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.

  • Acorus calamus Variegatus 3L pot

    Sweetflag. An aquatic plant with thick creeping rhizomes. Sword like upright green leaves striped white and cream. Height 80cm. Spread 60cm. Flowers from May to June. Herbaceous. Hardy.

  • Acorus gramineus Ogon 3L pot

    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.

  • Anemanthele lessoniana Sirocco

    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.

  • Arundo donax Variegata

    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.

  • Bouteloua gracilis 3L pot

    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.

  • Calamagrostis acutiflora Overdam 3L pot

    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.

  • Calamagrostis x acutiflora Karl Forester 3L pot

    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 albula Amazon Mist 3L pot

    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.

  • Carex buchananii Red Rooster 3L pot

    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.

  • Carex elata Aurea 3L pot

    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.

  • Carex flacca Blue Zinger 3L pot

    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.

  • Carex howardii Phoenix Green 3L pot

    Sturdy, upright, narrow-leafed sedge has bright green foliage. Good heat tolerance and easy-care.

  • Carex In Variety 3L pot

    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.

  • Carex morrowii Ice Dance 3L pot

    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.

  • Carex oshimensis Everest 3L pot

    A dense mound forming Carex with a distinctive white mid stripe which makes the foliage stand out in the winter months.

  • Carex oshimensis Evergold 3L pot

    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.

  • Carex testacea 3L pot

    Unusual olive green arching leaves, turning orange in full sun. Moist soil.

  • Carex testacea Prairie Fire 3L pot

    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.

  • Cortaderia selloana Evita 3L pot

    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.

  • Cortaderia selloana Pumila 3L pot

    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.

  • Cortaderia selloana Silver Star 3L pot

    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.

  • Cortaderia selloana Sunningdale Silver 3L pot

    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.

  • Cortaderia selloana White Plume 3L pot

    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.

  • Cortaderia selloana White Plume 3L pot

    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.

  • Cortaderia Splendid Star 3L pot

    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.

  • Festuca amethystina 3L pot

    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.

  • Festuca cinerea Eisvogel 3L pot

    'Eisvogel' with its silver-blue foliage is well-suited for mixed and permanent beds.

  • Festuca glauca Elijah Blue 3L pot

    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.

  • Festuca glauca Golden Toupee 3L pot

    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.

  • Festuca valesiaca Glaucantha 3L pot

    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.

  • Hakonechloa macra All Gold 3L pot

    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

  • Hakonechloa macra Aureola 3L pot

    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.

  • Hakonechloa macra Beni-Kaze 3L pot

    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.

  • Hakonechloa macra Sunflare 3L pot

    Semi-evergreen grass with arching foliage and mound-like form. It has bright, yellow foliage and in early autumn, produces reddish-brown flower spikes.

  • Helictotrichon sempervirens 3L pot

    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.

  • Imperata cylindrica Red Baron 3L pot

    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.

Come and see us!

Our Opening Times

Mon - Fri 8:00am - 5:00pm

Sat & Sun 9:00am - 5:00pm

Any questions? Email us or give us a call on 01904 400092.