Lawn ornaments

Blue-eyed grass, Sisyrhinchium species. I suspect this is either S. angustifolium or S. mucronatum, but I am not sure which.

Many people consider blue-eyed grass to be a pesky lawn weed, but I prefer to think of it as an ornament. Despite the name, blue-eyed grass is a member of iris family, Iridaceae, not a grass. Several species invade lawns in North Carolina, and their violet flowers look great along with other flowering “weeds” like yellow-flowered false strawberry (Potentilla species).

Tiny Sisyrhinchium rosulatum (fairy stars, annual blue-eyed grass) is short enough that the flowers often escape the lawnmower unscathed.