow and make a great addition to your garden landscaping. Dacha TV will introduce you to the most beautiful gardens in the world. There are a lot of ideas here that you can implement in your own garden or summer cottage. The stories also contain practical advice on how to fight pests, plant plants correctly, prune trees and many others. Dacha TV

Materials used:

— Weekly newspaper “GARDENER” No. 15, 2012, author: A. Grinthal, Ph.D. biol. Sci.

The fashion for cereals arose in Europe and America about 40 years ago. Landscape designers began to use them everywhere to create so-called “naturgadens”. At first these were wild “natives”, and then – garden plants imitating them.

Natur gardens are simple, easy and natural. To create one, you don’t have to have a remarkable imagination and delicate taste, because nature itself can suggest ideas. One of the advantages of such a garden is its decorative value throughout the year. Many cereals are especially beautiful in late autumn, when, after the first frosts, small silvery droplets appear on the leaves and inflorescences. And even on harsh winter days, tall plants with a snow cushion on their spikelets are pleasing to the eye.

Most cereals are unpretentious and can grow in poor soils without requiring regular watering and fertilizing. Often they only need spring pruning of shoots.

Due to their unusual appearance, cereals combine well with many plants. They can be used almost everywhere - in rock gardens, near a pond, and even in “front” flower beds. Although there is an opinion that it is better not to plant cereals next to such spectacular flowers as cannas, roses, and begonias, such compositions look very harmonious and unusual.

The range of herbs from the cereal family is unusually wide. The color of the leaves is also varied - from various shades of green to yellow, brown and even dove-blue. In addition, there are variegated varieties, the green leaves of which are painted in white, yellow, cream, burgundy stripes and spots.

Perhaps the most undemanding herb is sesleria blue. This evergreen perennial is well able to survive snowless winters and frosts down to -30 ° C. Sesleria feels good both in open sunny places and in the shade. Such a lawn will be a delight for the eyes even in “bald” winters with little snow.

Popular in ornamental gardens: “tall, unbending, early growing and early flowering” reed grass. The cereal also overwinters well and tolerates heat. However, there are heat-loving species that are not recommended to be grown in Russia: Calamagrostis foliosa, Calamagrostis nutkaensis, Calamagrostis ophitidus. Caring for the plant is simple: you need to control the growth of the turf and cut off the hard above-ground part in the fall: it does not have time to rot over the winter. Reed grasses are aggressors, so when planting, the area of their growth is limited.

It is good to plant in dry areas of the garden. elymus sandy (wlossnets, wheatgrass). The narrow bluish-gray leaves of the plant reach a meter in height. Elimus is also growing rapidly, going beyond its allotted boundaries. Participants advise planting this cereal in a bottomless container dug into the ground.

If you don’t have the opportunity to water your garden often, another drought-resistant cereal will help you out - gray fescue. The plant forms a compact bluish tussock and looks good in rockeries, next to sedums, carnations, and hosts. The cereal overwinters without shelter. Every 2-3 years, a fescue clump needs to be divided. Forum members recommend planting the plant directly in the ground, through seeds, and not seedlings (it needs a lot of light).

Worth your attention and soddy pike (meadow pike). The perennial grass, up to one and a half meters high, blooms in June-July with golden-yellow spikelets. The leaves remain decorative in winter. The plant is good to plant next to astilbe and irises. The grass looks impressive against the background of shrubs, various types of mulch (gravel, bark, pine nut shells), next to broad-leaved plants. Forum member Skisa notes that the plant has a problem - by the end of the season it is affected by rust, but varietal plants are not susceptible to this:

- If you need 3-5 bushes for design, it is better to buy a variety. If you are planting a large tract, then dig it up and once a season, for prevention, treat it against rust.

Haretail, or lagurus– an unpretentious annual grass up to 20 cm high, with inflorescences in the form of fluffy tails. The plant grows well in sunny areas, in rock gardens. This grass is often used to frame flower beds and garden beds. It looks good in front of roses and other shrubs.

Setaria (bristleweed, mice, mogar)- a tall plant (more than 1 m) with beautiful dense inflorescences with bristles similar to caterpillars. Setaria is an excellent material for dried flower arrangements. It is better to plant mice in a mixed border, on a rocky hill, near fences and outbuildings. In order for the cereal to bloom early, the seeds are sown for seedlings in April, and the seedlings must be thinned out.

Cereals such as feather grass, cortaderia, pennisetum(foxtail featherweed), emperor, pampas grass(cortaderia) - very impressive, but it is better not to plant them in our climate: they are whimsical and thermophilic. Some of them can be grown in containers that are brought indoors for the winter.

Instead of pampas grass in the middle zone, a forum member ssss-xxxx advises growing cereals that are not so demanding of heat - miscanthus. In good conditions it can grow up to 2 meters. The silvery or reddish-brown inflorescences of the plant are a wonderful addition to the garden, especially in winter. There are also variegated varieties of miscanthus, for example, “zebrina”.

You can’t talk about all the grains in one article. At your leisure, we advise you to take an interest in such spectacular herbs:

switchgrass– up to 2 meters in height, with wide panicles of pinkish or reddish color, grows on any soil;
maned barley– a very beautiful, flexible grass, goes well with other plants, with stones, driftwood, great in flower arrangements;
hakonekloya– this grass will give the garden a Japanese flavor; in our climate it feels best on slopes, forest areas, and near water bodies;
ryegrass (tall, bulbous)– a plant with white-striped leaves, reaches a meter in height, prefers sunny places, easily propagated by tubers;
high pearl barley (Siberian)– a cereal with very beautiful silvery inflorescences; a prerequisite for cultivation is good drainage; stagnation of water is detrimental to it;
molinia (blue, reed)– a real fountain with a height of 0.6 to 1.5 m, blooms in July-August with purple inflorescences, does not require shelter for the winter;
viviparous sheep– a cereal with leaves with a bluish tint, grows up to 2 meters; loves sunny places, fertile, well-drained soils; recommended neighbors: asters, sedum, catnip;
Transylvanian pearl barley– perennial up to a meter in height with beautiful burgundy panicles;
foxtail (alopecurus)– a plant no more than a meter high, used to create lawns in shaded areas;
drip seed- an aromatic grass, grows in one place for decades, forms a low (up to 40 cm) tussock, the inflorescences rise to a height of 80 cm, in the fall they acquire an orange-copper color.

Read more about cereals in. This video will tell you about the selection of plants for an ornamental garden. He will advise you on which cereals to plant to form a lawn and which ones you shouldn’t.

Ornamental grasses have an amazing ability to fit into any landscape. With their help you can create original and very expressive garden compositions even on poor soils. In terms of attractiveness, such plants are not inferior to many flower crops, and are often the main decoration of a garden or local area. In order to independently create a spectacular grass flower bed on your site, you should learn more about the types, growing conditions and rules for combining ornamental grasses and grains.

Low-growing plants include plants with a height of 15 to 40 cm. These grasses are indispensable in the design of borders, framing garden paths, and look great in carpet flower beds. Most often they are planted in rocky gardens, rock gardens and rockeries, creating an imitation of natural corners.

Medium-sized grasses include plants with a height of 40 to 90 cm. Representatives of this group are very impressive in group plantings, and are most often used to create multi-tiered flower beds. Graceful stems with bright panicles or spikelets give the effect of continuous flowering in mixborders; they also look good when planted in separate groups in the garden.

Tall grasses are considered to be those that reach a height of 90 cm. They are usually used in multi-level flower beds as a background. In addition, plants planted in a row can serve as a screen or screen, hiding cozy corners in the garden from prying eyes.

The most popular cereals for the garden

Type of cereals	Name	Brief description
short		A perennial lush bush with needle-like leaves and gray-green soft panicles-inflorescences. Coloration varies from silver and olive to blue. It is necessary to plant only in sunny places, otherwise the decorative effect of the plant is lost.
		The plant is perennial, forms a compact bush up to 30 cm tall. It has sharp long leaves of light green color with white longitudinal stripes.
		An annual frost-resistant plant distinguished by incredibly spectacular inflorescences. When growing, it forms small neat bushes. Sowed in early spring and autumn
		An annual cold-resistant grass with beautiful dense panicles. It is necessary to plant in open sunny places, since in the shade the plant loses its attractiveness
Medium height		An annual grass that forms dense bushes about half a meter high. Valued for its graceful spikelets with long awns, which have a pink-violet hue during flowering.
		A perennial grass whose thin spikelets are decorated with hair-like awns. When the feather grass grows, it looks like an iridescent silky carpet, silver or pinkish in color.
		A two-year heat-loving grass that requires shelter for the winter. Prized for its long fluffy spikelets, which can be white, pink or purple, depending on the variety
		Perennial grass with brightly colored leaves. Grows well in lighted places, near artificial reservoirs. Blooms rarely, throwing out white-silver panicles
Tall		A spectacular heat-loving perennial. They are planted in sunny areas and must be covered for the winter. Large lush panicle inflorescences of white, pink and light yellow colors give the plant a decorative appearance.
		A moisture-loving annual grass that forms a dense clump. Decorative thanks to flat hanging spikelets, which are green at the beginning of flowering and then acquire a rich bronze hue.
		A luxurious perennial that forms large clumps. The plant has many species, differing in the color and shape of the leaves. Inflorescences-spikelets can be white, pink, burgundy

Rules for planting cereals

Plant selection

To create a composition of cereals and herbs, everything must be calculated accurately. Cereals grow better in poor soils, so there is no need to fertilize the area before planting. The abundance of nutrients in the soil leads to excessive growth of clumps, the bushes no longer hold their shape and fall apart. This is especially true for tall cereals. Another important condition is good drainage. If water stagnates in the area, the roots of the plants will rot, which will certainly affect appearance and growth rate.

Soil moisture is of primary importance when choosing plant species. Moisture-loving cereals include:

They do not tolerate moisture well:

When choosing plants, be sure to study all the information about them. You should not buy seeds just because the cereal in the picture looks very beautiful. As you know, the decorativeness of leaves and inflorescences greatly depends on the location of the site and the composition of the soil. You need to focus on other criteria - height, ability to grow, resistance to cold and other negative influences. If you haven’t worked with grains and herbs before, first purchase 2-3 varieties of low-growing annuals that do not require special care.

Rules of composition

If you decide to create a flowerbed of cereal species, follow the basic rule: all plants in one area must have similar requirements for growing conditions. In addition, you should correctly combine plants according to color (which may change throughout the season), height and spreading of the bushes.

In a cereal bed, flashy decorative elements are not welcome; it is better to use several picturesque boulders or make a backfill of fine gravel. For multi-tiered flower beds and mixborders, low borders decorated with ceramic mosaics or natural stone are suitable. Cereals look very harmonious next to coniferous plants and rose bushes, go well with daylilies.

When planted near a gazebo, a high fence or the wall of a house, cereals can be combined with climbing plants that will act as a background. Wild grapes, hops, ivy and discreet vines of various types are best suited for this.

The size of the plot is of great importance. If the area is small, the presence of tall plants, planted in separate groups, will contribute to shading of the garden and further reduce the area. In a spacious garden, on the contrary, tall compositions of cereals are welcome, both in the form of flower beds and as tapeworms.

How to plant

First you need to prepare the place: the selected area is cleared of weeds and plant debris, and then dug deep. This can be done both in autumn and early spring. There is no need to apply humus or other fertilizers, since ornamental grasses and grains prefer poor soil.

Next, the ground is leveled and the area is given the desired shape. The next stage is marking. Here it is very important not to make a mistake with the size of the bush, because if you leave little space, a neat flowerbed will turn into dense thickets. The markings are made with sand, outlining a place for each plant, taking into account the width of an adult bush. After marking, you can plant seedlings of cereals or sow directly with seeds.

Most cereals tend to grow strongly, oppressing weaker plants in the neighborhood. To prevent this from happening, you should consider ways to curb growth in advance. For example, you can dig in strips of slate or plastic, setting the desired boundaries for each of these grains. Particularly aggressive species are best planted in plastic containers of the appropriate size.

Some cereals at the seedling stage can be inhibited by neighboring plants, so it is not recommended to sow them directly into the ground. You can make a small temporary bed nearby and sow seeds there. Cereal seedlings are also planted there until they are strong enough. When the plant develops well and begins to form a bush, it can be planted in a permanent place without fear.

Video - Ornamental grains and grasses in landscape design

Why do gardeners love grains? Obviously - for the decorative inflorescences, beautiful coloring of the leaves and unpretentiousness.

Summer floral arrangements also complement well, creating interesting accents, but they are especially beautiful in autumn. In addition to fluffy panicles, cereals are also decorated with colorful foliage at this time; in addition, they reach the peak of their growth in the fall.

Cereals are good not only in garden flower beds, they will decorate any bouquet, both fresh and.

Ornamental grasses for the garden

Here are some of the ornamental grasses that we advise you to pay attention to.

(Bouteloua gracilis) – also called mosquito grass and buffalo grass. This plant loves permeable soil and sunny places. Grows up to 40 cm in height. The most decorative inflorescences are the spikelets growing at an interesting angle.

(Andropogon gerardii) - the grass forms an upright bush with long leaves and a height of up to 2.4 meters. Flowering in late summer-early autumn.

(Calamagrostis acutiflora) is a tall grass (120-150 cm), which is good for decorating the background of a flower garden. It begins to bloom in mid-summer with pinkish panicles. As autumn approaches, it does not lodge. Conditions: sun or partial shade. Responds well to moderate watering.

(Phalaris arundinacea) - this grass has decorative variegated leaves that have a light background with dark green stripes. Not recommended for small gardens as it sometimes grows excessively. Height 70-120 cm.

(Imperata cylindrica) – decorative with its silvery inflorescences. Grows up to 1 meter, has long creeping shoots.

(Koeleria glauca) is a low grass (20-50 cm) with bluish-green leaves and neat spikelets, blooms in June-July.

(Stipa pulcherrima) – very decorative, its long awns (up to 50 cm) make an impression. Grows up to 30-80 cm in height.

(Deschampsia caespitosa) – the colloquial name for this plant is “pike”. The bush is dense, 20-90 cm in height. Loves moist soil.

(Miscanthus sinensis) is the most popular cereal in gardening, which is why many varieties of miscanthus have been bred. A very tall (up to 2 meters) plant with decorative panicle inflorescences and hard lanceolate leaves.

(Molinia caerulea) is a compact ornamental grass. Blooms in summer-early autumn, spikelets with an original purple tint. Prefers moist soils.

(Helictotrichon sempervirens) – the leaves of this cereal have a blue tint. Grows in height up to 2.4 meters. Blooms in July.

(Festuca glauca) is a short grass that forms a lush bush up to 60 cm in height. Blooms in summer in June-July.

(Pennisetum orientale) – grows up to 60 cm in height. This plant must be covered for the winter.

(Pennisetum alopecuroides) – decorative from mid-summer to autumn. It blooms with brown fluffy spikelets, plant height is 70-80 cm.

(Melica ciliata) is a perennial grass up to 1 meter in height. It has very dense panicle inflorescences and blooms from early summer until autumn. Loves sun and fertile soil without waterlogging.

(Panicum virgatum) - unpretentious and grows on any soil, reaching up to 2 m in height. Large panicles of this cereal appear in July.

(Spartina pectinata) - blooms in August, forming straight, rigid panicles. The height of the plant is more than 2 m. It spreads very quickly.

(Hakonechloa macra) - or Japanese grass, a shade-tolerant grass with graceful yellow-green leaves. The plant is poisonous.

(Chasmanthium latifolium) - also called wild oats and oats. Its spikelets and the entire inflorescence are entirely flattened and located in the same plane. Flowering occurs in autumn in September-October. Chasmantium needs moist soil and a sunny place. Grows up to 1.2 meters.

(Hordeum jubatum) - sown in the ground at the end of April. Widely used in mixborders. The growth of the perennial reaches 60 cm.

Combination of ornamental cereals with garden flowers

Typically, cereals need space to show their decorative properties. Carefully select ornamental grasses for your garden, especially if it is small in area, since some species are aggressive in their growth and “clog” weaker plants.

Such fast-growing and strong grasses include, for example, comb spartina, reed canary grass and Gerard's bearded grass. For small gardens, large hakonechloa or blue molinia are more suitable - these two variegated types of grasses are quite attractive and grow slowly.

If you choose the right one partners for cereals, the composition will be very harmonious. Choose meadowsweet, phlox, helenium, verbena, sapling and burnet for such a composition.

If you are creating an autumn flower bed, then take into account the color that the grains will begin to acquire at this time.

Plants with will harmonize best with red-leaved imperata cylindrical and copper-red switchgrass.

For red flowers, a combination with viviparous sheep and blue fescue will be more advantageous - these cereals acquire a bluish coloration of stems and leaves.

Romantic composition – panicles oriental pinnately and purple inflorescences oregano smoothed

- an excellent backdrop for a flower garden, especially if orange helenium and yellow rudbeckia are planted on it

With its silvery spines, like precious threads, it flutters bewitchingly in the wind

Autumn flower bed of ornamental grasses and perennials

This flowerbed, or rather a mixborder, will occupy an area of about 8 by 6 meters.

In a mixborder, cereals coexist with shrubs and perennial flowers. The peak of decorativeness of this composition will be in the autumn - this is when most cereals and perennials will bloom, and shrubs will complement this riot of colors with their autumn foliage.

There are two bushes in the background: cercidiphyllum japonica(1) and Irga Lamarca(2). planted right in front of them miscanthus chinensis two varieties (3, 4).

Perennials bloom in the middle part of the mixborder: Monarda hybrid (5), common chinstrap (6), Carmichel's aconite (8), helenium hybrid(9) and verbena bonarensis(10). And in the center between them the composition balances reed grass (7).

Planted a little lower: Rudbeckia splendor Sullivanta (11), switchgrass (12), echinacea purpurea(13), bush viburnum Karlza (14), Japanese anemone (15), soddy meadow grass(16) and blue molinia (17).

Finally, in the lowest tier, in the foreground of the flower garden grow: Horny goat weed (18), Hakonechloa major (19), Heuchera hybrid(20), Japanese sedge Morrow (21), marigolds (22), aster cushion-shaped (23), common lumbago(24) and sedum flowering (25).

1 - Japanese cercidiphyllum japonicum, 2 - Amelanchier lamarckii, 3 - Chinese miscanthus (Miscanthus sinensis) "Kleine Silberspinne", 4 - Chinese miscanthus "Malepartus", 5 - hybrid Monarda (Monarda hybrida), 6 - Echinops ritro, 7 - Calamagrostis acutiflora, 8 - Aconitum carmichaelii, 9 - Helenium hybridum, 10 - Verbena bonariensis, 11 - Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii), 12 – switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), 13 – purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), 14 – Carls viburnum (Viburnum carlesii), 15 – hybrid of Japanese anemone (Anemone japonica), 16 – turfgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa) , 22 – thin-leaved marigold (Tagetes tenuifolia), 23 – cushion aster (Aster dumosus), 24 – common lumbago (Pulsatilla vulgaris), 25 – sedum (Sedum floriferum).

Image rights: botanik.uni-karlsruhe.de, letsbuyit.co.uk. Flickr.com - sunshadows, terranoesis, rasiux_lt, dogswithwings82, BONAP, Phalaris arundinaceae, Szasz., stephenbuchan, emagen, Avondale Nursery, bratjerm, maya_dragonfly, Carl E Lewis, andreasbalzer, J.G. in S.F., treegrow, Robert Strusievicz.