Samara
Newly Registered
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2016 2:49 pm
Location: Ontario Canada

Replacing the lawn with blue eyed grass (Good idea or Bad?)

Working on some garden ideas for the front of our house where we have a steep ditch that is a pain to mow. We're trying to come up with some inexpensive, low-maintenance ideas. We've considered creeping thyme and some other ground covers (which are fine) and using a stone wall to separate the ditch from the lawn/Garden (Which is expensive).

So I'm considering using Blue Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium), which is native to our area, to give a grass like look, spring interest, and won't require cutting regularly.

Good idea or Bad? Does anyone have experience with Blue Eyed Grass?

ButterflyLady29
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1030
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2015 9:12 pm
Location: central Ohio

Bad idea. It doesn't really hold slopes well and although it's native it doesn't bloom reliably, it is difficult to grow, and is just not aggressive enough to compete well with weeds.

Have you considered daylilies? They have a grass-like look, are aggressive enough to keep out most weeds, flower in spring/summer, and will hold well on slopes. Lots of people have daylily ditches here.

Samara
Newly Registered
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2016 2:49 pm
Location: Ontario Canada

Hmm, Thanks for the info! I've never really tried to grow it on purpose before (though it popped up in my garden once).
We've considered day lilies but they're a bit to big for our liking (even the stellas)... Do you think thrift would be a good idea?

ButterflyLady29
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1030
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2015 9:12 pm
Location: central Ohio

Should work. It needs good drainage but would be a nice plant on your slope.



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