Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Plant of the Week: Deer Grass




What a sexy grass you are, Muhlenbergia rigens!  This native grass stole my heart at the Late Show Gardens in the exhibit created by Lucas & Lucas Landscape Architecture and Gary Ratway, pictured above.  It makes me so happy to see designers use native plants in modern settings, but I digress.  Muhlies (as I affectionately call them) tie the garden together, adding a contrasting texture and will fill in fast. In fact, it can help stabilize slopes with its deep, coarse root system.  But in all honesty I love the way it looks and couldn't let my garden go without a few. 



Soil:  I think it might prefer a light clay, but I don't think it's super picky.   Mine is in medium clay.
Sun:  Full sun to part shade
Plant:  Sow seeds now or plant now through to the spring
Buy it:  Try propagating it yourself by going through Larner Seeds, I also think I saw some at East Bay Nursery the other day.  For those down south, try Las Pilitas.
Good for:  Native American basket weaving (as if you needed another random hobby, right?), filling in a new garden, adding texture and drama, giving those caterpillars and mule deer something to chew on.


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