Growing rye grass in the south..pros, cons, do's and don'ts

Let me go ahead and say my broken record statement.  I have only been gardening a year and my experience with rye grass is not complete.

At the end of summer, I began to sulk a bit because I knew that in a few months the colors that brought me so much joy would be gone.  By the end of fall, I was almost glad because I was burnt out.  All that being said, rye grass was the greatest remedy to this.   No, I did not have color like I did but the appearance of "death and desolation" was not a problem thanks to rye grass.

Between the unusually warm winter and the rye grass, it was as if winter never came.  Did I have all the color?  No.  But I did have one color...green.....

But I have learned a lot about what to do and not do by this time.  I seeded the rye grass "I want to say" October?   I put about 400lbs????  Don't remember.  I started with one type of seed but the majority was gulf rye grass.   

All winter I looked out the windows and saw a beautiful green lawn...the rye grass was definitely worth it but I want to point out  a few things.

Pros

• Winter interest.....winter, what winter?  I have a green lawn.  
• Rye grass I think is prettier than Bermuda  ...I used Gulf Rye Grass...which I think is from Oregon ironically.
• Blocks weeds I think
• Dies in the summer?  I think 
• Supposedly increases water retention...Which I feel it does....I also says it helps with drainage and errosion
• Adds organic matter to the soil and decomposition...I assume this is good
• Loosens compacted soil
• Puts nitrogen back into the soil?
• I will give you the link I am referencing
• Edible landscaping
• I did it because it was pretty
• It lets you know where the soil is rich vs. poor soil ...as with other annuals
• I am readdressing my peacock topiary for this spring and now I know where to plant it.
• Peacock Topiary link ..I am mimicking the Dallas arboreteum's Peacock...Click Here

Cons

• Don't plant around flower beds
• Don't let it get too high or you won't be able to walk through it
• I can't find my hoses
• I can't walk through the field

Dos

• Plant it...it's beautiful

Don'ts

• Don't let it get too high.  Next time I will mow it January
• Don't think that a little doesn't go a long way
• Don't plant over areas that have bulbs
• Don't plant near flower beds.

My husband mowing it down

The 13 year old loves daffodils...I have no idea how many I planted but I know between tulips, daffodils, iris, crocus  and hyacinth it was over 300

I did not plant rye grass here and this is a massive bed of tulips and daffodils.

Iris, that I can't find now...the ones I did, I marked

Tulip trees

The grass is very, very dense and seeding...will not need to seed this area next fall

Rye grass does look lovely though

Rye grass around the arches

I think this weed is pretty but I think I have heard people complain about it.

Indian blanketflower growing on a sandy, hot eroded slope...I didn't have to mess with it at all and it bloomed all winter

Creek needed the grass...helped with erosion during spring rains.

Used a weed eater to trim it down.  Creekside landscape

Knockouts blooming

Junipers...this didn't need mowing earlier and was manageable.

The front lawn looked like this all winter.

Front lawn without rye

Fountain

Don't plant around crocus

Or tulips and daffodils..can't find them

It got into the azalea bed

Have to trim around the tulips

You can see what the back lawn looks like with and without rye grass

Camellias

This chinese snowball plant is suppose to make white hydrangea looking flowers...why is this yellow?

Mums blooming

This is supposed to be pink snow camellia but it doesn't look like it

We were supposed to have a hard freeze last night so I put the majority of the plants in the green house.  This is what I left out.  I don't think it froze last night....is this the last fear of frost???   Will wait until Thursday

Greenhouse is packed

Zinnia seedlings coming up

Gerber daisy...my husband bought these for the daughter

I finally learned how to propagate bougainvilleas

Dinnerplate dahlias coming up

Tons of camellias