Designing a Garden for Plant Sounds

That swoosh. That rattle. That rustle. Sit still long enough and gardens emanate their own secret sounds. The buzz of insects and the chirping of birds...

Miscanthus sinensis 'Gracillimus'
Item # 70550 		Miscanthus sinensis 'Gracillimus'
Maiden Hair Grass

each $8.79
3 to 6 $8.59
7 or more $8.29
Elytrigia elongata 'Jose Select'
Item # 47050 		Elytrigia elongata 'Jose Select'
Jose Select Tall Wheatgrass

each $8.99
3 to 6 $8.79
7 or more $8.59
Miscanthus sinensis 'Silberfeder'
Item # 70555 		Miscanthus sinensis 'Silberfeder'
Silver Feather Maiden Hair Grass

each $8.79
3 to 6 $8.59
7 or more $8.29
  • Topic: Garden Design
  • Author: Cindy Bellinger
  • Keywords: design, landscape, Garden Design, gardens, leaves, trees, grasses
  • Date: May 2005

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That swoosh. That rattle. That rustle. Sit still long enough and gardens emanate their own secret sounds. The buzz of insects and the chirping of birds easily come to mind. But listen closer and up through the background emerge the sounds of leaves, trees and grasses.

When designing gardens we usually focus on plantings for color, texture, fragrance and ambiance. Rarely do we think of planning for the soft whisper of grasses or the deep groan of trees; it’s because these soft noises are so subtle they’re easy to miss.

I first became aware of these faint, understated noises outdoors when I started spending summer afternoons in a hammock under four very tall ponderosas. Besides enjoying the cool breezes and the shade, one of the pleasures was listening to the groan of thick branches rubbing together. Yes, these trees are definitely too close together, which is a whole other issue. But as the wind moves past them, the trees sway and chafe one another. It’s become another dimension of my garden.

Finding ways to bring more sounds into the garden other than wind chimes and fountains which, of course, are wonderful in themselves, can be a never-ending fun pursuit. Think of trees with leaves that flutter (aspen, willow, cottonwood). Think of vines. Think of tall grasses.

As the world of ornamental grasses becomes more popular, the choices for ‘noisy’ gardens are broadening also. Consider the Maiden Hairs, the rices and the wheats. Following is a list of tall grasses that sway and bustle in the wind.

Grasses:

  • Elytrigia elongota ‘Jose Select’ (Jose Select Tall Wheatgrass). Zones 3-9. Tall with yellow flower stalks. Very cold hardy. 4-5 feet high.
  • Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’ (Morning Light Maiden Hair Grass). Zones 5-9. Upright, arching foliage. Bronze plumes. 4-5 feet high.
  • Miscanthus sinensis ‘Siberfeder’ (Silver Feather Maiden Hair Grass). Zones 4-9. Sturdy green foliage. White seed plumes. Good for cold areas. 6-8 feet high.
  • Panicum virgatum ‘Prairie Sky’ (Prairie Sky Switch Grass). Zones 4-9. Tight-growing sky-blue foliage. Airy, sand colored flower spikes. 4-5 feet high.

Bamboos:

One plant that is a definite for soundscaping is bamboo. When wind pushes against the canes, the rattling is reminiscent of water. Here in the Southwest bamboo is mostly out of its element, though people have had success with some varieties.

  • Phyllostachys bissetti (Bissett Bamboo). Zones 5-11. Large evergreen leaves on 1 inch diameter stems. Spreads easily. 15-20 feet high.
  • Sasaella masumuneana Albostriata (White Striped Dwarf Bamboo). Zones 5-11. White and green striped foliage. Dense and spreading. 3-5 feet high.

I’m in the throes of redesigning my garden. I’ve lived here long enough to know that every afternoon a breeze comes up through the canyon, and I want to take advantage of this natural element. One thing paying attention to plant sounds has taught me is you have to train your ears to hear these soft noises. But you also have to slow down to enjoy them. And that isn’t such a bad idea.