Ornamental grasses: How to grow them properly

Ornamental grass can decorate your garden in many ways. There are various shapes, colours and inflorescences and all attract attention. So, if you want to add an ornamental grass to your existing arrangement and do not want to make a mistake when incorporating a new addition into your garden, read on.

Ornamental grasses are the most resistant decorative plants. They adapt very well to new conditions and can deal with rather harsh and demanding conditions. You can use ornamental grass as a solitaire, but also in the company of other plants. In general, they do not have any special requirements for the composition of the soil, tolerate drought well and regenerate easily. And if you select a frost resistant variety you do not need to fear the cold months of the year either.

How to Plant Ornamental Grass Correctly

Remember that very tall grasses work best as solitaires, and medium-sized grasses look perfect in larger groups of perennials. Ornamental grass will do also well along the banks of water reservoirs, and the smallest decorative grasses may be used around flower beds or you may use it to give a little eerie look to your rockery. Grasses in pots are used to decorate balconies and terraces. Ornamental grasses winterize well in containers and can even deal with dry winter periods, which they often have to withstand during frost-free days.

Photo: Pixabay

The only difficulty comes during the spring months, when your flowerbed with grass, usually tied into decorative bundles, looks rather corny and sloppy. To avoid this we recommend planting early-flowering bulbous plants, which will cheer up your garden at the beginning and will quietly go to rest later.

The Most Popular Types of Ornamental Grasses based on Height

Low Ornamental Grasses

These mainly include various fescues, which offer many leaf colours where blue is no exception. If you are a beginner, try using Festuca amethystina.
Medium Ornamental Grasses

Reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea ),foxtail fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroide ) or purple moor-grass (Molinia caerulea). These are the candidates for beginners.

Tall Ornamental Grasses

All ornamental flowering grass plants belong here, of which the a giant ornamental plant (Miscanthus x giganteus ) is the most typical representative. An interesting grass is also Cortaderia selloana know as Pampa grass.

Photo: Pixabay