In the garden you can sow not only ordinary lawn grass, but also special crops that can become a real decoration of the garden. Ornamental grasses for the garden are widely used in landscape design, and their photos and names from this article will help you choose suitable ornamental plants for your site.
Using the descriptions of ornamental grasses and grains from our article, you can easily turn your garden into a cozy corner of nature.
- Secrets of care
- Kinds
- Medium-sized species
Types of ornamental grasses
The diverse family of ornamental grasses allows you to create multi-level and multi-colored compositions. They are not whimsical, grow quickly, and are not capricious when combined with other types of plants. Their seasonal transformations from a grass carpet to original inflorescences, and then to snow-covered waves delight the eye throughout the year.
The picturesque compositions in the photo, consisting entirely of ornamental grasses, make us re-evaluate this type of plant for creative experiments.
Rockeries are a derivative of the rocky plain, a memory of mountain meadows. Stones play a very important role in the creation and design of a rock garden, both large boulders, pointed piles, and crushed stone filling of medium and small fractions. Plants for rockeries should be dwarf, low-growing, slow-growing, creeping and climbing. An indispensable attribute of any rock garden are dwarf conifers and junipers.
Watch the video: Ornamental cereals in the garden and country house
Here their role is not limited to filling empty spaces and framing spectacular colors; they come to the fore, striking with their original natural energy and riot of colors.
The names of many ornamental grasses refer to their appearance.
Growing and care
For all its decorativeness, silver cineraria is a rather unpretentious plant that even a novice gardener can cope with growing. She does not require any special conditions or special care.
Landing
Silver cineraria prefers to grow in well-lit, sunny areas with light soil. However, it will survive in partial shade, although at the same time it will largely lose its decorative effect and the spectacular silver color of the foliage.
Cineraria can be grown either through seedlings or by direct sowing into the ground - in each case, the seeds will sprout almost completely, very well. Sowing seedlings
Cineraria seeds for seedlings are sown around the beginning of April. Although they are quite small in size, the entrances appear quickly and amicably. You can sow cineraria either in one common box with further picking, or directly into separate cups or pots.
For seed germination, light, neutral, water- and breathable soil is selected. Before sowing, it is moistened and compacted, then the seeds are laid on top without burying them in the ground. The box is then covered with film or glass to create a greenhouse effect. You can also sprinkle the seeds with a thin layer of sand or cover them with damp thin paper, and then cover them with film. In any case, they germinate well.
Water containers with seeds should be very careful - a strong stream of water can wash out the seeds or break the thin stems of the plants. It is best to use a spray bottle or containers with drainage holes for these purposes. In the second case, you can simply lower them into a pan of water for a while to moisten the soil.
At a constant temperature of at least +20 degrees, seedlings appear within 10-14 days. After this, the box with seedlings is moved closer to the light source - a window or phytolamps, and the film is removed. It is better to do this gradually, increasing the ventilation time so that the seedlings have time to harden and get used to the environment.
After the seedlings have 2-4 true leaves, they are planted in separate containers (if the seedlings were sown in a common box). To do this, pick up a lump of earth with roots and transfer it to a separate pot. It is important to compact and water the sprout well after transplanting so that the soil settles and air comes out from under the roots. In this case, you need to act very carefully so as not to damage the thin roots.
Cineraria tolerates transplants well, so after picking it quickly grows and gets stronger. As soon as the threat of night frosts has passed, the seedlings can be transplanted into open ground to a permanent place - as a rule, this happens in late May or early June.
When planting cineraria in a flowerbed, you should maintain the optimal distance - 20 cm between plants and at least 25 cm between rows. If it is intended to create a living carpet, then it can be planted more densely. Direct sowing into the ground
Silver cineraria also germinates well when its seeds are directly sown in open ground. It is advisable to do this at the end of May, when the frosts have passed. In this case, you should be prepared for the fact that the time of germination and flowering is slightly delayed compared to growing through seedlings - by about 1-1.5 months.
Seeds can be sown either in special seed beds, from where the seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place while maintaining the required distance, or directly into a flower bed. In the second case, after the emergence of seedlings, it will be necessary to thin out the planting several times to provide the growing cineraria with enough space to live.
No matter how cineraria is grown, it is better to insulate young plants in open ground with covering material for the first time in order to protect them from possible night frosts. Otherwise, plant care is simple - regular watering and weeding.
Watering and fertilizing
Cineraria is considered to be quite drought-resistant and, thanks to its deep root system, can provide itself with water for quite a long time during unfavorable periods. However, regular watering will allow it to show its decorative qualities as clearly as possible. You can water the flowerbed as the top layer of soil dries out or every day in small portions.
Important! The soil should always be slightly moist, but stagnation of water should not be allowed.
Cineraria is usually fertilized during the flowering period - about 1-2 times a month. To do this, use mineral fertilizers with a low nitrogen content, which contribute to the formation of lush bushes.
Wintering
Cineraria, despite its southern origin, tolerates frost well, so in some areas it is often grown as a perennial plant. To do this, planting cineraria before the onset of cold weather is carefully mulched with dry leaves and spruce branches. And in the southern regions, coastal cineraria bushes winter well even without these precautions.
You can also dig up cineraria bushes in the fall and replant them in pots, which are left for storage in the house. To do this, choose not a warm living room, but a cool room that can provide suitable conditions for a period of rest and will not create stress from temperature changes.
In winter, cineraria rests, its growth slows down, and its decorative effect can be significantly reduced, but in the spring it actively begins to grow again and pleases the eye with the silver of its foliage.
Diseases and pests
Cineraria seaside is practically not susceptible to attacks by pests, but it is not immune from them. The most common insects that appear on it are:
- aphid. To combat aphids, you can use nettle infusion, and in case of minor infestation, simply wash off the parasites with water or collect them by hand;
- spider mite Its signs are a large number of yellow dots on the leaves and a thin cobweb around the stems and foliage. The mite itself lives on the underside of the leaves; it looks like small white lumps. When attacked by a mite, cineraria begins to shed its leaves and may dry out;
- whitefly
You can get rid of these insects using specialized insecticides or acaricides, which are sold in any flower shop. You can also use traditional recipes that are less aggressive. A mixture of warm water and grated laundry soap, which is used to wash infected plants, has proven itself well in the fight against ticks. For prevention, you can also treat neighboring bushes to avoid the spread of insects.
In addition, they need to be transplanted into quarantine and carefully monitor the condition of the soil and leaves (for reappearance of the pest). For better effect, treatment is carried out several times with a break of 5-7 days. Quarantine lasts at least one week, and preferably a month. During this time, the plant has time to get rid of pests and get stronger before being replanted in its place.
Withering and yellowing leaves signal that the plant is sick. This happens, as a rule, when the rules of agricultural technology are violated - a lack of nutrients in the soil, excessive or insufficient watering.
- If reddish-brown spots appear on the leaves, the cineraria is suffering from lack of water and hot weather. You should increase the amount of water when watering or water the plant more often.
- Stunted, limp leaves indicate the possible development of mold on the roots of the plant, caused by excessive watering. In this case, the amount of water is reduced and the soil is loosened to provide the roots with access to fresh air.
When grown indoors, late blight or mycosis can form, which are dangerous for the plant. To avoid the development of diseases, it is necessary to carefully observe the watering regime and monitor the access of air to the roots of the plant (ventilate the room and regularly loosen the soil).
Reproduction
Reproduction of silver cineraria is as simple as planting and caring for it. For those who want to increase the number of cineraria bushes, three methods are available:
- dividing the bush;
- cuttings;
- seed propagation.
Dividing the bush is used quite rarely, although it shows good results. It is carried out strictly before flowering begins. To propagate in this way, the bush is carefully dug up, trying to damage the root system as little as possible, and then divided into two parts using a sharp knife. Each part should have good roots. After letting the cuttings dry a little and sprinkling them with wood ash, new bushes are planted in the ground.
The most popular method of propagating cineraria is cuttings. You can take cuttings from the beginning of summer until August. Both side shoots and green stems, cut into 10 cm pieces, are used as planting material. They are planted in moist soil and covered with film to create greenhouse conditions. After 1.5-2 weeks, the cuttings take root, after which they can be planted in open ground (if propagation was carried out at the beginning of summer) or boxes (for autumn propagation).
The easiest way to propagate cineraria is to grow from seeds. The only difficulty here is to wait for seedlings and the right time to plant the seedlings in the flowerbed.
Blue fescue
Blue fescue is a frost-resistant grass. The original bluish color of this cereal in combination with needle-shaped leaves creates an irresistible airy effect.
It looks good on borders and in flower and stone arrangements, but it needs sun to look beautiful.
Feather grass fluffy cloud
Feather grass fluffy cloud is a steppe unpretentious plant that, when growing, turns into original silky bushes; during flowering, the tips of the bush become pink or golden.
Another unusually beautiful variety of cultivated feather grass, “the most beautiful,” has the thinnest stems covered with transparent fluff.
Mace Bearer
The dense, seemingly bristling bushes of the gray macebearer are ideal for decorating borders 20-30 cm high. This light-loving and fast-growing ground cover plant takes root well in sandy soils of the middle zone.
- Indoor ventilation
Choosing grass for the lawn
Deutzia is blooming - summer is coming
Ophiopogon Nigrescens
A favorite of exotic lovers, Ophiopogon Nigrescens, a grass with black leaves, pink flowers and blue-black berries, can be a spectacular addition to exotic lawns, rockeries and alpine slides.
No less picturesque is the ophiopogon variety called Japanese with bright blue berries. This plant does not need winter shelter, is not afraid of temperature changes and wind, but requires maintaining air humidity and regular watering.
Perennials for sunny places
In dry sunny areas, wormwood will be out of competition. Moreover, both in the literal and figurative sense: they not only delight with their intense silver color, but also grow quickly, often overwhelming their neighbors.
Tall wormwood (aka Absinthe, 120 cm) is suitable only for large flower beds and massifs. It is aggressive, and in addition, has a depressing effect on other plants. P. Pursha and Ludovika are a little lower, but no less actively growing. These types of wormwood are durable and unpretentious. They do not need special care, but they lose their slimness and brightness of color if there is an excess of nitrogen in the soil.
The carved leaves of Schmidt's wormwood seem rather ashen, but are unusually graceful. Cushion-shaped bushes with delicate smoky foliage will decorate any flower garden or group with coniferous and deciduous shrubs. Periodic pruning of its shoots is welcome. Moreover, in gardens, it is often not species plants that are planted, but low-growing varieties - 'Nana' or 'Silver Mound'. Steller's low-growing wormwood is also beautiful.
It has woody shoots at the base and bright leaves with amazing patterns. This species gets wet easily, so the best place for it is in a well-drained area of a rocky garden. Needs pruning of shoots and regular rejuvenation of clumps.
But the matter, of course, is not limited to wormwood alone. Already in June, pearl anaphalis, an unpretentious perennial 50 cm high, will delight you with its dense clump. It is very aggressive, but just as elegant: its leaves and stems attract attention with their bright silver color
Its more compact and “well-mannered” relative is Anaphalis three-veined.
Many gardeners are familiar with the woolly chickweed (“sheep’s ear”), whose soft leaves are covered with thick grayish-silver fluff.
For those who don’t like its “lanky”, not very attractive peduncles,
We can recommend the compact variety 'Silky Fleece' with flower stems only 10 cm high
or 'Cotton Ball' - no flowers at all.
True, in the spring the clumps of chistema need to be put in order - to trim the shoots, to remove the leaves damaged during wintering.
Of the silvery groundcover perennials, the most indispensable in the garden are the tomentose and Biberstein.
They are suitable for creating borders, “carpets”, and are used as hanging perennials. They are completely unpretentious, grow well in partial shade, and even bloom elegantly in June. But cutting is required - after flowering and again at the end of summer.
Lightning blue
Blue lightning is another tall grass with glaucous leaves and blue-violet panicles. It also needs moisture, planted together with flowers with a similar growth regime, or decorates the edges of artificial ponds.
Planting trees on the siteKerria or Keria: photo and description of the shrub, rules and subtleties of growing a plant with yellow flowers
Ornamental shrubs in landscape design blooming in autumn
The Miscanthus family deserves special attention. These giant-sized cereals with an erect stem have many varieties that differ in color and shape. This light-loving and moisture-loving plant, with a height of 80 cm to 3 m, needs protection from frost.
Used in mixborders, for decorating ponds, luxurious bushes of Chinese and sucrose miscanthus can become an exquisite decoration of green lawns.
Silver beauties for the dacha bookmark 44
When it comes to trees with silver leaves, the first thing that comes to mind is the willow. Or rather, willows, among which there are both giants and dwarfs.
For example, silver white willow is a large tree with a beautiful wide crown, which is often found in parks. By annual pruning you can try to keep it at a height of 3 m, but it is truly good in its natural size.
Shrub willows - woolly and creeping 'Argentea' - are perfect for small gardens.
The first grows as a compact, rounded bush a meter high, the shoots of which are covered with round leaves, soft due to dense pubescence. She usually doesn't need regular haircuts. On the contrary, pruning of creeping willow is highly recommended: only with the help of an annual short haircut will you get a fountain bush. Its silver “jets” will rise 50–70 cm in height and occupy about 1 m in diameter.
