New Addtion to the Gallery, Hakonechloa
Forum Archives
DebbieTT
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: Jun-11-2005 at 9:33pm
I photographed Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' in Lisa Albert's garden. This is my favorite grass, and in Lisa's garden it's a definate jewel.
HarleyLady
Location: Willamette Valley
Posted: Jun-11-2005 at 9:47pm
Oh, I just love this one, too! I expect I'll have a few small starts of it for trading at the Rendezvous in September. One thing I noticed in your description is that you say it dies back in the winter. Mine got rather ratty looking but never did die back. I do have it in a fairly sheltered location, which may account for the difference in performance.
HarleyLady
Garden Spider
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posted: Jun-12-2005 at 10:24am
I love this grass! I had some growing in a container, and it did well for 2 or 3 years, then finally died. So I'm going to try it again, in the ground.
Barb
DebbieTT
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: Jun-12-2005 at 11:23am
Thanks HL, I will add that to the notes. Did it look ok even though ratty? Mine looks blech! (A New descriptive gardening term. )
Lisa A
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Jun-12-2005 at 5:38pm
This is one of my favorite grasses, too. Mine ages to a papery tan and by late winter, it is ready to be cut back. I do it when the daffodils bloom. I don't think it looks too bad but then maybe I've gotten used to a more relaxed look (nice way to say "ratty"?) since I rarely cut anything back in fall anymore.
P.S. thanks for the excellent job of cropping the photo so the weeds aren't visible, Debbie.
Screaming Eagle
Location: Puget Sound corridor
Posted: Jun-13-2005 at 11:00am
I've had this one for a year, but it has never looked great. I'm hoping it will start coming into it's stride this year. Lisa's sure looks great capture by a skilled photographer!
HarleyLady
Location: Willamette Valley
Posted: Jun-13-2005 at 11:07am
Debbie, it was not "ok ratty" but more like very "weatherbeaten ratty" but I also just remembered that we had someone work on our steps/deck/porch while we were away in Mexico and most likely, despite desperate pleas for care, our worker trampled it.
HarleyLady
Fern
Location: Washington, Western Cascade Foothills
Posted: Jun-13-2005 at 3:45pm
I like the way mine looks in a bonsai pot next to the regular tree bonsais, or I should say my attempts at bonsai. I never want to kill a tree seedling when it comes up in the yard so I try to make a bonsai out of it. It looks a little like a miniature bamboo. You always take such nice pictures!
Fern
JeanneK
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Jun-13-2005 at 3:59pm
Great pic, Deb. Lisa, beautiful color/foliage combo! Mine also turns a papery tan color which I cut off before the new growth comes up. Or try to any way.
I just love this plant for the color and flow of the leaves!
Jeanne
sparklemama
Location: Western Washington
Posted: Jun-14-2005 at 9:53am
I also purchased one of these last spring. It did so well in the garden last year that i am in love with it! I have a 'Toffee Twist' sedge (carex flagellifera) in the same bed and they compliment each other nicely. Mine didn't die back this winter either, just looked a little worse for wear. One thing i didn't notice was the redish tint in the fall and spring. I will have to look closer this year.
I did make the mistake of planting Dwarf Garters Ribbon Grass (Phalaris) last summer and now am regretting it. It is spreading so fast and i can not get a handle on it. Seems like the more i pull and dig the more it grows. The only good thing is that it looks very nice growing up threw my pink carnations. The colors flow nicely together.
Lisa A
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Jun-14-2005 at 12:38pm
Originally posted by sparklemama
I did make the mistake of planting Dwarf Garters Ribbon Grass (Phalaris) last summer and now am regretting it. It is spreading so fast and i can not get a handle on it.
I once heard a grass expert say that it is impossible to stay ahead of this grass even with speedy running shoes. I'm so glad I was warned about this before I made the mistake of planting it. I wish you luck with your efforts, sparklemama.
Thanks, Jeanne!
JeanneK
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Jun-14-2005 at 1:05pm
Thanks for the warning on the dwarf ribbon grass, sparklemama! Good luck in irradicating it.
Lisa, you ought to send the pic to Fine Gardening. Maybe you could get the pic on the back cover!
Jeanne
sparklemama
Location: Western Washington
Posted: Jun-14-2005 at 1:13pm
I am glad you were forwarned lisa. I would hate for someone to plant this guy and be in for a shock..lol. It is so pretty though with the coloring but not worth the effort to contain it. I bet you could plant it in a container and it would do nicely. Mabey thats what I will do, just dig up as much of it as I can and pot it.
Gardening for the Homebrewer: Grow and Process Plants for Making Beer, Wine, Gruit, Cider, Perry, and More
By co-authors Debbie Teashon (Rainy Side Gardeners) and Wendy Tweton