Explore Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.
rate this answer
Saturday - November 03, 2007
From: West End, NC
Region: Southeast
Topic: Grasses or Grass-like
Title: Plants for a Zen garden in North Carolina
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I am looking for plants that would be suitable for a ZEN style garden in North CarolinaANSWER:
Mr. Smarty Plants believes that you are looking for simple, graceful plants with a somewhat ordered shape that will lend an air of serenity to your Zen garden.GRASSES:
There are several bunch grasses that have this quality of grace and simplicity that would be suitable.
Eragrostis intermedia (plains lovegrass)
Muhlenbergia capillaris (hairawn muhly)
Deschampsia cespitosa (Tufted hair grass)
Elymus histrix (Bottle-brush grass)
Spartina pectinata (Prairie cord grass)
SEDGES:
Sedges are another possibility. They look very much like the grasses, but have the advantage of most of them being evergreen.
Carex blanda (eastern woodland sedge)
Carex pensylvanica (Pennsylvania sedge)
Rhynchospora colorata (starrush whitetop)
SHRUBS AND SMALL TREES:
Paronychia virginica (yellow nailwort)
Comptonia peregrina (sweet fern)
Yucca filamentosa (Adam's needle)
LARGER TREES:
Juniperus communis (common juniper)
Tsuga canadensis (Eastern hemlock). The fine texture of this tree makes it very attractive. Although it can grow to be a large tree (80 feet tall and 40 feet wide), it can be trimmed into a shrub. There is one variety, Sargentii, that has weeping branches that would be very attractive in a Zen garden setting.
You can see other lists of recommended native plants for your garden (not necessarily a Zen garden) on our "Recommended Species" page and on the North Carolina Botanical Garden web page.
More Grasses or Grass-like Questions
Special requirements for Density buffalograss in Austin
April 23, 2009 - Are there any special requirements for Density Buffalo beyond the requirements of other, more common, types of buffalo grass?
Background: We live in NW Austin, and we recently installed density bu...
view the full question and answer
Three native grasses in grass mix research
April 20, 2010 - On a recent visit to the wild flower center I was informed that you had satisfactory results from the grass mix research funded by Walmart. Please let us know which 3 grasses and the percentage of e...
view the full question and answer
Plantings for beneath a red oak in Lubbock TX
February 23, 2012 - What would you recommend to plant in a two tiered raised bed facing west, totally blocked from the east, thus receiving only the afternoon sun? A 21 year old red oak sits in the middle of the upper ra...
view the full question and answer
Prospects for newly-seeded Habiturf lawn from Round Rock TX
March 17, 2012 - Re: Habiturf installation
Can you provide feedback about how my newly seeded Habiturf lawn should look at various stages?
I think I prepped the lawn properly, but I may have planted too early (...
view the full question and answer
Ground cover for burned acreage in Bastrop, Texas
October 31, 2011 - The fire took 2/3 of the trees on my half acre in Bastrop County. It was mostly wild. What do I plant for ground cover? Do I plant native grass seed in fall? I want to keep it native as possible. ...
view the full question and answer
 |
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends. |
