When walking along Evanston's beautiful lakefront, take time to enjoy the ornamental grasses that enhance the beach areas.
Blue Dune Grass is found at the entrance to the pier, at the boat launch. Recognize it by its one- to two-foot metallic blue, blade-like foliage. This is a vigorous grass that is excellent for difficult terrain, and it inhibits erosion. Its colonies have adapted to ever-changing environments of sand and wind as they naturalize over small dunes and rocks. Exercise care if you introduce this vigorous grass into your garden, since it can be invasive.
Last autumn, a variety of ornamental grasses were planted at the new beach pavilion at the Clark Street Beach. Since these grasses are recently planted, and therefore not yet established, they are not now impressive in their appearance. However, these plantings will grow into fully mature Canadian Wild Rye, Sand Reed, Sand Bracted Sedge, June Grass, Marram Grass and Little Blue Stem. With warmer weather, the grasses will nicely complement the revamped beach area.
Little Blue Stem grass is a drought resistant, easy-care clumping grass that reaches three to four feet in height. It loves full sun. Its flowering spikelets appear from August to December and range in color from blue/green to silvery gold. After frosts in late autumn, this grass turns a coppery color and remains so throughout winter. Little Blue Stem is better suited as an accent plant in your home garden than is Blue Dune Grass, because it is a clump form of grass and not invasive.
Marram Grass has grey/green leaves that are long, slender, flexible, and waxy. It reaches three to four feet in height. As found in its natural habitat, it is almost always the first line of grasses at coastal sand dunes. Marram Grass has an extensive system of creeping underground roots that allows it to thrive under conditions of shifting sands and high winds. The root system stabilizes the beaches and dunes in which it grows. This is probably not the best choice grass for a home garden, unless it is well contained.
