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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Self fertile 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.
'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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Tall, upright herbaceous perennial grass with narrow, arching green foliage with irregular golden-yellow banding and panicles of silver-white flowers from late Summer. Feathery plumes of tiny, silver-white flowers from late Summer through to the start of Winter.
Deciduous grass. Clumps of fresh green foliage turning orange, red and purple in late summer and autumn. Reddish plumes turning silver. Height 1.8m.
An impressive ornamental grass reaching about 220-230 cm in height during flowering. Flowering begins in September. The panicles initially have yellow-pink reflections, while in full bloom they are pure white. They are set on erect stems high above a clump of leaves. The leaves are narrow, dark green, arched towards the ground.
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 arching narrow green leaves striped white and plumes of silver flowers. Height 1.5m. Spread 1m. Flowers from October to November. Semi-evergreen. Hardy.
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. 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.
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
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