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.
Semi-evergreen grass with arching foliage and mound-like form. It has bright, yellow foliage and in early autumn, produces reddish-brown flower spikes.
Blue Oat Grass. An evergreen grass with grey-blue leaves radiating outwards from the centre to form a neat clump. Oat-like flowers are grey-blue at first, quickly turning straw-coloured. Height 1m. Spread 1m. Flowers from May to July. Evergreen. Hardy.
Japanese Blood Grass. An attractive grass with narrow yellow-green leaves tipped with red in spring, by mid-summer the whole leaf is red. Height 45cm. Spread 30cm. Herbaceous.
Corkscrew Rush. Densely tufted aquatic perennial with shiny. dark green twisted stems forming a tangled mass. Brown flowers throughout summer. Height 45cm. Spread 60cm. Flowers from June to August. Evergreen. Hardy. Good for both wet and dry soils.
Glaucous Hair Grass. A densely tufted grass with narrow, glaucous, grey-green leaves and silver-grey spikelets in early summer. Height 40cm. Spread 30cm. Flowers from June to July. Semi-evergreen. Hardy.
A perennial grass with bright, pale blue-grey, narrow leaves and blue-grey spikelets in summer. Height 1.5m. Spread Indefinite. Flowers from June to August. Herbaceous. Hardy.
Evergreen perennial forming a large clump of erect, linear leaves, with clusters of white flowers borne on stiff stems in late spring and early summer, followed by conspicuous seed capsules.
Dense clump-forming perennial with narrow leathery, deep green leaves and clusters of white flowers in succession from late spring to early summer. Height 90cm. Spread 60cm. Flowers from May to June. Evergreen. Hardy. Sheltered Site.
Dense clump-forming perennial with narrow leathery leaves, sometimes turning orange-brown in winter and clusters of white flowers in late spring and early summer. Height 60cm. Spread 60cm. Flowers from May to June. Evergreen. Frost hardy. Sheltered Site.
An evergreen perennial, preferring full sun or part shade in a moist, but well-drained soil. The foliage is coloured red/bronze carrying a white flower from spring. Fully hardy to frost hardy, making a good coastal plant, but still useful in a herbaceous or mixed border. Interesting for its stiff upright leaves.
A robust tall grass, clump forming with very narrow green leaves. Silvery white spikelets August-September. Height 3m. Deciduous. Hardy. Prefers moist soil.
Deciduous grass. Clumps of fresh green foliage turning orange, red and purple in late summer and autumn. Reddish plumes turning silver. Height 1.8m.
Maiden Grass. A robust tall grass with very narrow grey-green with pale silver-green midribs. Silvery white spikelets. Height 1.5-2.2m. Spread 1.4m. Deciduous. Hardy.
An elegant grass with narrow spidery, horizontally held, green leaves with a silver midrib and large plumes of red-brown flowers. Height 90cm. Spread 1m. Flowers from August to September. Deciduous. Hardy.
An elegant grass with narrow green leaves margined creamy white and silvery flower plumes. Height 1m. Spread 5m. Flowers from September to February. Semi-evergreen. Hardy.
An elegant grass with narrow green leaves margined creamy white and silvery flower plumes. Height 1m. Spread 5m. Flowers from September to February. Semi-evergreen. Hardy.
Clump-forming, deciduous grass with narrow, arching leaves which turn yellow in autumn, fading to pale brown in winter. Feathery flower panicles open deep maroon red in late summer and early autumn, fading to silver and remaining on the plant over winter creating a wonderful effect.
Clump-forming, deciduous grass with narrow, arching leaves which turn yellow in autumn, fading to pale brown in winter. Feathery flower panicles open deep maroon red in late summer and early autumn, fading to silver and remaining on the plant over winter creating a wonderful effect.
Fresh green leaves, each with a white strip running along their length, emerge in spring, forming a dense, fountain-like clump that moves gently with the breeze. Then in late summer, upright stems arise, each crowned with a cluster of pink-tinted flower tassels, which over the next couple of months, gradually turn a deep coppery colour. Deciduous.
An elegant grass with arching narrow green leaves striped white and plumes of silver flowers. Height 1.5m. Spread 1m. Flowers from October to November. Semi-evergreen. Hardy.
Zebra Grass. Elegant grass. Narrow green leaves with bands of yellow and plumes of silver flowers. Height 2.4m. Spread 1.2m. Flowers from September to October. Deciduous. Hardy.
Clumps of broad strap like green foliage come wonderful tall arching purplish plumes of airy well-spaced flower spikes which all turn a warm butter yellow in autumn. Elegant transparency! Height 1.8m - 2m. Sunny open spot.
A elegant, tuft forming grass with narrow arching. shiny green leaves, turning yellow in autumn, and purple flower spikes. Height 1.m. Spread 0.7m.
A hardy grass from South East USA. Pink fluffy flower spikes in autumn on tall stems.
A tussock forming grass, stunning, wispy pink flowers in autumn.
A creeping shrub or twining climber with dark green leaves. Greenish white flowers in summer followed by white fruit. Height 3m. Flowers from June to August.
Lilyturf. A tufted perennial with attractive narrow dark green leaves margined creamy white. Height 10-20cm. Spread 30cm. Insignificant flowers. Evergreen. Fantastic in full to medium shade.
Ophiopogon planiscapus is a species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae. It is a small evergreen perennial growing to 20 cm tall by 30 cm wide. It grows from short rhizomes, and bears tufts of grass-like leaves, from which purple or white flowers emerge in racemes held on short stems above the leaves. It is native to Japan, where it grows on open and forested slopes.
Switch Grass. A clump-forming grass with arching narrow red-brown leaves. Mauve-purple flower spikes from mid-summer. Height 1m. Spread 90cm. Flowers from July. Herbaceous. Hardy.
Switch Grass. Upright selection having a very distinctive narrow vertical habit and wide greyish green foliage that turns yellowy orange in autumn. Later flowering. Superb vertical accent. Sunny open spot. Soil not too wet. Height; 1.5 - 1.8 m.
Switch Grass. A striking clump-forming grass with an upright habit. Foliage starts the season green with reddish tones appearing by autumn. Sun and well-drained soil. Cut back in late winter.
Switch Grass. A clump-forming upright grass with arching narrow red-brown leaves. Mauve-purple flower spikes from mid-summer. Height 1.5m. Spread 1m. Flowers from July. Herbaceous. Plant in full sun.
An ornamental grass with elegance and structural qualities. Medium height fountains of green, project upwards and spray delicate seed heads in autumn through winter. The best aspect though for this beauty, is that the foliage becomes blood-red in colour as the season progresses.
Switch Grass. A clump-forming grass with arching narrow red-brown, then dark purple leaves. Mauve-purple flower spikes from mid-summer. Height 1.2-1.5m. Spread 90cm. Flowers from July. Herbaceous. Hardy
Switch Grass. A deciduous perennial grass forming a clump of flat, linear leaves turning yellow in autumn, and large purple flowering panicles. A deciduous perennial grass forming a clump of flat, linear leaves turning yellow in autumn, and large purple flowering panicles.
Fountain Grass. A clump-forming perennial grass with narrow, dark green leaves turning gold in autumn. Attractive greenish white flowers, grey-brown when mature in summer. Height 60-150cm. Spread 60-120cm. Flowers from July to August. Evergreen. Frost hardy. Sheltered site.
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