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Grasses: Versatile Partners for Uncommon Garden Design [Paperback]

Nancy J. Ondra , Saxon Holt
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)

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Book Description

February 1, 2002
From spring green to winter gold, the drama of grasses is nonstop. There are the striking yellow-and-green ostrich plumes of Zebra Grass. The fine-textured leaves of Blue Oat Grass. Flame Grass's dazzling red-orange leaves, Fountain Grass's coppery brushes, the rich brown nuggets of Northern Sea Oats, the feathery purple haze of Switch Grass.

Whether on their own or as backdrops for colorful garden flowers, ornamental grasses are admired for their color, form, movement, and texture. They also aid in erosion control, soil stabilization, and water retention, making them great conservation tools for gardeners in all hardiness zones. Although grasses are widely available at garden centers all over North America, few books advise the gardener on how to use them in the garden - and especially how to combine them with perennials and other plants. GRASSES features plans and practical advice for more than 24 unique gardens. It's complete with an identification and growing guide to the plants, and it features more than 150 full-color photographs, illustrations, and landscape plans.


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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

No longer relegated to back-of-the-border backdrops for showy perennials or space-filling solutions for inconsequential garden areas, ornamental grasses are moving front and center as befits their versatile, adaptable, and irresistible nature. From their burnished glow when backlit by a setting sun to the textural richness they bring to a mixed border, grasses offer much in the way of gardening excitement and distinction yet require little maintenance in return. After succinctly covering the cultural basics of grass gardening, Ondra concentrates her efforts on extolling their multifaceted design distinctions. For every garden element, from borders, pathways, and containers to location challenges such as shade, slopes and screening, Ondra's capsule "designer's choices" offer brief but essential descriptions to aid in plant selection and planning considerations, and quick-reference lists highlight grasses that work well in such diverse conditions as hot-and-dry sites and low-and-wet bogs. Supported by Saxon Holt's captivating color photographs, Ondra elevates grasses from garden understudies to starring roles. Carol Haggas
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

“Looking for handsome foliage, fascinating flowers and eye-catching fall color? Try Grasses…”

—Publishers Weekly

 

"Supported by Saxon Holt's captivating color photographs, Ondra [Nancy] elevates grasses from garden understudies to starring roles.” —Booklist

 

“Grasses…one of the year’s best new garden guides.” —Country Living Gardener

 

“Beginning and advanced gardeners alike will find this book full of inspiration and advice on how to get the most from ornamental grasses.” —Chicago Sun-Times

 

“Love ornamental grasses but don’t know how to work them into your garden?  This book offers design possibilities…” —Houston Chronicle

 

"Plenty of photos of the many grass choices can help you focus on varieties that mesh with your interests." – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

 

“Illustrated with spectacular photos by Saxon Holt, Grasses focuses on design themes in landscapes throughout the seasons.” —Indianapolis Star

 

" If your vision of grasses is limited to the wheat fields of Kansas, this book on ornamental grasses is sure to expand your horizons—and may even inspire you…" – Hartford Courant

 

Product Details

  • Paperback: 144 pages
  • Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC (February 1, 2002)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 158017423X
  • ISBN-13: 978-1580174237
  • Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 9.6 x 0.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #24,555 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
(14)
4.7 out of 5 stars
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
85 of 87 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
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.
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38 of 38 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Less Grass More Grasses March 11, 2007
Format:Paperback
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!
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20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite Grasses book July 17, 2008
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
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.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars ok
thanks, the book is what i expected, i appreciate the time. no problem with the book and cover. ok ok
Published 22 days ago by celeste
5.0 out of 5 stars So much information, and gorgeous photos
So many gardening books touch on grasses, but this is so much better -- in-depth information, a zillion varieties, beautiful photos, and lots of helpful suggestions in choosing... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Helena
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good resource
Tells about all the decorative grasses and suggestions of how to use them. If you use grasses you need this resource.
Published 2 months ago by Nancy White
5.0 out of 5 stars Grasses:Versatile Partners for Uncommon Garden Design
I have a wooded lot. It is hard to grow much but has natural wildflowers.

I thought this would help me add structure to the yard.

Love the book. Read more
Published 3 months ago by C. wolf
5.0 out of 5 stars Ornamental Grasses
After first thumbing through this book at my local Extension, I bought a copy for myself. I enjoyed many hours of reading and studying all of the excellent information, and... Read more
Published 8 months ago by SueWayne
3.0 out of 5 stars A nice overview of Grasses, lacks practical use
I bought this book to learn more about the variety of grasses available. I do not like how the book lacks practical information about planting and usage. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Linda S
5.0 out of 5 stars Grasses make wonderful handmade paper!
I approached gardening from two aspects; what will grow in my 5 acre dryland, sandy Michigan garden and what plants can I use in my handmade papers. Read more
Published 21 months ago by handpapermaker
5.0 out of 5 stars Top 5 of Garden Inspiration Books
I easily own 30+ gardening books, and am always on the look out for something new & special. This one absolutely fits the bill. Read more
Published on March 6, 2011 by kris_eve
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
I love this book. Anything you want to know about grasses you will find in it.
Published on September 25, 2010 by Joanne
5.0 out of 5 stars 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. Read more
Published on November 20, 2009 by TZK
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