At this time of year, your lawn might be far from your mind. But maybe it shouldn’t be. Your grass seed could die if you fail to hire a snow removal company. Here at Honeysuckle Nursery & Design, we understand the importance of maintaining the lawn and landscape all year long. Now’s also a great time of year to think about if you’d like to switch grass types this coming season. Here are a few grass species perfect for Maryland homeowners!
These four grass species are perfect for Maryland lawns!
Lolium perenne – Perennial Ryegrass
Perennial ryegrass is quite popular nationwide in lawns and pastures alike. Contrary to what you might expect, it isn’t especially closely related to its namesake grain, rye. It is native to Europe.
This grass species grows best in the cool season, but it isn’t quite as cold hardy as some of the other options we will discuss today. It has relatively shallow roots and spreads in bunches. Perennial ryegrass can tolerate some light shade.
Poa pratensis — Kentucky Bluegrass
You might think that this grass species is native to the United States, but that’s a misconception. In fact, Kentucky bluegrass originated in Eurasia. It earned its name because it initially gained popularity in Kentucky pastures. It’s gone on to become one of the most popular grass species for lawns in Maryland and nationwide.
Kentucky bluegrass is especially well-suited to northern climates, but it will thrive just fine in Maryland. It is well-regarded for its rich, deep color; it really can look almost blue. It has very limited shade tolerance, and might not hold up so well in a drought.
Festuca arundinaceae — Tall Fescue
Now, we’d like to move on to the two kinds of fescue. Let’s begin with the more typical choice: tall fescue. Like our other options, tall fescue is a cool-season grass. But it is unique among cool-season grasses in that it has deep roots. They can go down as far as 3 feet deep, which isn’t something you’d expect from your typical grass species for lawns.
Simply put, tall fescue is tough. It can tolerate cold, heat, and drought. It can also handle shade quite well. It produces small rhizomes, which enable it to bounce back from damage.
Festuca sp. — Fine Fescue
It’s time to take a look at tall fescue’s cousin: fine fescue. As its name suggests, the blades of this grass species are noticeably fine. Whether you enjoy this appearance is a matter of personal preference, but this species does have one benefit that is too good for some homeowners to pass up: it is extremely shade-tolerant.
Still, fine fescue isn’t quite as tough as its cousin. While it can hold up to heat, drought, and cold nearly as well, it does not tolerate high traffic. So if your lawn receives a lot of traffic, fine fescue might not be the best choice.
LANDSCAPE DESIGNS WITH HONEYSUCKLE NURSERY AND DESIGN
At Honeysuckle Nursery and Design, you will get construction and maintenance crews on site who have a minimum of 10 years of experience in all types of landscaping and hardscaping. Our designers will work closely with you to understand how you want to use your space so that we can make the most of your entire site. We are committed to providing complete customer satisfaction and will work with you along every step of the way to be sure that you are happy with your new trees. Please be sure to visit our gallery page for unique, creative designs and inspiration!
Whether you live in Anne Arundel or Howard Counties, we can help you experience your dream space in Annapolis, Davidsonville, Millersville, Ellicott City, Clarksville, Columbia, and surrounding areas. We specialize in Landscape Design & Maintenance, Swimming Pools, Hardscape, and Natural Stone, Water Features, Outdoor Living Spaces and more! Dream, Create, Experience with Honeysuckle Nursery & Design by calling 410-849-5119 or email us to schedule your free no-obligation estimate today. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Houzz, and YouTube!