Deb's Flower Talks: Ornamental Grasses

Grasses: Graceful, Versatile, and Essential Flowing with the breeze, grasses add movement and sound to a garden. But the grass family is much more than a pretty garden accent. Rice, corn, wheat, barley, oats, and sorghum are important foods for humans and other animals. Stems and leaves of sweet grass are part of a long tradition of basket weaving by indigenous peoples. And some of our native grasses like little bluestem, prairie dropseed, and switchgrass provide wildlife food and habitat to a garden. But, how do you tell them apart (oft said comment: they all look alike) and how do you plan for their growth which can be significant. Join me for a look at grasses, one of the largest plant families of the world. See how you can combine them with other perennials and shrubs for an elegant yet informal look. Bonus: We'll spend the last part of class seeing full-grown specimens of native and non-native ornamental grasses at the Columbus Garden School, many of which are grown and sold here. Discover what will work best for your landscape! NOTE: This in-person class takes place on a Tuesday evening at 6:30-8:00 PM. INSTRUCTOR: DEB KNAPKE is passionate about gardening, sustainable garden design and the natural world, and enjoys sharing knowledge through her writing, public speaking, and garden consulting in the private and public sectors. She has served on various local and national committees and boards that focus on education, the environment, and sustainability. A popular speaker on WOSU's "All Sides" program, she loves being a gardener and has packed an amazing variety of perennials, trees, shrubs, and edibles onto the 2/3-acre lot surrounding her home.