Japanese Forest Grasses

[ca_gardens]

Has any one used Forest Grasses in their Japanese garden in the Sacramento valley? I read about Hakonechloa macra and it has got me interested in trying it. I am afraid they will burn too much though in our heat.

[webmaster]

Scott, the Helpful Gardener himself, promotes the use of native species. He says, and I'm paraphrasing and might have gotten it wrong, that the whole essence of Japanese Gardening is to recreate nature and natural balances. So there is nothing natural about an imported Japanese grass in Sacramento.

The Sacramento area is home to a great many ecosystems, including the wet delta area and the drier climates. It's hot as hell out there, especially out in the Roseville-Rocklin areas. Feels like I'm on Mars during the summer- which is why I'm never going back up there during the summer. lol

[The Helpful Gardener]

Thanks for that Rog, but I have Hakonechloa in my Japanese garden too, so I would be hippocritical to expect full native gardens from others while I mix and match with impunity...

Hakonechloa is actually a forest sedge (not TECHNICALLY a grass) that wants forest conditions; humusy soil, decent moisure and a good bit of shade. It's a Zone 8 plant, so if you get the rest of it down, you should be okay...

Scott