AS THE BIGGER LAYERS OF COLOR GET PEELED AWAY before my eyes, two more stoic characters are shining through: Hakonechloa ‘All Gold,’ a perennial grass (above), and Spiraea thunbergii ‘Ogon’ (below) a shrub that will keep its orangey-gold foliage till nearly Christmas in many years.
Neither one asks much of the gardener for nonstop April or May through December appeal, and the Hakonechloa even likes a semi-shaded spot.
THE LECTURE that he’s been giving for a number of years is not-so-subtly called “Kill Your Lawn.” Ecological horticulturist Dan Jaffe Wilder knows that starting over and creating an entire native habitat instead of a lawn isn’t for everyone. But Dan just wants to grab our attention and get us to start to make some changes at least in the way we care for the turfgrass we do want in our landscapes. And maybe give up a little square footage of it to some other kind of more diverse planting, too, like the wild strawberries (Fragaria virginiana, inset). Alternative, more eco-focused styles of lawn care, along with some lawn alternatives is what he and I talked about on the podcast. Dan is Director of Applied Ecology at Norcross Wildlife Foundation in Wales, Massachusetts, and its 8,000-acre sanctuary. He’s also co-author with Mark Richardson of the book “Native Plants for New England Gardens.”
(Stream it below, read the illustrated transcript or subscribe free.)
Margaret,
I was curious how many Hakonechloa plants you have grouped together. I would like this plant to be one of my additions next spring (or perhaps the variety that changes color to purple… I have a yellow house & too much yellow could be sickening.), but was unsure if it doubles rapidly or needs 6 plants to create that waterfall effect, etc. Any thoughts? The plant hoarder in me would like to buy as many as budget allows, you understand.
I love your All Gold with that touch of red on your building and the grey stone at it’s feet. It just pops.
-Ali-
Those are two winners in my garden! Spiraea ‘Goldmound’ also gets a lovely rainbow effect this time of year, and if we are talking yellows, a gold-leafe cultivar of the smokebush is a rainbow right now too (pics on my site if you care to gander).
I planted Spiraea “White Gold” in my front garden this year because I love golden leafed spiraea but don’t care for the pink blooms most cultivars carry – they clash! Not that I’ve been able to enjoy it – my voracious neighborhood deer have decided that spiraea is yummy!
Hi Margaret,
What kind of Japanese maple do you have in a pot by your front door? Is it a dwarf? The small, perfectly cut leaves are stunning in gold! I would love to press some of those leaves…
Hi Margaret;
I am in Los Angeles area, near the coast and I planted several All Gold grasses in my front yard a few months ago. The spot where they are planted is bright shade, no direct sun. After a few weeks, a couple of the plants became brown and when new leaves appeared, they quickly died back. The rest lost their gold color and became your standard green. I give them plenty of water. What am I doing wrong? I’d love to be able to grow this grass, it is a stunner!
Welcome, Helen. Though it’s a plant for semi-shade, I can say that it will be more greenish if getting too little sun (sort of chartreuse-green), and also that in the early going it takes awhile to settle in. It won’t “do” in poor, dry soil — it likes a humus-y, rich soil..and again, even then, it is slow to get settled and grow. How’s your soil?
I have had the perennial yellow grass, Hakonechloa, along the house as a border for many years. it still looks fabulous. what I like about it, is that it does not grow too fast, and always looks attractive. thanks for mentioning it.
Welcome, Thomas. So glad to visit your blog and see Rousham, one of my favorite English gardens! What a coincidence. Hope to see you again soon.