Ornamental grasses can play a part in most gardens, from providing calming accompaniments to more colourful flowering plants to being the sole focus of the design. There are grasses for damp or dry soil, shady as well as sunny situations. Many are great to add to the cutting garden; others perform well in containers.
Cultivation: ornamental grasses tolerate a wide range of conditions, but most like a sunny position in light, moist but well-drained, moderately fertile soil. They do not need much feeding; this can encourage lush foliage at the expense of flowers. One application of a balanced fertiliser in spring is adequate.
Planting: It's important to plant grasses at the correct time. Grasses from cool climates such as Deschampsia, Festuca, Helictotrichon and Stipa come into growth in late winter and flower before mid-summer and so should be planted in autumn for the best establishment. Grasses from warm climates such as Miscanthus, Panicum, Pennisetum and Spartina come into growth in late spring, flower after mid-summer and are usually cut back in late winter. They are best planted in late spring.
Container cultivation: Grasses are good plants for containers. Use loam-based compost, such as John Innes No 2 with 20% loam-free compost to lighten the mix. Evergreen grasses such as Carex combine well with winter bedding to give height and a contrast in texture.
Japanese rush. A semi-evergreen aquatic with fans of glossy, narrow, variegated leaves striped with pale green and cream. Height 20cm. Spread 15cm. Semi-evergreen. Hardy.
Clump-forming, semi-evergreen to evergreen grass, with arching, mid-green leaves turning shades of red, bronze, yellow, and orange in autumn. Airy, arching panicles of reddish-pink flower spikelets in late summer.
Giant Reed. Stout stems of arching green and gold-striped bamboo-like foliage. Panicles of green to purple spikelets. Height 1.8m. Spread 60cm. Flowers from September to October. Herbaceous. Sheltered sunny site.
A perennial grass with leaves to 60cm long, lightly curling at the tips giving a bushy frothy effect. Brownish purple spikelets form the flower head in summer.
Feather Reed Grass.Small weed. Clump-forming perennial grass with arching green leaves with pale yellow margins and stripes which fade to pinkish white. Bears purple flowers that fade to greyish pink. Height 1.2m. Spread 60cm. Flowers from July to August. Semi-Evergreen.
Feather Reed Grass. Smallweed. Clump-forming perennial grass with arching mid-green leaves. Erect stems of pink-bronze flowers that fade to pale brown. Height 1.8m. Spread 60cm. Flowers from July to August. Semi-evergreen. Hardy.
Carex 'Amazon Mist' is an evergreen, unusual, small, ornamental grass, with arching, silvery, hair-like foliage, that forms a lax mound, giving it a misty appearance. Ideal for pots, borders and banks. Height 40cm. Spread 30cm.
A small compact growing grass with thin corn-yellow coloured leaves that are margined with a thin dark-green line. Very graceful and superb for planting in groups with other grasses and in containers too.
Leatherleaf Sedge. Upright clumps of narrow pinkish brown leaves which curl at their tips. Has orange tints in winter. Brown flower spikes. Height 60cm. Spread 60cm. Flowers from May to October. Evergreen. Hardy.
Sedge. Dense, evergreen clumps of narrow hair-like, brownish leaves. Inconspicuous brown flower spikes. Height 30cm. Spread 75cm. Flowers from April to October. Evergreen. Hardy.
New Zealand Hair Sedge. Dense evergreen clumps of narrow hair-like, light whitish green leaves. Compact habit. Inconspicuous whitish green flower spikes. Height 45cm. Flowers from June to February. Evergreen.
Bowls Golden Sedge. Elegant clumps of richly golden yellow leaves with green margins and jet-black flower spikes. Green and brown flower spikes. Height 70cm. Spread 90cm. Flowers from April to June. Deciduous. Hardy.
Recent cultivar and forms an attractive, compact clump with blue-green evergreen leaves. It is suitable to grow in the shade or partial shade in moist, soft, neutral to alkaline well drained soil. A good grass to grow in a pot; cascading foliage which remains evergreen all year round.
Sturdy, upright, narrow-leafed sedge has bright green foliage. Good heat tolerance and easy-care.
Narrow, coppery blades and graceful habit distinguish this unusual evergreen grass. Incorporated into a container or ornamental bed, it provides textural interest to complement both blooming plants and other foliage.
Sedge. Lustrous narrow green leaves beautifully margined with white, forming stiff clumps. Green and brown flower spikes. Height 60cm. Spread 75cm. Flowers from April to June. Evergreen. Hardy.
Sedge. Lustrous narrow green leaves beautifully margined with white forming stiff clumps. Green and brown flower spikes. Height 60cm. Spread 75cm. Flowers from April to June. Evergreen. Hardy.
A dense mound forming Carex with a distinctive white mid stripe which makes the foliage stand out in the winter months.
Sedge. Clumps of slender long-arching leaves, with a glowing gold band between green margins. Brown flowers spikes. Height 35cm. Spread 60cm. Flowers from May to June. Evergreen. Hardy.
Sedge. Elegant arching, fine leaves, olive-green at the end, bright green at the base, turning almost orange in sun and almost green in shade. Brown flower spikes. Height 45cm. Spread 45cm. Flowers from July to September. Evergreen. Hardy.
Pampas Grass. Densely tufted, clump-forming perennial grass with arching mid-green leaves and tall stems of silky silvery plumes. Height 2.5-3m. Spread 1.5m. Flowers from August to September. Evergreen. Hardy.
Pampas Grass. Densely tufted, clump-forming perennial grass with arching mid-green leaves, and tall stems of silky, silvery yellow plumes. Height 1.5m. Spread 1.2m. Flowers from August to September. Evergreen. Hardy.
Densely tufted, low growing, clump-forming perennial grass with arching variegated leaves, and tall stems of weather resistant, silky, white plumes. Height 1m. Spread 2.5m. Flowers from August to September. Evergreen. Protect from frost.
Pampas Grass. Densely tufted, clump-forming perennial grass with arching mid-green leaves, and tall stems of weather resistant, silky, white plumes. Height 3m. Spread 2.5m. Flowers from August to September. Evergreen. Hardy.
Pampas Grass. Densely tufted, clump-forming perennial grass with arching mid-green leaves. Tall stems of silky white plumes. Height 2.5-3m. Spread 1.5m. Flowers from August to September. Evergreen. Hardy.
Pampas Grass. Densely tufted clump-forming perennial grass which arching mid-green leaves. Tall stems of silky white plumes. Height 2.5-3m. Spread 1.5m. Flowers from August to September. Evergreen. Hardy.
Densely tufted, low growing, clump-forming perennial grass with arching variegated leaves and tall stems of weather resistant, silky, white plumes. Height 1m. Spread 2.5m. Flowers from August to September. Evergreen. Protect from frost.
Large Blue Fescue, Tufted Fescue. A densely tufted evergreen grass with narrow enrolled grey-green leaves, panicles of greenish purple flowers. Height 45cm. Spread 25cm. Flowers from April to June. Evergreen. Hardy.
'Eisvogel' with its silver-blue foliage is well-suited for mixed and permanent beds.
Blue Fescue. A densely tufted evergreen grass with narrow inrolled silvery blue arching leaves. Panicles of silvery blue flowers fading to brown as they seed. Height 30cm. Spread 45cm. Flowers from May to June. Evergreen. Hardy.
Golden Toupee Fescue. A tight cushion-forming evergreen grass with soft narrow needle-like yellow leaves in spring, becoming yellow-lime, panicles of yellow-lime flowers, fading to brown as they seed. Height 25cm. Spread 25cm. Flowers from May to July. Evergreen. Hardy. Protect from winter wet.
A densely tufted grass with silvery blue narrow leaves and green or purple flowers. Height 25cm. Spread 60cm. Flowers from May to June. Semi-evergreen. Hardy. Protect from winter wet.
Golden Hakone Grass. A beautiful grass forming low mounds of densely overlapping leaves. Rich yellow with thin stripes of green occasional splashes of white on wiry red stems. Green flowers in autumn. Height 25cm. Spread 80cm. Flowers from August to October. Herbaceous. Hardy
Golden Hakone Grass. A beautiful grass, leaves of rich yellow with thin stripes of green on wiry red stems. Green flowers in autumn. Height 25cm. Spread 80cm. Flowers from August to October. Herbaceous. Hardy.
This Japanese forest grass slowly matures into a soft flowing mound. The thin, rich, green blades will start to develop red on the tips in late summer and gradually gain more red throughout the fall. In full fall colour this grass is a bright blend of deep red, burnt orange and deep gold.
A stunning variety with handsome tricolour leaves with elegantly arching stems. When Mulled Wine matures, the stunning tricolour foliage will turn warm burgundy-red in autumn creating the most spectacular autumn displays.
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