Ornamental Grasses
Ornamental Grass Types
Uses:
- Garden Borders & Edges
- Add Vertical Interest
- Groundcover
- Container Gardens
Features:
- Drought & Heat Tolerant
- Deer & Rabbit Resistant
- Low Maintenance & Adaptable
- No Fertilizer or Pesticide Needed
Sunlight:
- Mostly Full Sun
- Sunlight Conditions Depend on Type
Benefits:
- Prevents Erosion
- Habitat for Wildlife
- Adds Movement in the Wind
- Four-Season Interest
Ornamental grasses are a great addition to any landscape. The plants are low maintenance and provide year-round interest. Several types are available, ranging in size, color, and shape. Short sedge grass works well as a groundcover or in flower pots, whereas tall maiden grass provides height to a landscape and can be used as a privacy screen. There is an ornamental grass for every application and several colors to choose from including pink, red, blue, and purple.
Why Buy Ornamental Grass Online
When xeriscaping, you can add plenty of interest with varied textures and heights by including a few ornamental grasses in your landscape. We’re always tempted to think first about flower color, but less about interesting foliage. Placing a few ornamental grasses in a xeric landscape or container can add nearly as much impact as a pop of purple with less watering and maintenance.
Choose an ornamental grass that is native to your area, or a similar climate or condition, in place of a shrub or perennial flower. One of our favorite features of grasses is that they can grow tall and move in the wind. In containers, they often add height or contrast to draping and flowering annuals. Warm-season grasses seed out and provide winter interest, even if the foliage browns. If you choose one that’s not native to your area make sure it can at least survive with less water or other conditions that differ.
Another benefit of ornamental grasses is that they can serve practical purposes in a garden. Use them for erosion control by placing a small grouping at the bottom of a slope or terrace – and go for a medium-water selection such as Feather reed grass “Karl Foerster” (Calamagrostis arundinacea), since the rain or irrigation run-off from above supplies the extra water the plant requires.
Other great locations for grasses are along steps, pathways or corners, in front of dark walls or fences, and anywhere they will catch sunlight and breezes.
Sedges, rushes, papyrus and some hardy bamboos also fall into the ornamental grass category when landscaping. Just be sure to check the zone, native location of the plant, and especially the sun and water requirements before planting the grass. Some actually do better in marshes – not a good choice for xeriscaping!
It's so easy to complement a low-water grass with a salvia, penstemon or gayfeather.