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Grow Ornamental Grasses

Valerie Albarda

By Valerie Albarda
Updated July 24, 2020

As graceful as they're easy to grow, these harbingers of fall provide appeal nearly year-round. See what all the love’s about.

Skill

Beginner

Time

Few Hours

Several plantings of Karl Foerster feather reed grass around a burning bush shrub in a landscape.

Tools and Materials

Tools

    About Ornamental Grasses

    Ornamental grasses are a staple of low-maintenance gardens. They put up with poor soils and drought. With a range of sizes (from 6-inch ground covers to 15-foot focal-point plants), it’s easy to find a spot for them. In the image above, the buff-colored seed heads of ‘Karl Foerster’ feather reed grass make a fine companion for a burning bush as it turns color in the fall.

    Designing With Grasses

    • Plant grasses in odd-number clusters for a more natural look.
    • Use tall grasses as focal points; surround them with shorter companions to mask the base.
    • Cluster small grasses around rocks and boulders for a scene that looks good year-round.
    • Choose a dark backdrop, such as evergreens, to contrast with buff foliage in fall and winter.
    • Leave grasses standing for winter interest (and to feed birds). Cut at the base in late winter to allow for new growth.
    • Divide grasses every three to four years to keep them vigorous. If you see a ring of growth around a dead center, it’s time to divide plants.

    Star of Stage and Screen

    Buff-colored Karl Foerster feather reed grass around purple coleus in a planting bed.

    Grass is adept at directing the eye where you want it to go. For example, ‘Karl Foerster’ feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora) screens the view beyond and serves as a backdrop when staging plants such as these coleus.

    Commanding Presence

    Large ornamental grasses lining a sidewalk.

    Many ornamental grasses are known for their impressive size, which bodes well for anyone looking for instant impact. These large grasses — ranging from 5 to 12 feet or more — captivate from a distance. They also provide quick privacy.

    A Size for Every Occasion

    Blue fescue grass growing in front of a row of Japanese blood grass.

    Fortunately, there are plenty of modest-sized grasses available for smaller yards. This blue fescue grass (Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’) grows only 8 inches tall. It's paired here with Japanese blood grass (Imperata cylindrical ‘Rubra’), which grows just 16 inches tall.

    Day Brightener

    A large planting of zebra grass growing as a focal point in a garden bed.

    Variegated grasses, such as this zebra grass (Miscanthus sinensis ‘Zebrinus’) can lighten up a garden bed all summer long. Unlike flowers that require watering, clipping and fertilizing, ornamental grasses need no pampering.

    Architectural Appeal

    A clump of Miscanthus ‘Morning Light’ arching above a garden bed.

    The white-margined blades of Miscanthus ‘Morning Light’ lend an almost silvery appearance — perfect for highlighting its arching shape. Other grasses have rounded, upright or umbrella shapes that inject architectural interest into a garden.

    Contrasting Viewpoint

    Purple fountain grass growing next to black-eyed Susan flowers in a garden bed.

    The dark blades of purple fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum) make a perfect foil for the golden yellow blooms of black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia spp.). They also add contrast to the predominantly green foliage of most garden plants for more visual interest.

    Dreamy Good Looks

    Dwarf fountain grass with wispy blooms growing in a planting bed next to a lawn.

    Although there’s much to be said for their shapely habit and colorful blades, ornamental grasses truly enthrall when in bloom. The billowy clouds on this dwarf fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’) look positively dreamlike.

    Container Medley

    Purple fountain grass and purple sweet potato vine in a terra cotta pot surrounded by gourds.

    Use a colorful ornamental grass to add vertical interest to a planter. While the purple fountain grass grows up, a similarly colored sweet potato vine cascades downward. Bergenia and blue-green artemisia finish the foliage show. They’re joined by the blooms of orange lantana and yellow pansies, which reflect the pumpkin and squash hues.

    Hide a Container

    Ornamental grass planted around potted flowers to hide the container.

    Another option is to leave the grasses outside the pot. They’re masters at camouflage, which is useful whether you’re trying to hide a container or simply blend it into the landscape.

    Welcoming Arrangement

    Tall, dried ornamental grasses displayed with kale and ferns on a porch.

    In addition to contributing to container gardens and landscapes, ornamental grasses work well in dried arrangements. It’s a smart way to use a tall variety and literally cut it down to size. Dried Miscanthus seed heads back up a seasonal display of mums, ornamental kale, rabbit’s foot fern and asparagus fern.