Grasses

Guernsey Donkey2

We have this grass, which is abundance in our newly sown wild flower area.The seed heads are a pale pink/mauve.  What is this grass, and is it worth keeping i.e. is it good for the wildlife or will it smother our flowers?  The grass has just come up to seed and should we cut it down before the seed drops?

Guernsey Donkey2

Just bumping this up in the hope that someone may be able to tell which grass this is.

K67

I assume it wasn't there before so was it in your seed mix and did that list what was in the mixture? 
It looks a strong grower and as you say it could smother but if it was part of your seed mix surely they are designed to be a balanced mix of grass and flowers.

Bijdezee

Wavy hair grass - Deschampsia flexuosa? 

Guernsey Donkey2

K67, no it wasn't in the seed mix - we took out as much as we could from the original grasses, but we will need to try harder - this grass is proving to be very aggressive and I don't mind a small clump but there is far too much, the poor flowers are fighting for existence.  I have googled Deschampsia flexuosa, not 100% sure that is it, but whatever it is - we are trying to get rid of it - I think it will win though! Thanks for the suggestions.

K67

How big an area have you seeded? Too big to start again?
Don't let it win! 
I have fought and won against ground elder, bindweed and mares tail, not all in tbe same garden, but it did mean going over the area virtually every day but I have the time you may not. Certainly get those flowers off asap, maybe if it's clumpy type dig it up or some topical hand applied weedkiller if you use the stuff and you can restrict it to just that grass but that's chancy if there isnt a base clump.
 

Guernsey Donkey2

No weedkillers here K67, but we will try to remove as much as the grass as we can.  As we pop in a new plant (2 ragged robins today), we dig out an area of grass root.  Not easy but just watching all the lovely insects is enough to spur me on to want to do more.  There is an interesting hedgehog trail along the edge of the wild area and I made a huge pile of rotting wood and some stone in the far corner which is (I think) where the hog is living. I notice bindweed is beginning to start up in certain areas, which is a pain but as difficult as mares tail, which thankfully we don't have although I notice our neighbour does have in her garden. I don't have a picture of just the wild flower area, but it is here on the left. - however this picture was taken a couple of years ago, and the grass had just been mown - now it looks a mess but will be far more interesting to look at once the flowers have taken hold.

K67

It looks lovely I am quite envious although looking after a large garden is now beyond me.
I have swapped a garden full of interest, mares tail and other people's hedges to keep cut if I wanted the view but was full of birds for a new house, been here a year and saw my first bird on the garage roof yesterday.
If your neighbour has mares tail it might reach you eventually and as the roots are so black, brittle and go down it seems forever weed killer is the only option.
Keep up the digging - all the best 

Guernsey Donkey2

Thanks for those words of wisdom regarding the mares tail - I will say a silent pray that it bypasses our garden for the one on the other side!  Our garden is large, and we love it, but I can see that it will become too much in time - in fact it is too much now to be honest, but we keep on top of it as much as possible and rent a couple of fields to a farmer who has strict instructions from us not to use weedkiller.

I am sure that once a bird has arrived, then another will come soon - it all takes time - you can't hurry this gardening thing.