Practical growing techniques and creative display ideas are showcased in this comprehensive guide to ornamental grasses and bamboos. Grasses have gained popularity in recent years, and tropical plants like bamboo are incorporated more frequently into Northern gardeners' landscapes. This guide provides an overview of grass structures and functions, tips on the best ways to cultivate and propagate grasses and bamboos, and 14 landscape plans featuring these popular plants. Each plan focuses on a different theme, including a prairie planting, a tropical jungle, a pond garden, and blue- and green-toned gardens. Also included are other venues for planting grasses and bamboos, with unique ideas like rooftop plantings and a bamboo hedge. An alphabetical listing of grass species gives basic horticultural information, including the USDA Zone in which the plants will grow. A list of suppliers where gardeners can find the best grasses and bamboos rounds out this indispensable volume.

Ian Cooke is the grounds manager at Nottingham University, the first university to win a Green Flag Award for a campus landscape. He is the author of The Gardener's Guide to Growing Cannas and The Plantfinder's Guide to Tender Perennials.