by Lydia Holley November 9, 2020
In fashion, a little black dress for formal wear or cocktails is so well known it is often abbreviated as just LBD. Supposedly, every woman needs a little black dress. The same could be true of your garden. You just might need a LBG — a little (or a large) black grass.
Black mondo grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’) is a short edging plant which will grow in full or part shade. It looks striking against variegated hosta or Annabelle hydrangeas. Or you might prefer to pair it with the yellows of Japanese fountain grass (Hakonechloa macra) or zebra grass (Miscanthus sinensis ‘ Zebrinus’). Since black mondo grass is evergreen, it will also add interest to your landscape in winter.
Another way to incorporate black mondo grass into your landscape is through containers. You can use just one or a few to bring a touch of the dramatic to your container plantings.
If you have full sun and would like to have a black grass for your landscape, go large. Princess Caroline Napier grass, a hybrid Pennisetum, is stunning when used as a focal point in a landscape. Growing to six feet tall, Princess Caroline Napier grass is designated as a Texas Superstar, so it will take the Texas heat and is drought resistant. However, it may not grow as tall without adequate irrigation.
Pair your Princess Caroline Napier grass with yellow or white plantings. It also looks fantastic with magenta. Or, you might choose to use several as a tall hedge. Deciduous, it dies back in the winter and needs to have the old foliage cut off in early spring. It is fascinating to watch the early shoots spring up from the ground to grow to such a commanding size in such a short period of time.
Once you put a black grass in your landscape, you will probably never want to be without one. Perhaps one day black grass, either little or large, will just be referred to as an LBG.
For more information, call 903-675-6130, email hendersonCMGA@gmail.com.
Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HCmastergardener.