I love ornamental grasses, and one of my favorites, Golden Hakone Grass (Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola') is the 2009 Perennial Plant of the Year.This is the second time an ornmental grass has been awarded this honor: in 2001 it was Karl Foerster's feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'), another of my all-time favorite plants.
In my garden I grow golden Hakone grass with 'Golden Tiara' hosta and purple-leaved oxalis, a non-hardy summer bulb plant. The grouping at my side entry garden (shown above) looks lovely all season long.
If you have partial shade and moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil, this slow-growing grass will do well for you. More information about growing it is at my web site. See golden Hakone grass.
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Hi Yvonne!
ReplyDeleteI was just looking at this grass just the other day thinking that I could finally grow it and others like it in the zone 7 garden I'll have in Northern Alabama. This beauty would never make it here!
I'm so looking forward to spring!!
Cheers!
I have several bunches thriving in rather heavy clay, without particularly good drainage, so readers should try it even if they don't think they have ideal conditions.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting. I have it growing in ideal conditions. That information about not planting it in heavy clay or poorly drained conditions came from the Perennial Plant Association. Hmmm...take the experts' opinions with a grain of salt? Anyway, one of my hort gurus always used to say: "Plants don't read books."
ReplyDeleteJust like James I have this one growing in very heavy clay that is wet, wet most of the year - and in addition to that they were badly neglected for a long time, completely overrun by weeds. I transplanted them late last summer and it looks like they are doing OK.
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to seeing them next season.
So glad to hear it grows in clay. My clay is amended but still...it is clay. I've been admiring this plant and will certainly be purchasing it this season.
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