Grasses: Versatile Partners for Uncommon Garden Design (Paperback)

by Nancy J. Ondra (Author), Saxon Holt (Photographer) "What would you give for a plant that boasts not only handsome foliage and charming flowers, but also eye-catching fall color and showy seed heads..." (more)
Key Phrases: golden wood millet, hair sedge, prefers evenly moist, New Zealand, Bainbridge Island, Garden of Linda Cochran (more...)

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
"...one of the year's best new garden guides." -- Country Living Gardener

"Looking for handsome foliage, fascinating flowers and eye-catching fall color? Try GRASSES." -- Publisher's Weekly

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Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC (February 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158017423X
• ISBN-13: 978-1580174237
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 9.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #35,001 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #1 in	Books > Outdoors & Nature > Plants > Grasses
  #2 in	Books > Home & Garden > Gardening & Horticulture > By Plant > Grasses
  #11 in	Books > Home & Garden > Gardening & Horticulture > Ornamental Plants

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

69 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quality photography enhances this practical reference guide., March 22, 2002

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

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.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Less Grass More Grasses, March 11, 2007

By	Lorenzo Moog (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite Grasses book, July 17, 2008

By	Northeast Gardener - See all my reviews

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.