Native Ferns, Moss and Grasses
Not many people could make the point that certain native plants are like aging rockers, or NASCAR drivers or pink ponies, much less fit those comparisons into an elegant book, but William Cullina, a propagator, and now director of horticultural research, for the New England Wild Flower Society, manages to pull it off. Native Ferns, Moss, and Grasses: From Emerald Carpet to Amber Wave – Serene and Sensuous Plants for the Garden is the third book in Cullina’s trilogy on growing and propagating native wildflowers, and native trees, shrubs and vines.
I was fortunate enough to hear Cullina speak at the Conway School of Landscape Design last year and can attest to his enthusiasm and charm as well as his encyclopedic knowledge of native plants from delicate wildflowers to stunning trees and shrubs, and now the green world of ferns, mosses and grasses.
Many gardeners, especially new gardeners, are passionate about color and their first thought is to see how many flowers they can jam into the space they have. I understand this, because I was one such new gardener. If I wasn’t growing vegetables which was the reason for my first gardens, I wanted flowers. Zinnias!
Zinnias and other annuals are colorful, but Cullina suggests that there is more to be achieved in the garden. He says that he wants the gardener to find “that after reading this book and coming to know these plants in all their subtlety and charm, you will never look at green the same way again, for the ferns, mosses, and grasses bring a level of refinement and sophistication to the landscape and the garden unmatched by any flowers. Like the fine architectural details on some buildings, they demonstrate an attention to quality that elevates any garden beyond the ordinary.”
This book is not just a guide to wild native plants. Cullina has culled the hundreds of native species to choose those that are suitable for inclusion in the cultivated garden. In each section he not only gives hardiness zones, ideal habitats, and size, he suggests how easy or difficult that particular plant is to grow. For example, the spreading wood fern, Dryopteris expansa which is hardy in zones 3 to 7 is easy to grow while the fragrant wood fern, Dryopteris fragrans, which is hardy in zones 2 to 6 but is difficult to grow.
He defines the two main types of moss: the spreading type like juniper haircap moss, Polytrichum juniperinum, which may be the moss that grows in my lawn, and clumping types like silvery sidewalk moss, Bryum argenteum, both of which are easy to g row. Cullina not only describes the various ferns and mosses which are probably less familiar to most gardeners, he gives good instructions about growing them.
We are all familiar with grass, the types that grow in our lawns, and even the types that are used on golf courses where fine turf is essential. Nowadays many gardeners also include ornamental grasses in their borders.
Of course, to talk about grasses is too simple. There are sedges, and rushes as well as grasses in the third section of this book.
I do know that sedges are wetland plants. My daughter, who is not much of a gardener, is a scientist and she pointed out the ribbon of sedges growing in our field, marking a wetland area.
Cullina gives a good overview of the grass family with emphasis on those which work well in lawns and ornamentally
For those whose domestic landscape is blessed with shade, knowing about ferns and mosses open up a whole world of plants that will thrive in this often difficult environment. Once ferns are established, they will need very little care.
Mosses may already exist in a yard, even a sunny yard. Cullina explains how they can be encouraged, and how sections can be moved from one place to another successfully.
Grasses can provide a sculptural element to the garden at every season. Cullina devotes a large section to the various types.
In addition to giving excellent information about these three families, he gives general information about ‘ecological gardening’, the different light needs of plants, and soil chemistry including structure, fertility and pH. There is also detailed information about propagation.
When he sounds the alarm about the threats of climate change, he reminds us that global warming ‘will likely affect rainfall patterns, winter snow cover, distribution of beneficial and pest insects as well as other pollinators and seed dispersers . . ..” It is not all about temperatures.
Native Ferns, Moss and Grasses ($40) is published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. It is beautifully, usefully and heavily illustrated with clear photographs, many taken by Cullina himself.
For more information about the New England Wildflower Society, the oldest plant conservation organization in the U.S., The Garden in the Woods, and right in our own neighborhood, Nasami Farm, you can go to www.newfs.org. They sell native plants and seeds, as well as books. They also hold any number of lectures and other educational programs during the year.
February 23, 2008