There are so many types of ornamental grasses to choose from that you’ll be spoiled for choice if you’re looking for ways to keep borders looking good all year round. Once perennials have finished blooming in late summer, flowerbeds often look empty and lack interest, but grass will easily solve that problem.
Along with being low-maintenance and dependable, grass fills borders with grace and movement. They have flower panicles that blow in the breeze, and a wonderful color when they adopt their autumn color.
They work hard, perform in summer, fall and winter alike and create a beautiful, natural look. Below, we take a look at 16 types of ornamental grasses that you can choose for yourself Garden design.
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1. Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’
A stunning, ornamental grass, this feather-reed variety produces attractive columns of vertical flower panicles that take shape in a beautiful straw golden color.
Calamagrostis can be cultivated for feather production Consider garden screeningAnd is fast growing and easy to maintain. It is deciduous and thrives in well-drained soil in open, sunny borders. Its final height is 1.5 meters.
Where to buy calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’:
2. Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’
One of the best varieties of attractive switch grass around, Panicum virgatum is useful for creating vertical accents in garden borders to add architectural interest.
Dense clumps of upright blue-green leaves turn golden amber in autumn and the flowers are golden. This deciduous grass prefers well-drained soil in the sun and reaches a height of 1.5 m.
Where to buy Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’:
3. Stipa Gigantea ‘Gold Fountain’
Stipa giganta produces panicles of oat-like flowers that glow golden in the sunlight above clumps of gray-green leaves.
The arching stems of this majestic semi-evergreen grass are an excellent choice for introducing movement to borders. It prefers well-drained soil in a sunny location and grows to a height of 2.5 m.
Where to buy Stipa gigantea ‘Gold Fontaine’:
4. Deschampsia cespitosa ‘Goldtau’
This airy deciduous grass grows gracefully in the breeze, and the plumes of silvery reddish-brown flowers mature to shimmering gold and last well into fall.
The feathery flowers form shimmering golden clouds that catch the light and this variety is also very easy to grow. It likes moist soil in sun or semi-shade and grows to about 75cm.
Where to buy Deschampsia cespitosa ‘Goldtau’:
5. Pennisetum macrorum
This ornamental grass is a favorite of landscape designers Dan PearsonKnown for their natural planting style.
African feather grass has long buff-cream flower stalks that turn pinkish-beige in late summer and fall and is an excellent choice for arranging in vases. It spreads slowly in well-drained soil in full sun and grows up to 1.5 meters.
Where to buy Pennisetum macrorum:
6. Festuca glauca ‘Intense Blue’
Designers use this spiny polar-blue grass to add drifts and year-round color to the front of the border. It’s also a favorite of our editor, Beth Merton, who plants it in pots on her patio.
It looks good when used in conjunction with Garden gravel ideas and Mediterranean-style planting schemes. It also works well in containers and is one of the best plants for winter pots.
In summer, it produces clusters of attractive fawn flowerheads. It prefers well-drained sun-baked soil or containers, and grows to a height of 30cm.
Where to buy Festuca glauca ‘Intense Blue’:
7. Pack very thin
A favorite of the garden designer Luciano GiubiliGreen-gold Mexican feather grass creates movement and lightness at the front of the border as it blows in the breeze.
It is ideal for sunny gravel gardens and works well in larger ones Gardeners. This evergreen is suitable for poor, well-drained soil in full sun and has an expected height of 50cm.
Where to buy the slimmest package:
8. Miscanthus sinensis ‘Zebrinus’
This fabulous fountain grass has green leaves marked with cream stripes that create a lush forest effect garden edge.
The leaves sway in the breeze and this produces silky spikes of flowers in late summer that last well into the winter months. It is a deciduous grass for sun to well-drained soil, and has a height of 1.5 m.
Where to buy Miscanthus sinensis ‘Zebrinus’:
9. Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’
A wonderfully elegant grass that produces pale clumps of slender white and green leaves that gently arch at their tips to create a fountain-like effect.
In hot summer, this type of ornamental grass has reddish-brown flowers from early autumn. Grow them this fall in well-drained sun-baked borders or plant them in pots as part of your container gardening ideas. Expected height is 1.2m.
Where to buy Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’:
10. Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’
An attractive small ornamental grass that forms a cascade of yellow leaves lined with green that illuminates semi-shaded areas. When the plant is fully grown, it often develops an attractive red hue.
This grass can be used to soften the edges Garden paths or steps, and also look great in modern urban plantings. It should be planted in sun or semi-shade in well-drained, moist soil, and should have an expected height of 40cm.
Where to buy hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’:
11. Panicum ‘Shenandoah’
An upright set of bluish-green leaves that develop stunning red and damson tones in autumn, topped off by a light and cheery bloom.
Try planting them in small clumps among tall grasses or against a backdrop of tall perennials. This deciduous grass thrives in well-drained soil in sunny conditions and can grow up to 90 cm in height.
Where to buy Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’:
12. Cylindrical Imperata ‘Red’
The stunning blood-red spikes of this ornamental grass are the star of the show when added to mixed borders or displayed in containers.
Green and red leaves morph to a dark, translucent ruby, eye-catching in late summer. This grass can be slow to establish and may require winter protection in colder areas. It is a deciduous grass for well-drained soil in full sun and reaches a height of 50cm.
Where to buy Imperata cylindrica ‘Rubra’:
13. Miscanthus sinensis ‘Far East’
Clusters of green leaves take on stunning copper and crimson hues in autumn, and panicles of plume-like dark-red flowers emerge in summer and age to silvery-pink.
This is one of the most beautiful types of ornamental grass that can be used as a stand-alone specimen or to add drama to fall borders. It is a deciduous grass for well-drained soil in the sun, with a height of 1.5 m.
Where to buy Miscanthus sinensis ‘Furner Osten’:
14. Anemanthal lessoniana (syn. Stipa arundinacea)
Also known as pheasant tail, this is one of the best types of ornamental grass because it adds color, movement, and structure to the garden year-round.
Tufts of thin arching green leaves develop orange and bronze hues in fall and winter. This color intensifies as it gets colder, making a stunning addition to your winter garden. It is an evergreen grass for well-drained soil in sun or semi-shade, with a height of 75cm.
Where to buy anemanthele Lesoniana (syn. Stipa arundinacea):
15. Molinia cerulea subsp. Reid ‘Skyracer’
Columnar purple moor grass that forms shuttlecocks of thin foliage that turns a beautiful golden color in fall.
This variety provides nectar and pollen for bees and other types of pollinating insects, making it excellent. Introducing biodiversity to your garden. This deciduous grass is for well-drained, open, sunny borders and has an expected height of 2m.
16. Steep Ridge (syn. Jarwa River)
Attractive Peruvian feather grass has slender green leaves topped by arching silvery-ivory flower plumes, and makes a striking addition to any flowerbed.
It creates a beautiful shade of gold in autumn and adds color in winter too. It is a semi-evergreen grass for well-drained south-facing borders with a height of 80 cm.
What is the main ornamental grass for sound?
Ornamental grasses find their place in the garden by making a charming sound when the wind blows. They can be a brilliant addition to one A sensory garden The gentle sound they make will create a pleasant, relaxing effect.
Some of the best zebra grasses for this are, viz Miscanthus sinensis ‘Strictus’ (available from Sutton)That rustles on the breeze. M. sacchariflorus has long, thick, succulent leaves on tall stems, creating an exotic forest look.
What are the best types of ornamental grasses to encourage wildlife?
If your priority is filling your plot with wildlife garden ideas, choose native grasses and mix them into borders with nectar-rich perennials such as butterfly-friendly liatris, verbena and eupatorium.
When it comes to choosing the right type of ornamental grass for your garden, you need to consider factors such as how much sunlight and shade is available, the texture and acidity of the soil, and how large and spread the plant can grow. Grass is a popular one Garden attitude But make sure you check the details of the plant carefully before you make your final choice.
The original version of this article previously appeared on Gardeningetc, a sister website to Homebuilding and Renovating.
