Landscaping
How to use it. Use Breeze mat rush wherever a grassy texture is desired. It’s a standout as an edging plant, in dry borders, mass-planted for dramatic visual impact or used in combination with other drought-tolerant plants. Its versatility lends itself to contemporary landscape designs as well as more free-form, natural gardens — and every situation in between. It’s perfect for dry, hot slopes or even in a shaded corner. Breeze mat rush happily thrives in sun or shade, adding endless possibilities in the landscape.
8. Creeping Thyme (Thymus praecox) This low-growing form of the common herb can spread over large areas. It is used as a ground cover or a substitute lawn in many gardens. Its leaves are tiny and aromatic, and its flowers are normally purple, mauve or white in summer. The plant is frost hardy, preferring moist, well-drained soil and a sunny position. There are many varieties of creeping thyme with different-colored leaves and width of spread, so choose one that suits the space you have available.
2. Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon japonicus) Mondo grass is a strappy-leaved evergreen clump-forming perennial that is tolerant of sun and shade, as well as drought. Dwarf mondo grass (O. japonicus ‘Nana’) grows to about 1 foot in height and will spread slowly to cover large areas. To speed up the process, break up clumps every couple of years. Black mondo grass (O. planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’) has a similar form but prefers full sun.
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Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) There’s no question that Japanese maples are beautiful, with colorful leaves in spring and fall, and graceful bare trunks in winter (some even have colorful trunks). With so many different varieties available, the secret is choosing the right one for your patio. As a rule, the common green-leaf species (Acer palmatum) tolerates more sun and heat (which can accumulate on a paved patio) better than varieties with fancy or colorful leaves; the common green one also tends to grow faster and taller. USDA zones: 5 to 8 Water requirement: Moderate Light requirement: Full sun in cool-summer climates; partial shade during the hottest part of the day in most areas Mature size: 15 to 25 feet high and 10 to 25 feet wide, depending on variety Growing tips: Choose your plant in spring or fall to get the desired foliage color. Provide well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter. Burned tips of leaves indicate sunburn (provide more shade) or damage from salts in water (flood the root zone with water).
Sweet Bay (Laurus nobilis) This is the tree that gives us bay leaves for cooking and supplied the ancient Greeks with leaves for their heroes' wreaths — it's also called Grecian laurel. Left alone, sweet bay can become a good-size tree, but trimming and shearing can enforce the right size for a patio — in the ground or a big pot. It’s the perfect choice for a spot near the grill or kitchen; leaves for cooking will be handy, although they’re usually used dried, not fresh. USDA zones: 8 to 11 Water requirement: Moderate Light requirement: Full sun or partial shade Mature size: Ultimately up to 40 feet tall and wide; pruning usually keeps it smaller. Growing tip: Clip tip growth freely for kitchen use or to give away. This helps control the size as well as encourages bushiness and a round top.
Muted colors. Gray and glaucous foliage planted en masse need not be boring. In the last decade, alliums, especially the large globe varieties, have become very popular as accent plants. Here they stand over a mixed planting of 'Cotton Lavender', Santolina chamaecyparissus, and French lavender, Lavandula stoechas. Their purple flowers resonate with the butterfly-shape lavender flowers and bring life to the border.
Plants shown (click each photo to see the plants tagged): New Zealand wind grass (Stipa Arundinacea), Berkeley sedge (Carex divulsa), Euphorbia ‘Blackbird’, snake plant (Bulbine frutescens ‘Hallmark’), fernleaf yarrow (Achillea filipendulina ‘Coronation Gold’), orange New Zealand sedge (Carex testacea), Elfin thyme (Thymus ‘Elfin’), donkey tail spurge(Euphorbia myrsinites), blue oat grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens), parrot’s beak (Lotus berthelotti), azure bush germander (Teucrium fruticans ‘Azureum’)
Planting notes. Breeze mat rush grows best in well-drained soils but can tolerate both sandy and clay soils. It withstands coastal wind, salt and other difficult environments. In fact, it’s so tough that it’s widely used in freeway median strips in Australia — now that’s a testament to its resilience. In shade, it tends to take on a brighter green tone and often appears a bit more lush. Trim back the spent flower stalks to keep it looking its best year-round. Unlike many grasses, Breeze mat rush doesn’t need to be cut back annually, and some growers have stated that pruning is required only every three to four years, or more. I planted Breeze mat rush in my personal garden four years ago in a partial-shade location — it has never been trimmed and still looks great. No wonder it is named Breeze.
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