Grass Care
Try scented grass for natural fragrances like vanilla, rose or lemon
 Looking for an interesting way to add sound, scent, privacy and texture to your garden? Try one of these scented grasses!
Scented grass makes a fabulous addition to any garden because you get scent, privacy, texture and sound. Scented grasses make a wonderful back of the border plant. They are also excellent choices for landscaping around water features. There are a few scented grasses that are perennial; however most of them are annuals in colder climates. Scented grass does more than just smell good. It can be used for medicinal, culinary or crafting purposes.
Love The Smell Of Citrus? Try Lemon Grass!
One of the most popular of the scented grasses is cymbopogon citratus, commonly called lemon grass. This is a tropical herb native to Southern Indian and Indonesia. It can grow as high as six feet tall and if left alone will flower within six or seven years.
Lemon grass's main use is as a culinary herb, especially in Thai and Vietnamese cooking. Numerous Asian and Caribbean recipes also use lemon grass as an ingredient.
Lemon grass has a rich lemony smell that works extremely well in homemade potpourri and can be substituted for lemon peel. The oils that lemon grass produce are used to make an essential oil that is used in aromatherapy and is especially good for oily skin and lackluster hair.
Avoid The Mosquitos, Plant Cymbopogon Nardus!
Another tropical scented grass is cymbopogon nardus. Cymbopogon is a clump forming tropical grass native to southeast Asia. It can reach six feet tall.
The citronella scented oils from this grass are used extensively in perfumeries and as insect repellents. It is best planted near sidewalks or sitting areas, however be pre-warned that some people are allergic to this grass and it can cause skin irritations.
Other Scented Grasses
A very rare, but commonly heard of grass is sweet grass. This native grass has almost become extinct. A common use of the blades of grass this plant produces is to make smudge sticks. It is a rapid grower and a perennial. Sweet grass, as its name implies, is a very sweet smelling grass. It is also quite drought tolerant once it is established.
There are a variety of other scented grasses on the market today. Palmarosa oil and ginger grass oil are two popular essential oils that come from scented grasses. Other varieties of scented grasses include rose grass and vanilla grass. The common names pretty much tell about the scent of the grass. Like all scented plants it is best to smell them before you buy them to make sure the scent is strong enough to suit you.
Spring Planting: Perennials I
When to Plant Dormant Bare Root Perennials and How to Delay Planting by Storing or Heeling In or Potting Up the Bare Rooted Plant.
Your bare root perennial plants are ready for planting. Are you ready for them? When to plant these in the garden and how to delay planting, if you must.
Perennials are sold either as bare root plants or as container grown plants. To know when to plant your bare root perennials (sold without soil) in the spring garden, follow these guidelines.
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