Grasses Offer so Much More than the flat, green lawns beneath our feet. In the garden, spikelets of Briza media flutter in the slightest breeze, tall-stemmed Stipa gigantea makes a beguiling divider, and pennisetums glow like fireworks with the sun at their backs. When chosen wisely and used with care, grasses can endow the garden with showstopping appeal---requiring remarkably little work in return. Neil Lucas explains how to bring the magic of grasses to even the smallest of gardens. Inspired by the great American prairies, African savannah and other wild spaces, he shows how to perfect the balance between grasses and other plants, choose sustainable lawn alternatives that virtually care for themselves, and showcase the elegant lines and intriguing textures of grasses to glorious effect. Planting grasses in the right place is critical, and Lucas lists top performers for drought, waterside, containers, shade and more. Along the way, he explains how grasses contribute to a greener world through their use in rain gardens, green roofs and for erosion control. With an extensive directory profiling more than 450 gardenworthy grasses, rushes and sedges, this lavishly illustrated volume offers gardeners a world of possibilities.

Includes a selected plant catalogue of annual grasses; perennial grasses, rushes and sedges; and bamboos.

Create stunning effects, from clouds of delicate meadow grasses to striking bamboo plantings by adding ornamental grasses to your garden. As well as providing a backdrop for flowering plants, they can bring movement and whispering sound to the garden.

From spring green to winter gold, the drama of grasses is nonstop. One of the few books available that advises the gardener on how to uses grasses in the garden, "Grasses" features plans and practical advice for more than 24 unique gardens. The book includes an identification guide to the plants and features more than 150 color photos, illustrations, and landscape plans.

Wolfgang Oehme is one of the most important garden designers of the last 30 years. In partnership with James Van Sweden, who contributes an essay to this book, he ushered in the revolutionary garden style known as the New American Garden. Eschewing previous conventions such as vast lawns, clipped shrubs, and dreary beds of annuals, the New American garden embodies the simple beauty and grandeur of the prairie, defining itself with large sweeps of herbaceous perennials and grasses. The feeling of sheer beauty and calmness that pervades Oehme's gardens is a reminder of our connection to nature. Ornamental Grasses chronicles Oehme’s professional journey, from his childhood in war-torn Germany to his immense success in the United States, all the while exploring his remarkable career, both solo and in partnership with Van Sweden. Over 200 gorgeous photographs depict dreamlike gardens, “Wolfi” plants, people, and much more.

Original German edition published: Munich: Verlag Georg D.W. Callwey, 2009.

Discusses the ornamental grasses, based on a six-year study, that can be grown successfully in USDA Zone 4a, including height, origin, season in interest, and special comments. Also included is a discussion of those grasses that are marginally hardy in USDA Zone 4a, those not recommended as perennials for this zone, and grasses for different landscape needs, etc.

Part self help, part a hilarious jaunt through one writer's life, Seed, Grow, Love, Write will leave every reader laughing, crying, and "chewing" on something different. Markowski shows that a life lived without passion isn't really a life at all, and you'll finish reading inspired to find your own, pursue it, and not apologize for it.

A colorful guide covering the basics of replacing a traditional lawn with a wide variety of easy-care, no-mow, drought-tolerant, money-saving options that will appeal to today's busy, eco-conscious homeowner. Americans pour 300 million gallons of gas and 1 billion hours every year into mowing their lawns, not to mention 70 million pounds of pesticides and $40 billion for lawn upkeep. No Wonder the anti-lawn movement is thriving, as today's eco-conscious consumers realize that their traditional lawns are water-hogging, chemical-ridden, maintenance-intensive burdens. Lawn Gone!, from award-winning gardening blogger Pam Penick, is the first basic introduction to low-water, easy-care lawn alternatives for beginning gardeners, written in a friendly style with an approachable package. It covers all the available time-saving options: alternative grasses, ground cover plants, artificial turf, hardscaping, mulch, and more. In addition, it includes step-by-step lawn-removal methods, strategies for dealing with neighbors and homeowner associations, and how to minimize your lawn if you're not ready to go all the way.

Describes more than four hundred perennials and grasses, providing information on each plant's origins, preferred conditions, and planting zones.