What is gray fescue and how is it grown? Ornamental grass - gray fescue.

Description: perennial plants 20-140 cm tall, with or without creeping rhizomes. Leaf blades from fairly wide linear to very narrow, folded lengthwise. Panicles usually slightly spreading, 4-20 cm long; spikelets 0.5-1.5 cm long, with (2) 3-7 (10) flowers; lower lemmas lanceolate or lanceolate-ovate, 0.3-0.7 cm long, glabrous or short-haired, with 5 usually slightly visible veins, rounded on the back (without a keel), sharp at the apex, often with a straight spine.

Over 150 species of this genus, both mesophilic plants of meadows and forests, and xerophilic species very characteristic of the steppes, are distributed in almost all extratropical zones. the globe, as well as in the highlands of the tropical zone.

Genus Festucacovers many types of different appearance. A number of species are used as lawn plants. F. amethystina L., F. cinerea Vill., F. glauca Lam., F. glacialis Mieg. are also cultivated in the rock gardens of Western Europe. Some low species often form cushions, such as F. scoparia.bushy high views can be used as single plants, for example,F. gigantea(L.)vill., growing up to 150cm in height. Inflorescence - an ear with one or more flowers. The fruit is a grain. Pollinated, as a rule, by the wind, to which their flowers are also adapted. Long stamens rise from the anthers, and the slightest breath of wind can shake them.

Amethyst fescue- Festuca amethistina Homeland - the mountains of Central Europe and the Caucasus. Big blue fescue. Forms a good rounded tussock with flowers up to 60 cm high. The leaf is round in cross section, needle-like, the texture of the leaves is pleasant. An evergreen plant with leaves that range in color from blue-green to intense blue-gray. It blooms beautifully in June, the flowers rise high above the leaves on thin stems. Flower panicles are greenish-violet. It forms dense cushions, which by the age of ten can form a curtain with a diameter of up to 1 m. It grows well on poor, light, sandy, breathable soils, it does not tolerate only stagnant water. They plant it necessarily in a sunny place - a rocky hill, a lawn. In the shade, as well as on the nutritious soil, all its beauty disappears. The more sun, the better the island grows. amethyst, acquires an intense blue color. Adult specimens can occupy an area of ​​​​50 cm2, when planting, this should be taken into account and planted in groups of 3-5 plants at an appropriate distance. The flowers are small, in straight straw-yellow panicles, not very decorative, so I recommend cutting them off so that the plant does not deplete in vain. To obtain seeds, you can leave a few panicles on the largest beautiful curtain. In cold winters, the leaves may freeze, but recover quickly enough. 4 zone. Used in gardens as usual blue fescue. Good as an accent in the foreground. Propagated by seeds. "Aprilgrun"(syn. "Aprilgreen"). Green leaves; amethyst-colored stems. "Bronzeglanz". Spikelets have a slightly bronze tint. "Klose". Its olive leaves are shorter than those of other cultivars. "superba". The best and interesting variety fescue. Leaves of intense silver-blue color up to 30 cm long. Slender amethyst-colored stems up to 60 cm long appear in June. Spikelets of wheat color retain their decorative effect for about 3 weeks.

Valisian fescue (Tipchak)- Festuca valesiaca One of the most characteristic steppe plants central Russia. In chernozem regions, it is distributed everywhere, to the north - on dry manes of flood meadows. Densely soddy perennial, leaves are bluish-green from a wax coating. Stems thin up to 40 cm tall. Leaf blades 0.3-0.6 mm in diameter, sticking vertically upwards, much shorter than the stem, rough on the outside. Blooms in May-June. He likes sunny, dry places and humus-sandy soils, and is more calm about excess moisture than gray fescue. In one place it can grow for a long time, up to 5 years. Easily divided in spring and autumn, propagated by seeds. It can be used in the garden as a ground cover, goes well with many plants, in particular roses, unobtrusively emphasizing their beauty. Photo of Zheltovskaya Tatiana

Fescue highest- Festuca altissima All. Synonyms (lat): Poa sylvatica Poll., Festuca sylvatica (Poll.) Vill. Europe, Siberia, Caucasus, Kazakhstan Altai, Zap. Asia. It rarely occurs on the plains and mainly in the uplands and adjacent areas (Ccidcarpathia, Volyn-Podolsk, Smolensk-Moscow and Central Russian uplands, Yuryevskoe opole). Isolated localities of the species located on the plains are considered relict from the time of the post-glacial climatic optimum. It grows on brown forest, gray forest and sod-podzolic soils. Blossoms in the morning, from 4 to 7 hours (according to observations in the Cis-Urals). Plants are monoecious. Shoots are extravaginal, at the base with leathery scaly leaves. Vagina almost to the base split, rough. The leaf blades are flat, ribbed above. Panicles are short-spreading, with many spikelets strongly rough branches. Spikelet scales b.m. leathery, similar in texture to the lower lemmas, the latter without a keel, awnless. The lower lemmas are 5-6 mm long, rough along the back along the entire surface, with 3 veins. Anthers 2.5-3.5 mm long. Ovary densely hairy at apex. Caryopses at the base stick together with lemmas, grooved on the ventral side, with a long linear seed scar. Photo EDSR

Fescue Mayeri- Festuca Maieri It grows in the Atlas Mountains at an altitude of 2300 m. This fescue is well known thanks to the German naturalist Karl Forster. Forms a beautiful neat mound of flat gray-green leaves 60-80 cm high. Very thin graceful flower panicles appear in June. Cold-growing, like all fescue, tolerates high temperatures and soaking more easily than others. It grows slowly, but the grown bump is durable. Fully evergreen in mild climates. The accumulated old foliage is combed out with a rake in the spring. Prefers full sun, propagated by division in spring or by seed. 5 zone. Photo Severyakova Elena

Panicled fescue- Festuca scoparia Kerner and hack(F.crinumursi short. non ram) = F. gautieri Origin: Pyrenees. Very low perennial plant ( 10-15 cm tall with spikelets) . She has light green graceful leaves 5-8 cm high. Blooms in June, seeds ready in July. Over time, it forms large cushion thickets. Grows well in full sun, but also suitable for slightly shaded areas. I propagate by dividing adult specimens in early autumn or spring. The plant is evergreen, but sometimes after winter most of the leaves die off, then they must be cut off early in the spring and they will quickly grow back, because they begin to grow at a fairly low temperatures Oh. Decorativeness is restored quickly. "Pic Carlit"- see photo on the right, plant height 7-8 cm. The variety is ideal for rockeries. Zone 4 Photo on the left EDSR. Photo right Severyakova Elena

filiform fescue- Festuca filiformis, syn. F. tenuifolia It grows on acidic, sandy soils in Western and Central Europe, in the British Isles. Forms a tussock of the correct form with sharply protruding leaves growing in a dense bunch. The leaves are green, very pleasant texture, about 15 cm long. Blooms in June, peduncles up to 30 cm tall. Grows easily in well-drained soils in full sun or light shade. Grows early. Propagated by seeds or division. 4 zone. Good for creating contrast with blue-leaved fescue. Pictured on the left is Festuca filiformis" Grunling". Photo left Severyakova Elena Photo on the right EDSR

Sheep fescue- Festuca ovina Natural habitat - Western Europe, the north of the European part of Russia, Ukraine, the Volga region, Western Siberia. Loosely soddy plant; stems thin, triangular above. The leaves are bristle-shaped, long, sinuous, thin. Panicle oblong, rather loose, with deviated branches, often drooping. Spikelets are light green. Can be used for borders on large flower beds, paths, near the water. An indispensable lawn plant for dry and nutrient-poor soils, as well as sandy soils. When fertilizing the latter, it forms a dense lawn. The powerful root system of sheep fescue penetrates deep into the soil. Due to its low growth, it is successfully used on dry slopes. It tolerates heavy trampling and mowing up to 3.5 cm. It tolerates partial shade, grows well under pine trees. On dry sandy soils, it is grown in a mixture with red fescue. It has varieties with different heights of bushes and leaf color. Pictured is Festuca ovina "Vivipara". photo left Stepanova Lyudmila photo right Andrey Ganov

Siberian fescue- Festuca sibirica Hackel ex Boiss Synonyms (lat): Poa albida Turkish. ex Trin, Leucopoa sibirica Griseb., L. albida (Turcz. ex Trin.) Krivot., L. kreczetoviczii K. Sobol., Festuca sichotensis var. brevipaniculata Krivot., F. albida (Turcz. ex Trin.) Malysch. Siberia, Mongolia, Manchuria. On stony slopes, rocks, screes and pebbles, sometimes on sands; to the upper mountain belt. Plants are dioecious, densely soddy, with intravaginal renewal of shoots. Shoots at the base with light gray or brownish sheaths of dead leaves, partly disintegrating into fibers. Tongues of stem leaves 0.2-0.8 mm long. The vaginas are split almost to the base. Panicles slightly spreading, with b. m. rough twigs. Spikelet glumes are almost entirely membranous, differing markedly in texture and usually in color from the lower lemmas. The latter are evenly covered with spines along the back, with 3 strong and 2 weaker veins, pointed at the apex. Ovary densely hairy at apex. Caryopses are free, grooved on the ventral side, with a long linear seed scar. Photo left Terry Irina Photo on the right EDSR

Location: develop most successfully in a sunny, warm or hot, dry place. Young individuals are cold-resistant, but in the second or third year of life, individual specimens grow and begin to die from the center of the turf.

The soil: Moderately dry to dry, well loosened, low in humus and nutrients. Does not tolerate wet areas so good drainage is essential.

Festuca silica Photo EDSR.

Festuca dalmatica Photo EDSR.

Festuca pseudodalmatica Photo EDSR.

Care: in the spring, clear the bush of the remaining foliage. Cut off the panicles after flowering. Some ornamental species, such as gray fescue, can die off after 2-4 years of cultivation in one place, so it is recommended to divide and replant their bushes every 1-2 years. Some forms may have low frost resistance, so when purchasing planting material, try to choose plants grown in climatic conditions similar to yours.

Reproduction: division in the spring. The following method is also used: from autumn until the onset of frost, mother plants are planted in pots 7 cm in diameter and cleaned in a cold greenhouse.

Application: fescue is still one of the most widely used ornamental grasses in landscaping in Russia. It is planted in flower beds, borders, borders, mixborders. Gray fescue is perhaps the only ornamental grass widely used to create carpet flower beds. It can also be planted in masses near the lawn, shrubs, as well as with flowering summers - in containers and baskets. Gray fescue and Gauthier fescue are often grown in rock gardens and rockeries.

Partners: bells, felt bells, spikelet veronica. Fescue is planted in the form of a border or array next to low plants, such as geyhers, hosts, lungworts, cuffs, tradescantia, etc., or next to large solitary plants, such as molina, miscanthus, volzhanka, creating a bluish-silver background, on which large-sized ones will look even more impressive.

herbaceous perennial fescue belongs to the cereal family. In nature, the plant is widely distributed in meadow and forest zones of temperate and colder climates. There are more than six hundred species of fescue, which differ among themselves in the height of the stems and the color of the leaves. Some varieties are so unusual and beautiful that they are widely used in landscape design.

Fescue grass - description

Herbaceous perennial can have a height of ten to twenty centimeters. Some species that grow in nature grow to one or more meters. They have creeping or compact roots and are leafy lateral vegetative shoots . At the base of the plant and in the nodes of the shoots are linear leaves with a hairy or rough surface.

The width of the leaves reaches no more than one and a half centimeters. Along the vertical axis, they are folded in half and appear even narrower. At the end of the sheet platinum there is an awl-shaped outgrowth, and parallel veins run along the surface.

Fescue flowering begins in early summer. At this time, paniculate inflorescences with short spikelets are formed on it, which are held on a thin stalk. Each spikelet is 0.5 to 1.5 centimeters long. Long yellowish green flowers rise above the foliage, which gives the bush airiness.

Species and varieties

Of all the types of fescue that grow in nature, only about twenty are used to decorate garden and summer cottages.

Gray fescue. A favorite among flower growers, the perennial is distinguished by foliage of a bluish-blue or silver-green color. A bush with a height of fifty to sixty centimeters resembles a hummock and forms gray-green dense panicles. When the inflorescences fade, they become straw-colored. The most popular varieties:

1. Fescue Glacial titmouse- grass with blue-gray narrow leaves grows up to forty centimeters in height.
2. Fescue Lapis Lazuli is a plant with blue-silver leaves.
3. Fescue Blue tussock is a lush bush on which a large number of greenish-blue narrow leaves are formed.

Glacial titmouse and other varieties are unpretentious in care, but they do not tolerate frost well.

blue fescue. Ornamental grass from twenty to sixty centimeters high with gray leaves in the form of needles. When they grow, the bush takes on a spherical shape.

Blue fescue has tall inflorescences-panicles, the decorative effect of which occurs at the beginning of summer and persists until frost, even after flowering. The plant tolerates frost well, however, adult bushes can freeze slightly in snowless and cold winters.

red fescue. The perennial is distinguished by narrow, red-green foliage from thirty to forty centimeters long. The plant has dense, reddish side shoots and bare stems up to eight centimeters high. Sheet plates have a ribbed surface. Inflorescences in the form of panicles grow up to twelve centimeters. The variety prefers well-moistened soils and is not afraid of frost.

Sheep fescue. A low plant with a height of twenty to thirty centimeters consists of long, thin stems and bright green narrow foliage. When the leaves grow, sheep fescue looks like a spherical pillow. During flowering, drooping spikelets are formed, which are located on loose and oblong inflorescences. Sheep fescue is unpretentious in care, grows well on poor soils and is able to survive drought.

Gauthier fescue. A compact evergreen perennial up to ten centimeters in diameter can grow up to sixty centimeters. It has dark green filiform leaves and green-gray panicles, reaching a length of seven centimeters. Flowering occurs at the beginning of summer.

Cane fescue. A plant with dense stems up to one and a half meters high produces bare peduncles in June, on which drooping panicles up to twenty centimeters long are formed.

Gray fescue - planting and care

For heat-loving grass, sunny, calm areas are selected. The decorativeness of the plant depends on the lighting, so it is not recommended. plant in the shade of bushes or other tall perennials. In a sunny place, the bush will grow well and acquire a rich bluish-blue hue.

The soil should be slightly nutritious, moderately moist and light. When planting in the hole, drainage is added. If the soil on the site is poor, then ash, peat, humus and sand are added to it.

Landings are done after How will the frost threat pass?. The soil is previously dug up and, if necessary, fertilized. Then holes are made in the garden, the distance between which depends on the diameter of the adult bush. The bottom of the hole is sprinkled with drainage and soil, after which bushes are placed in them, which are sprinkled with soil mixture and watered.

Features of care

Perennial grass tolerates dry weather well and is unpretentious in care. But so that it does not lose its decorative effect, it is necessary to follow some rules:

1. From excess moisture in the soil, the roots of the plant begin to rot, as a result of which the entire bush suffers. Therefore, it should be watered only as needed, if the summer turned out to be hot and dry.
2. perennial long time grows well and develops on loamy and sandy soils, without requiring additional fertilizer. For the entire growing season, the bushes can be fed once or twice, using for this mineral fertilizers for decorative and deciduous plants. Their concentration should be two times less than what is written in the instructions.
3. So that the bushes do not lose their decorative effect, in spring and summer they need sanitary pruning. In spring, the grass is freed from dry and frozen leaves. After flowering in the summer, wilted flower stalks are cut off. They are left only if you need to collect seed material.
4. Every two or three years it is necessary to renew the bush, since the old one dries up and dies in the middle over time. To do this, it is divided and seated on new beds.
5. Many varieties are frost-resistant, however, in snowless winters, bushes can freeze. Therefore, it is recommended to cover them with dry peat, leaves or straw with the onset of cold weather. It is interesting that young plants are most resistant to frost. That's why experienced gardeners after flowering, adult bushes are divided and seated. They manage to take root until autumn and tolerate winter well.

Fescue breeding

Plants can be propagated in two ways:

• dividing the bush;
• seeds.

The division of the bush

Vegetative propagation method carried out in the spring before the flowering of the plant or in the fall, when all the flower stalks fade. An overgrown bush is selected for reproduction. It is dug up with a shovel and divided into parts. You can only use the side divisions, since the core dies off and is not suitable for reproduction.

A bed is being prepared for the bushes, on which it is first necessary to make small holes. Planted delenki are watered, and the soil around them is sprinkled with mulch or small pebbles.

Experienced gardeners advise propagate fescue in this way only in spring. So that the adult bush, which will be divided, does not freeze in winter, it is dug up and stored until spring in a greenhouse.

Fescue seeds can be collected independently, for which ripened large ears are cut off and well dry at home. Dried seeds can be sown in the garden in the fall before the onset of cold weather or in the spring, when frosts have passed. For them, holes are prepared with a depth of three to four centimeters. Five to seven seeds are placed in each hole. In this case, the bush will turn out lush. There can be any distance between holes.

Fescue also propagates by self-sowing, forming young shoots around the bushes. It can be dug up and transplanted to new beds.

To young plant become decorative and bloomed in early summer, you can grow fescue seedlings and plant them in open ground with the onset of warm days. Seedlings are grown using the following technology:

1. In the first half of March, seeds are sown in seedlings with light soil. From above they are moistened with water from a spray bottle. It is not necessary to sprinkle the seeds with sand or soil.
2. The containers are covered with glass or polyethylene from above and placed in a well-lit place. Shoots will appear in a warm room in a few days.
3. So that the seedlings do not stretch out, they are placed in a bright place, but with lower temperatures.
4. When the seedlings have two true leaves, they are transplanted into separate containers. Each pot sits on a few bushes.

Pests and diseases

Gardeners value fescue also because it is resistant to diseases and pests. If a crop grows in soils that are too wet for it, it can develop fungal disease opheobelosis. In this case, the stem begins to rot at the bush. The disease spreads rapidly, and after a while the stems and leaves turn black.

An infected plant cannot be treated. It must be dug up and burned, and the soil treated with fungicides. The fungus quickly spreads around the site, as a result of which other plants become infected.

Fescue is widely used to decorate gardens in many climatic zones. The unpretentious culture is combined with many plants, so it can be used to create various compositions. The main thing is to show imagination and do not forget that the plant does not like too wet soils.

A charming plant in the form of a hemispherical curtain looks unusual due to the color of the aerial part. Gray fescue shines with a variety of metallic blue and gray-green hues. Narrow leaves - like a bunch of swords or rapiers. Find out what conditions are required for the plant to look spectacular.

Gray fescue: growing requirements

Varieties derived from this species have gained particular popularity among landscape designers, gardeners and gardeners. Gray fescue differs from other members of the Cereal family in shape and texture, big amount uses in landscape design.

Closely related species - filiform fescue, Meyeri, amethyst and Valisian - have a bluish tint or green color. The "heroine" of our description and related plants are extremely resistant to drought and trampling, undemanding to care.

Landing in open ground

The height of the gray fescue is from 25 to 60 cm. The plant forms a bush of an almost perfect hemispherical shape. A bundle of slightly decumbent narrow linear leaves and straight flower stalks crowned with panicle inflorescences depart from the fibrous root.

Site and soil preparation

Gray fescue does not impose special requirements on seat generally. However, the selected area must receive enough light to show the characteristic steel color of the plant. Suitable well-lit slopes and areas in the garden, the southern and eastern sides of the rockery, rock garden. Before planting, it is enough to free the area from weeds and dig.

Harmful to fescue piercing wind, damp air. Therefore, when choosing a place, areas protected from drafts are preferable.

Almost all cereal plants are undemanding to soil conditions. Dry to moderately dry, well-drained, breathable substrates are suitable for fescue. The plant behaves paradoxically in relation to soil fertility. Light, loose, nutrient-poor soils are best suited.

Landing dates

A favorable time for planting and transplanting gray fescue is April and October. Plants with a closed root system, purchased from nurseries and garden centers, are planted both in spring and throughout the warm season of the year.

Blue fescue, which is also found under the names gray fescue, as well as ash, is one of the most decorative perennial grasses with bluish-blue foliage.

Decorative blue fescue is perfect for those gardeners who prefer plants unusual species. She interested them with her magnificent spherical shape and narrow needle-shaped leaves of a bluish hue, which even in winter do not lose their attractiveness.

in adulthood, it is a spherical hummock up to 35-40 cm high. Fescue is grown mainly for decorating ridges, mixborders and rock gardens. The spherical blue fescue looks very impressive on even lawns with undersized shrubs, near small artificial reservoirs and around large single landings. Thanks to its beautifully colored foliage, fescue is used in city parks to create spectacular flower beds and mosaic panels.

What care does blue fescue require?

Fescue is not spoiled by the conditions of detention, but grows well in warm areas with abundant solar lighting. If the plant does not have enough sun, the leaves will turn into the usual green color, and the blue fescue will lose its natural decorative appearance. Fescue begins to bloom in June and blooms until the end of the season, releasing long gray-green peduncles-ears with a lilac tint.

Gardeners try to get rid of them in time, as the plant spends a lot of energy on their growth.

The fescue prefers light, breathable, low-nutrient and well-drained soil. Well suited areas with sandy soils. Most likely, this is due to its mountain-alpine origin.

Fescues do not tolerate drying out or waterlogging of the soil, but prefer moderate watering. On the damp areas part of the fescue bushes rots and dies, and after 2-3 years the plant dies completely.

Fescue at the age of 3 years begins to be divided and seated. This must be done every 2 years. So the plant will have leaves larger and with a more saturated color.

Blue fescue tolerates winter satisfactorily and can winter without special shelter. During severe frosts, some leaves of the plant may freeze out, but in the spring and summer they quickly recover. In early spring, the plant is cleared with a special rare-toothed rake and rid of frozen and dry leaves.

Blue fescue is resistant to diseases and pests. During the entire period of active growth, she may never get sick. This quality also attracts gardeners.

Methods for breeding blue fescue

Fescue can be propagated in many ways: seed, seedlings and division of the bush.

Seeds are sown immediately into the ground in May days, when warm weather sets in or late autumn under winter. Sow them in nests, placing them at a distance of 18-20 cm from each other. The seeds are lightly sprinkled and moistened. Growing together in the nest, they eventually form a spherical fluffy tussock.

You can grow fescue seedlings by planting seeds in small boxes. For this, a light substrate is best suited. Seeds are sown on the surface of the soil and do not sprinkle. They themselves grow into the ground with sharp tips. Crops are watered with settled water, covered with transparent glass and placed in a warm sunny place.

After the seeds have sprouted, the seedling box is moved to a bright but cooler place to avoid stretching and exhaustion of the sprouts. When the seedlings grow up, and the plant has two leaves, you can transplant into separate pots for indoor plants, and plant them in a permanent place in the garden in May.

If you sow seeds for seedlings in mid-March, then when sufficient watering in May there will already be strong and friendly seedlings, which can be safely planted in the ground in a permanent place.

Gray fescue (Calle Island) - highly decorative perennial the cereal family. The unusual color of grass-leaves and rare unpretentiousness won the hearts of gardeners who pay attention to the design of their plots. Special attention. Gray fescue is easy to plant and requires minimal care, which increases its attractiveness.

Gray fescue is a herbaceous bush-clump up to 60 cm high. Narrow long leaves are painted in bluish-blue, silver-green, ashy colors, for which it is often given the corresponding names - ashen fescue, blue fescue. It is noteworthy that the shade of the leaves often changes with weather conditions.

The narrow evergreen leaves of fescue have an unusual shape for cereals - they are thin tubes, which gives the bush an unconventional look, and also saves moisture. Spherical bushes are dense, prone to growth. The root system is small, formed by dense thin roots.

Calle fescue blooms in the first half of summer. Although the flowers are small and inconspicuous, on the whole the plant looks impressive: spikelet inflorescences seem to float in the air on thin stems.

For the design of flower beds, varieties of gray fescue from domestic seed producers are often used.

• Glacial Titmouse - a herbal bush about 40 cm high, tube leaves of a blue-gray color. Does not require special care, however, it is prone to freezing in snowless cold winters.
• Lapis lazuli is a compact dense bush, not exceeding 20 cm. The color of the leaves is steel, with a blue tint. Unpretentious, grown mainly in middle lane as a groundcover.
• Blue Tussock - a tall spherical bush with leaves of azure-blue color. Ideal for poor and dry soils.

For planting on the site, varieties and forms of fescue are acquired, zoned for the area. When choosing, pay attention to the peculiarities of growing a variety, since there are also lovers of wet places (Azurit) and those requiring frequent watering(Blaufuhs). This applies to varieties of European selection.

Landing methods

All fescue grow with pleasure in well-lit places. In the most sultry, sun-drenched areas, they feel great. This feature is used in the design of the southern and eastern slopes of the alpine hills. But they are poorly adapted to the shade, they lose their exquisite color.

When choosing a place to plant, it is important to consider that the plant does not like piercing winds and drafts.

Fescue is also unusual in that it does not require fertile soil. Loose, with good air permeability, the soil that dries quickly after rain suits the plant best. To avoid stagnant water, which is detrimental to the roots, it is often necessary to lay a drainage layer at the landing sites. Clay areas easily structured by adding sand and rotted compost, but not more than 3 liters of the mixture per square meter.

Preparing a site for planting fescue consists of digging the soil and removing weeds.

Planting seeds

When growing species forms, one of three options is used:

• direct sowing in open ground;
• seedling method;
• self-seeding transplant.

All options are equally good, seedlings easily take root in place, but with direct sowing, seedlings appear earlier.

Growing varietal fescue from seeds, if they are collected on their own, is not recommended, because the plant loses the qualities inherent in the variety, including frost resistance.

Sowing seeds in open ground is carried out with the onset of consistently warm weather in the spring or shortly before the onset of cold weather in the fall according to the following algorithm.

1. On one's own harvested seeds etched in a solution of potassium permanganate. Purchased in a specialized store, additional processing is not needed.
2. Holes for sowing seeds are dug 5 cm deep, the distance between them is at least 10 cm.
3. Several seeds are placed in each hole (the lush shape of the bushes will form earlier with this sowing).
4. Seeds are covered with earth, rammed, watered.

Sprouts appear in 2-3 weeks.

Seedlings are grown from the beginning of May according to the following method.

1. The substrate for seed germination is selected light, with good moisture and breathability.
2. Seeds are laid out on the surface of the soil mixture, sprayed with water from a spray bottle.
3. The seedling container is covered with a film and placed in a warm place with good lighting. In a greenhouse, the seeds germinate in a few days.
4. When shoots appear, the container is transferred to a cool windowsill. At lower temperatures, the seedlings will not stretch and lie on the ground.
5. After the formation of two true leaves, the seedlings dive. For growing them, several pieces are placed in separate containers.

In the first half of May, seedlings are planted in a permanent place in the garden. Landing scheme can be any:

• dotted line - at a distance of half a meter between copies;
• linearly (for decorating borders) or with a solid carpet - with an interval of 15-20 cm.

Moisturizing seedlings is treated extremely carefully: excess moisture, even the smallest, leads to decay of the root system.

Vegetative way

Vegetative propagation of gray fescue is practiced for varietal plants. It is combined with transplanting or dividing overgrown bushes.

Optimal timing - early spring, before the start of sap flow, or autumn, when the plant is preparing for winter period rest.

The procedure for the spring division of the bush:

1. dig up heavily overgrown bushes or intended for transplantation;
2. carefully divide them into parts with a sharp knife, trying to minimally disturb the earthen clod;
3. delenki planted in designated places;
4. the middle part of the bush, which violates the decorativeness of the plantings, is removed and no longer used.

The optimal age of a fescue intended for division is at least two years.

If vegetative reproduction scheduled for autumn, they act according to a different algorithm, which allows maintaining the winter hardiness of fescue.

1. The mother bush is dug up with a clod of earth.
2. They place it in a container and determine it for wintering in a cold place (2-5 ° C) with good lighting and low humidity - cold veranda, an empty greenhouse in winter, etc.
3. At the end of winter or the beginning of spring, the bush is divided, the divisions are placed in containers with a substrate (garden soil, humus and sand in equal parts).

Planting delenok in open ground is carried out in late May - early June.

With any planting method, it is preferable to plant several copies of fescue in one hole - so young plants will not be “lost” next to their neighbors.

Gray fescue care

Fescue is so unassuming that it requires little to no care.

Watered very rarely and sparingly. Abundant watering is required only immediately after planting / transplanting. The expression “it is better to underfill than overfill” is applicable to fescue, so indifferently it tolerates drought. During the planting season, fescue is irrigated 2-3 times.

Mulching the soil next to the fescue bushes with decorative materials additionally gives two positive results: moisture retention and a barrier to weeds.

The ratio of fescue to top dressing is the same - the less, the better. Fertilizers are applied only in those cases when the plant slows down or stops development. In spring, specimens growing on rocky areas are fed. For top dressing, complex mineral fertilizers or organics are used.

When fertilizing under fescue, strictly follow the manufacturer's instructions. It is impossible to exceed the recommended dosage: excessively fertilized soil will immediately affect the decorativeness of the plant.

Pruning is carried out in the spring in order to restore the decorative effect of the curtains: dead, dried or frozen leaves are removed. The procedure is performed manually or with garden shears. You can use a rake - hard fescue leaves will not suffer from a rough "comb".

At the end of flowering, flower stalks are removed, preventing the seeds from ripening if they are not interested in self-sowing. To collect their planting material, the largest spikelets are left, which are then cut and dried in a dry, shaded place.

The disadvantages of fescue include "baldness" of the central part of the curtains as they grow. When the first bald spots appear, the bushes are transplanted: they dig out, divide into parts and sit down again. With extensive planting of cereals, this disadvantage turns into a significant difficulty. The optimal transplantation time is every two to three years.


Preparation for winter is determined by the variety and the climatic conditions of the growing region. Always cover plants of European selection and imported from warm regions. With a high degree of probability of a harsh winter with little snow, hardy domestic varieties are also covered using straw or dry leaves.

Fescue has good immunity to major diseases garden plants and pest attacks. It is extremely rare that grass can become infected with fungal diseases from plants growing in the immediate vicinity. The most dangerous of these diseases is helminthosporiasis, which manifests itself in spots on the leaves, rotting of the root system, and coloring of peduncles in brown. At the first signs of the disease, the plants are sprayed with fungicides - "Fundazol", "Topaz". If time is lost, diseased plants are dug up and burned, the soil is carefully treated with copper-containing preparations.

Fluffy gray fescue curtains serve as an excellent backdrop for flowering plants. Especially effectively it emphasizes large tapeworms, borders of lawns and flower beds. As a ground cover, it is used to secure loose rocky slopes.

Gray fescue is the dream of any gardener, lazy or overly busy growing more capricious plants. A minimum of hassle associated with planting and caring for unusually colored grass gives excellent long-term results.

gray fescue It is a compact, spherical plant. It is a small bush that has a specific color. This herbaceous plant belongs to the grass family.

In nature, it is found in forests and meadows. A hardy shrub common in the temperate zone. The plant is used for landscape design.

Ornamental shrub easily takes root on various soils. Poor nutrition and dry land are not a problem. This quality greatly simplifies gardeners planting and caring for shrubs.

The culture got its name due to the blue color. The color of the leaves changes with the onset of cold weather. In winter, the shrub turns pale, but this effect does not affect the appearance of the flower bed.

Description

The second name of the culture is blue fescue. This fluffy bush has the following description:

• Reaches a height of 20 to 60 centimeters.
• The leaves are narrow and also plate-shaped. The color of the leaves is gray, blue and green.
• Shrub roots are small.
• Small flowers that are brown in color. The flowers form barely visible inflorescences. Flowering begins in June and ends at the end of July. The shrub throws out a straight peduncle during the flowering period, which rises slightly above the tussock.
• The seeds are small. Seeds are formed after flowering.

Life expectancy is 5 to 10 years. After 5 years of cultivation, a transplant to a fresh site is recommended. If the fescue dries out, it is allowed to transplant earlier. For growing from seeds, sunny plots of land will be preferable. In landscaping, low grades are used to fill in soil space. These small bumps form a kind of carpet that can be turned into a pattern. The plant has beneficial properties on the ground. Growing this shrub allows you to protect a piece of land from weeds.

Fescue varieties

Fescue varieties differ slightly from each other. The differences are in the shades of colors.

• Azurit, Blausilber, Silberreiher. These varieties are blue in color with a silver tint.
• meerblau. Shades of sea water.
• Daeumling. The plant reaches a height of only 15 centimeters. It is used in landscaping as a carpet covering of a piece of land.
• Fruhlingsblau, Blaufuchs, Blaufink, Blauglut. Varieties have a silver tint.
• Seeigel. Fescue of this variety has blue and green hues.
• Soiling. Blue coloration. There are representatives of ashen coloring.
• Festuca cinerea. One of the most popular varieties. In height reaches up to 60 centimeters.

reproduction

The most common way to propagate fescue is vegetative. For plant propagation vegetatively most big bush arnica. The shrub is divided into several parts that are used for planting.

The second way is to plant seeds. Seeds can be planted into open ground and also for seedlings. Seeds can be bought at the store or collected by yourself.

For self-collection of seeds, the most mature and big spikelets. The spikelet is cut off and then dried. Only after that you can collect the seed for planting. When buying seeds in a store, you must consider resistance to frost. The thing is that some varieties of gray fescue do not tolerate cold seasons.

Landing

Planting as well as propagating is a simple process. The first step is to choose a site for the plant. A good place to land would be well lit areas. It is advisable to plant gray fescue away from taller plants. The shadow has a negative effect on the brightness of the color of the shrub.

The soil should not form moisture stagnation. Abundant amount of moisture negatively affects the plant.

Due to stagnant water, the shrub begins to rot and soon dies. To prevent this from happening, the earth must be provided with a drainage layer.

If the land is very scarce, it can be enriched with top dressing. However, it is not necessary to apply a significant amount of fertilizer. Fescue grows well in any soil. Often, decorative gravel is used in combination with fescue gray.

Planting seeds

Seeds can be sown both in open ground and in a pot for seedlings. Before planting in the ground, the seeds are treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Gray fescue is sown in such a way that the holes are located next to each other. It is necessary to put 5-7 seeds in one hole. Thus, a lush bush will be formed. A hole for seeds is dug no more than 5 centimeters deep.

There should be a distance of 10-20 centimeters between the holes. After sowing the seeds, the hole is covered with earth and lightly compacted. Seeds should be sown in the spring when the weather stabilizes. The first shoots will appear 2 weeks after planting.

Seedling

Seeds are planted in a small pot. Suitable for planting seedlings will be a peat pot. A peat pot can be planted in the ground without taking out the sprouts. Seeds do not need to be sprinkled with earth, but must be moistened with a spray bottle. The container is covered with a film to form a greenhouse. The seed container is placed in a warm place. In such conditions, the first shoots appear after a few days. The container is transferred to a cooler area when the seedlings hatch. Seedlings must be transplanted in groups. Such groups form lush bushes. Seedlings are transplanted into the ground in the spring, when frosts pass.

Planting vegetatively

Vegetation shrub is divided only when it is more than 2 years old. For this, the largest bush is selected. Before dividing, the plant hardens. For hardening, the plant is dug up and transplanted into a separate container. A container with shrubs is placed in a cool place under abundant lighting. Gray fescue, which has been hardened before the vegetative method of division, grows better. She gains mass faster than plants planted in the usual way.

Gray fescue care

Unpretentious culture practically does not need any care. The plant survives dry weather well on depleted land. However, there are some care rules that must be observed.

Pruning is done as follows:

• After wintering, it is necessary to pluck dried leaves. Dry leaves are removed with a rake. This event will bring the shrub into a beautiful view.
• For the purpose of beauty decorative design the entire summer peduncle is removed. If there is a need to collect seeds, then the largest ear is left.

Watering is carried out as follows:

• Fescue is a drought tolerant plant. The shrub easily tolerates the absence of water, but excess moisture is detrimental.
• Watering every day is not necessary. You need to water the shrub when it really needs it. The plant lives quietly on dry land, but it should not be cracked.

Transplantation:

• The disadvantage of this plant is that it must be replanted. The shrub becomes obsolete every 2-3 years.
• In such situations, it must be divided into several parts, and notice them seated.

Top dressing:

• If the soil is very bad, you need to feed.
• For top dressing, you can use liquid fertilizers for flowers. Top dressing must be applied according to the fertilizer instructions. It is advisable to apply a fertilizer that contains minerals.

gray fescue

Preparation for wintering is carried out as follows:

• In general, the plant is not afraid of low temperatures. Most leaflets survive, but some may dry out. Dried leaves are removed in spring.
• Young plants are more resistant to frost than old ones. During severe frosts, you can cover the bush with a film or straw.

• Gray fescue is not susceptible to diseases, as well as pests.
• The plant can rot if it is exposed to copious amounts of moisture. In such situations, the shrub is dug up and then dried. The rotten parts must be separated and discarded, and the healthy ones should be planted back.

Fescue in all its varieties is incredibly decorative precisely because of its simplicity: thick thin leaves-needles form real “balls”, from which rare spikelets stick out on tall thin pedicels during flowering. It looks perky and spectacular, especially if the cereals set off the brighter flowers.

Gray shades are especially interesting due to their rarity. A slightly bluish tint effectively sets off any green plants and even bright flowers. It is impossible to refuse such an attractive plant, which, moreover, is very easy to care for.

Conditions for growing fescue

Lighting

This ornamental grass is very fond of the sun, so choose well-lit areas. Fans will especially enjoy rocky gardens: the plant easily tolerates heat and lack of moisture, so feel free to plant fescue where you can sometimes “forget” about it.

It should be remembered that the penumbra or shadow is perceived sharply negatively by the grass, and the gray-gray species can change color, losing their decorative bluish tint.

The soil

Fescue is suitable for garden soil of any composition, but loose soil without stagnant moisture is preferable. For the full development of the plant, it is necessary that the soil structure is air and moisture permeable. It is easy to achieve the desired structure: if the earth is clayey, heavy, you need to add sand and a little loose organic matter (rotted compost), but no more than a third of a bucket per square meter. Excess humus is perceived by the plant negatively. The best soil for the plant - rocky soil with good drainage, where fescue manifests itself in all its glory.

Wintering

The good cold resistance of fescue allows it to be grown in areas with severe winters, even without covering. By purchasing planting material, it is better to consult how successfully this species takes root in the conditions of your area and choose already tested varieties. So you can protect yourself from any unpleasant surprises and get a variety that will feel great in the climatic conditions of your zone.

Transplantation and rejuvenation

Fescue grows in one place up to 2-3 years, after which the bush begins to degenerate. To rejuvenate the plantings, you will have to dig and separate the bushes, planting them less often. you should not be upset at the same time: fescue grow rapidly and in the first year reach maximum decorativeness.

How to care for fescue

Fescue care in the open field Photo with flowers

Lazy gardeners will be very happy to know that apart from a good choice of location and soil, the plant does not need anything else. Yes, transplant every three years. The rest of the worries about watering and top dressing will be completely superfluous.

A good result will be given by mulching the soil with decorative pebbles: weeds will not break through such a mulch, condensation will form under it at night (here you have watering), and in the heat there will be no intensive evaporation of moisture.

To keep the bushes in nice view, in the spring it is enough to remove dead leaves by cutting them or “combing out” with a rake. After flowering, it will not be superfluous to cut dried panicles. That's all the "wisdom" in the care of fescue.

Reproduction of fescue by dividing the bush

Transplantation, rejuvenation of the bush and its division, reproduction of fescue - all this is a simple and accessible process to everyone. It is enough to pry a clod of earth under the fescue with a shovel and dig it out. With a sharp knife divide the bush into several parts, maintaining the integrity of the earthy coma. The dead central part of the bush is thrown away.

New bushes are planted at a distance of 15-20 cm, if they want to get a solid carpet, or less often (50-60 cm), so that the plants look apart.

You can breed fescue in early spring, for which, since autumn, mother plants dug out and transplanted into pots are brought into a cold room. They contain them at low positive temperatures, but provide good lighting. In spring, the plants are divided and planted in a flower bed.

Growing fescue from seeds

Fescue seeds photo How and when to sow fescue

How and when to sow fescue in the ground

Growing fescue from seeds is not difficult. Sowing begins at the end of March, as soon as the soil is ripe. The seeds are large enough, so you can plant decorative fescue one seed at a distance of 10-15 cm. The depth of embedding is 2-3 cm. Lawn grasses are simply scattered evenly over the surface of the earth and covered with a rake. In the spring, there is enough moisture in the ground for the plants to germinate. But if you want to speed up the process, you can occasionally water the bed, however, avoiding overflow and the formation of an earthen crust.

When shoots appear, you need to remove the weeds and loosen the soil. Fescue grows and develops very quickly, so by the end of summer you will get full-fledged bushes.

How to grow fescue from seeds for seedlings at home

fescue seedling

Patient gardeners like to grow fescue through seedlings. To do this, at the end of February, seedlings are prepared, filled with loose earth. Plant 1-2 seeds in each cup and lightly water. The place should be chosen warm and well lit, better south or east windows.

Remember that moisture stagnation is unacceptable, so there must be drainage holes in the bottom of the cups, and excess water from the pan must be drained.

Plants grow and develop quite quickly. Already in April, provided there are no frosts, fescue seedlings are planted in a flower bed using the transshipment method. The distance between the holes is approximately 15 cm.

The best types of fescue with a description and photo

Blue or gray fescue Festuca glauca

Gray fescue planting and care Blue fescue photo

The most popular species that has earned the attention of gardeners with its unusual blue tint. Separately planted bushes, growing, form spherical curtains resembling fluffy pompoms. Thin, sharp leaves are tough enough to keep their shape even in strong winds and precipitation. During flowering, rare paniculate inflorescences beautifully emphasize round balls of leaves. the height of the bushes is from 30 to 60 cm, depending on the variety.

Myra fescue Festuca mairei

Fescue Maira Festuca mairei photo

Gives a special romanticism to any flower garden, diluting the colors and introducing touches of naturalness, non-interference of man in the harmony of nature. Beautiful spheres, which have a somewhat "tousled" look, are effectively combined with bright colors such as echinacea.

Red meadow fescue Festuca rubra

Red fescue Festuca rubra photo

Lawn grass, reaches a height of 60 cm, perfectly tolerates a haircut. It has long been a pasture plant, and only recently landscape designers have shown interest in it due to the unusual reddish tint of spike-shaped inflorescences.

Filamentous fescue Festuca filiformis

Fescue filiform Festuca filiformis photo

Incredibly thin needle-like leaves of this plant look beautiful next to other plants, being an expressive background for brighter representatives of the flora. Landscape designers are happy to use filiform fescue in group plantings, adding grace and unique charm to compositions.

Glacial fescue Festuca glacialis

Glacial fescue Festuca glacialis photo

A magnificent plant for rock gardens: with its hard, needle-like leaves, the grass looks very impressive against the background of large decorative stones. The spherical compact shape is particularly attractive with its finished look. Paniculate spikelets-inflorescences with a slight lilac tint turn the bush into a fantastic firework.

Siberian fescue Festuca sibirica

Siberian fescue Festuca sibirica photo

A very hardy perennial that can be grown in the harshest conditions. This fescue is planted as a lawn grass and as an ornamental grass in flower beds. The grass is low, up to 20 cm in height, paniculate spike-shaped inflorescences have a reddish tint. Grows even on poor stony soils, does without watering.

Valisian fescue or fescue Festuca valesiaca

Valisian fescue or fescue Festuca valesiaca photo

It resembles Siberian, grows very densely in the ground, forming strong sods. The density of green bristles is obtained through annual self-seeding, due to which dying old bushes are replaced by young ones. Suppresses any weeds, aggressively conquering territories. Very decorative during the flowering period: light gray panicles-inflorescences effectively stand out against the background of dark green needle-shaped leaves.

Cane fescue Festuca arundinacea

Cane fescue Festuca arundinacea photo

It is a lawn grass with high resistance to trampling. It has a well-developed, powerful root system, thanks to which it is able to extract moisture from the deep layers of the soil, even in dry periods. Saves attractive appearance and does not fade even in extreme heat. Handles shearing well. Thanks to its many advantages, it has earned special love from landscape designers.

Sheep fescue Festuca ovina

Sheep fescue Festuca ovina photo

This is also a lawn grass, characterized by intensive growth. Powerful fescue roots are so weaving upper part soil that it is not subject to erosion during the rainy season. The grass is resistant to trampling, tolerates frequent haircuts, quickly growing young greens.

Meadow fescue Festuca pratensis

Meadow fescue Festuca pratensis photo

High frost resistance, excellent endurance in any conditions have gained high popularity of this lawn grass, which was included in various mixtures. Perfectly tolerates haircuts, quickly restores the vegetative mass. Very decorative even in group plantings in a flower bed.

Blue or gray fescue in landscape design photo selection

Gray fescue in landscape design photo

The spherical shape of the bushes, an unusual metallic bluish tint give room for imagination: in any flower garden or rock garden, such a plant will become a real highlight. Planted fescue randomly in group plantings or form geometric patterns in the form of rows, rectangles, semicircles, circles, triangles. Cereals are beautiful with any wild flowers or bright colors of red, blue.

Fescue in the design of the recreation area photo

Gray fescue is planted not only in flower beds: alternating clearings of various ornamental cereals in the roadside area look quite original.

Fescue blue landing and care Photo in the urban landscape

Very beautiful landings field herbs like an ornamental yarrow.

Blue fescue growing from seeds photo

Compositions with undersized flowers of purple, blue, red shades are popular. White and cream flowers also look good against a bluish fescue background.

Gray fescue photo with flowers

Joint landings also look beautiful. different types fescue, for example, blue and Valisian.

Fescue in landscape design photo

There are many options, the main thing is to use your imagination and not be afraid to experiment. Inspiration to create your own unique design garden!

Gray fescue in urban design photo

Gray fescue in a rocky garden photo

Fescue blue and young in the photo

Fescue gray planting and care in the open field

As decorative element gray fescue is very widely used in the garden. Due to its unusual color, this plant has another name - blue bush.

Description

Fescue is a cereal perennial grass with about 300 species. It grows mainly in the temperate and subtropical climate zone. The homeland of the plant is the Caucasus, the Baltic states, the countries of Central Europe. The most popular among gardeners is gray fescue, planting and caring for which are not particularly difficult. This "humble" representative of the flora helps to give the garden a wonderfully beautiful look.

Small bushes of this plant, whose height varies from 25 to 40 cm, are covered with evergreen narrow leaves. Their color can be different - from bluish to deep blue. In June, flowers appear in the form of spikelets-panicles, which at first have a blue-green color and, gradually fading, become almost brown. The seeds that form at the site of the inflorescences are very small - up to 700 pieces can be counted in 1 gram. With the onset of cold weather, the color of fescue becomes paler.

Growing conditions

Gray fescue prefers places that are dry, warm and well lit by the sun. But it also tolerates partial shade well. The most suitable soils for this plant will be sandy-humus, loose, breathable and well-drained, with little nutrient content. When choosing a landing site, damp areas where stagnant water is possible should be avoided.

Fescue grows best in warm weather. The optimum temperature for it is from 19 to 27⁰С. Fescue tolerates dry and hot days very well. Young plants have higher frost resistance; with age, the ability to withstand colds decreases significantly.

reproduction

You can grow fescue in different ways - by seeds, dividing the bush or seedlings. After flowering, the largest spikelets are harvested and, after drying, the seeds are removed from them. They can be immediately sown in the ground in late autumn or in spring, when warmer weather sets in. So that in the future the gray fescue looks like a beautiful and fluffy bump, the seeds are sown in nests.

For seedling method you will need small boxes filled with a light substrate. In them, seeds are sown directly on the surface of the soil, without sprinkling, then watered, covered with glass or film and placed in a warm place well lit by the sun. After about a few days, the first shoots appear.

So that the seedlings do not stretch too much, as soon as the seeds sprout, the box is placed in a cooler place. When two leaves are formed on seedlings, they are placed in separate pots. By May, it will be ready for planting in open ground strong seedlings if sown seeds no later than mid-March.

Gray fescue can successfully reproduce by dividing the bush. This is done in the fall or spring when the plant reaches two years of age.

Landing and care

Sowing seeds in open ground is the easiest way to grow fescue. To do this, 5-8 seeds are immediately placed in a planting hole no larger than 5 cm. The pits are placed at a distance of 10 cm from each other, making about five nests in this way, each of which is sprinkled with soil mixture and watered. After 2-3 weeks shoots already appear, which after 6 months turn into a lush bump.

Absolutely unpretentious plant is the gray fescue. Planting and caring for it in the future are quite simple. The main thing is not to get involved in watering. It should be carried out as needed so that the soil is not too wet or dry.

Care mainly consists in pruning the dried parts of the plant. It is recommended to divide the bush every 2 years and transplant to ensure more lush flowering.

Advantages and disadvantages

Gray fescue is of great importance as a garden decoration. Growing it is quite simple, even a novice grower can do it. This is a very hardy plant that can withstand high air temperatures, which makes it much easier to care for. In addition, fescue is undemanding to soils and tolerates the presence of lime in them well.

The disadvantages include poor frost resistance, the inability to grow this plant in shaded and damp areas. Periodic division of the bush for the purpose of renewal, which is required for a plant such as gray fescue, makes caring for large plantings more laborious.

Varieties

There are several varieties of this plant, which differ slightly from each other in color and height. For example, Azurit, Blausilber, Silberreiher have a silver-blue leaf color, and the Meerblau variety is distinguished by a shade of sea water. Among flower growers, Festuca cinerea is the most popular, which forms a rather large lush bush up to 60 cm in size, covered with blue-green narrow leaves.

Application in landscape design

In gardens, fescue is used primarily as a groundcover. Most of all, it is suitable for planting in compositions, where it is a background or addition. Despite the fact that it is an evergreen grass, in spring it cannot always please with its appearance. Individual bushes may turn yellow during a frosty winter, and this leads to a loss of decorativeness of the area where gray fescue grows. To replace the withered parts of the plant, you always have to have a stock of planting material in such a case.

Fescue looks great next to more delicate horticultural crops such as violet and echinacea, when the composition is based on a fusion of orange, gray and purple hues. Interesting options can be picked up using honeysuckle, sea buckthorn or wormwood along with fescue.

In garden design, this plant is versatile. You can use it to beautifully decorate borders, rockeries, alpine slides.
Fescue looks very original against the background of boulders or gravel dumping. It goes well with such perennials as lungwort, cuff, Carpathian bell. Beautiful, bluish-blue balls of fescue, reminiscent of a sea urchin with their needle plumage, therefore, they definitely make you pay attention to yourself.