Great Grasses

Credit: Peter Symcox

Hybrid maiden grass (Miscanthus x giganteus) flourishes in moderately fertile soil that’s moist and well drained. The tallest of all the maiden grasses, it can easily attain a height of 3.6 to 4.5 m (12 to 15 ft.) and is used both as a hedge (screen) and as a focal point in the border or island bed. Its unique property, however, is that the dried stems, when cut down in the fall and stripped of their leaves, can be used to make attractive fences and even gates. Particularly at home in Japanese-style settings, these structures add a pleasing and individual touch to any garden. The photos here were taken in the Takata Garden at the Glendale Gardens
& Woodland (at The Horticulture Centre of the Pacific), in Victoria.