Burning the Grass Garden

The perennial grass garden easily makes it through the winter. For years we trimmed back the dead foliage by hand; a long and tedious job.




One year, in discussion with an area wholesaler of garden products, the concept of burning was suggested. He noticed that the plants are all "cousins" of prairie grass that were re-generated for thousands of years by annual fires sparked by lightning as the spring storms arrived.


In the current world, a few scattered newspapers and some matches started our blaze. In less than 30 seconds, the dead grass is gone.






The perennial gradens await new growth. We will add a layer of mulch, and a new display will grow from the crowns of the old plants. The "tear-drop" shape of the two plots is criss-crossed by a stone path and in 6 to 8 weeks will be spectacular!