As imposing as bamboo, but without the inconvenience of sucking, Miscanthus giganteus is a giant grass, ideal for hiding an unsightly place.
If I knew the existence of this plant, I had never looked into its qualities, before having a wall to hide. A neighboring wall is in the process of being mounted on the edge of the garden. A wall that I was not allowed to invest with a climber, since it did not belong to me. During a stroll in the garden of Lepage Bord de mer (22), in the middle of winter, I took a secret path, a corridor rustling with a thousand thin and gigantic leaves. I took myself to Alice in Wonderland, in the middle of these golden rods reaching up to the sky, almost four meters from the ground.
When the wall in my garden was finished, I remembered this plant which, after three years, takes its place, without exceeding one square meter on the ground.
I planted a few shrubs, persistent and deciduous, to brighten up this partition with the seasons, even in winter, and, between each, I installed a base of miscanthus giganteus. Its ears and dry leaves persist throughout the winter. In March or April, I cut back the old stems when the new ones arrive. This tuft is very moving, flexible, and I forget the party wall. The dark green leaves, 25 mm wide, curl, giving the impression of a waterfall when it is windy. In May, I sow volubilis at their feet which cling to them, climb and flower them. I even installed a passion flower which clings to it, flowers and fruits in the middle of these canes. And, in the fall, when the flower spikes form, silvery and pinkish, dancing in the sky.
Simple to grow
Very hardy, miscanthus giganteus grows everywhere, in all good soil, where there is sun. Make a 40cm hole in all directions, bring compost to the original soil and plant it after soaking the root ball for a few minutes in a bucket of water. If it can compose a compact hedge to structure the garden – to be spaced every meter in this case -, it nicely dresses a background of massive. I also like it installed in a large pot, on the terrace, where it plays with the wind all the time. We gladly forgive him the two months when the tuft is bare, in March and April, between the time when we cut the old canes and the arrival of new ones.
Salvage: stakes and mulch
When you cut the stems in early spring, use them as stakes to hold tall perennials. As for the leaves, they make an excellent mulch in the beds, preventing unwanted grasses from settling.
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