Expensive But Long-Awaited New Additions

I think I've had black mondo grass on my wish list since I first created a wish list. And I've been wanting a Japanese forest grass for just as long, but got one last year for free from my dad - only to have it shredded by rabbits and barely alive. I'm tired of waiting around for it to take off, I just want a nice big one now!

Since Chris and I saved money buying a modest couch and love seat instead of a huge sectional, he treated me to a trip to Allisonville Nursery to look around. They had an entire cart of black mondo grass and Japanese forest grass together! Perfect marketing combo.

I was shocked how expensive they were! $16.99 for each of the pots below, total after tax was $56.

Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens' (black mondo grass) and Hakonechloa macra 'All Gold' (Japanese forest grass)

I suppose I got a little more bang for my buck with the black mondo grass because each pot had one main clump and 2 baby clumps in it - connected to the main clump with an underground rhizome but with its own substantial set of roots. I teased them apart and planted them each separately.

Since the black mondo grass was so expensive, I wanted to give it the best possible chance to survive - especially since I am right on the border of its winter hardiness. I ended up planting it in a variety of places on 2 different sides of my house. I also paired it with plants I already had in place that were brighter, like my creeping Jenny and Scotch moss.

Black mondo grass paired with Creeping Jenny - Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea' - or Gold Moneywort

Black mondo grass and Scotch moss (Sagina subulata 'Aurea')

I forgot I haven't blogged about my creeping Jenny yet - that was actually a bargain because I found it on the sale table at Lowe's for $1, so that offsets the price a little haha! I didn't realize until just now how many of these things have GOLD in their name. Anything gold pairs with black mondo grass, we have 'All Gold' Japanese forest grass, both the creeping Jenny and Scotch moss have variety names 'Aurea'. According to Wikipedia: Aurea is a Latin female name meaning "golden."

Giving this tiny clump a go as a rock garden accent. I think it will hate the clay soil, but it's worth a shot.