Grasses: Versatile Partners for Uncommon Garden Design

By Nancy J. Ondra

Book Overview

From the dazzling orange leaves of Flame Grass to the feathery purple haze of Switch Grass, ornamental grasses can add a vibrant and colorful dimension to any garden. Nancy J. Ondra shows you how to use grasses on their own or in tandem with perennials, annuals, and shrubs to add visual interest and texture to your outdoor space. Insightful profiles of dozens of varieties of ornamental grasses enlivened by Saxon Holt's stunning photography will inspire you to create your own dynamic, grass-filled gardens.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 158017423X
• ISBN13: 9781580174237
• Release Date: February 2002
• Publisher: Storey Publishing
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 1.36 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 9.6" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

A beautiful book with a lot of useful information

I borrowed this book from the library. I highly recommend this book for anyone who plans to use a lot of grasses when landscaping. The photos are wonderful and the information about the grasses is very useful. One chapter is titled Color Palettes; it has photos & info about grasses in colors groups such as "golds & bronzes", "cool blues & quiet grays", Dark-leaved & Variegated. The Problem Solver chapter is divided into sections such as "Hot, Dry Sites", Moisture-Lovers, Shade-Lovers, Ground Covers & Low Maintenance. I have a very small yard with little space for grasses so I am not going to purchase this book but I would definitely buy this book if I had more space for landscaping.

My favorite Grasses book

This book is full of great photos of grasses in gardens, and I find it inspirational. It shows grasses mixed with other common perennials in situations most gardeners could replicate in their own gardens. The author includes growing tips and site preferences for many different species. There are some books you always reach for on a certain type of plant, and this is the one I find myself always reaching for on grasses. I happen to be a Master Gardener who loves ornamental grass gardening.

Great Grasses

Love this book, wonderful pictures, but --- I find myself looking for a comprehensive chart / list that gives an overview -- so that you can make gardening choices easier ... examples; height, color, cool/warm, best conditions, clump or creep, zones --- well you get the point . . .

Less Grass More Grasses

Grasses. They add so much wonderful texture to perennial collections and the landscape. They add terrific movement, catching the smallest breezes, defying the strongest winds and I wanted them in my garden however I knew so little about them. Then along came this terrific book by Nancy J. Ondra with photographs by Saxon Holt. Everything about this book is appealing. I appreciate the way it is laid out in four sections; Getting to Know Grasses, Color Palettes, Seasonal Usage and Selecting for Location. Ms. Ondra is a font of information without overloading your brain and as a Grasses Novice I find that useful. The photography by Mr. Holt is truly beautiful, with most of the photographs taken in combinations with other plant materials so you can get the feel of the various Grasses in the landscape. Section Four (p.94) really helps you get down to the nitty-gritty of making the appropriate selections for various soils and exposures. This is the sort of book to use year in and year out and I think would be useful to professional and advanced gardners as well as beginners. You get a lot of bang for your buck with this volume. Highly recommended!

Quality photography enhances this practical reference guide.

Grasses by freelance gardening writer Nancy J. Ondra is a beautiful and practical guide to raising ornamental grasses in one's garden. Filled cover to cover with excellent color photographs by life-long gardener and gardening photographer Saxon Holt of aesthetic and splendid grasses, the profusely illustrated text presents the reader with a wide choice of colored grasses to best accentuate the beauty of one's garden and how to best select choice plants for wet, dry, hot, or shady sites. Highly recommended for personal and professional gardening, horticultural and landscaping reference collections, even non-gardeners will appreciate the dazzling, coffee-table book quality photography of this singularly elegant yet practical guide.