 | Grass grows almost anywhere, but the best grows on well-drained soil near water and are exposed to adequate sunlight. North America once boasted some of the world’s best grasslands, although sadly our prairies have dissipated over the last century. In any case, gardeners today are enthusiastic about returning some of these special grasses to their own patch of earth. The following article discusses some possibilities to use ornamental grasses in your own landscape.
For the purpose of this article, the term grass is used as a blanket label for true grasses and close plant relatives that resemble grasses. Grass-like plants, closely related to true grass, often display the appeal gardeners are looking for. It’s important to remember that there are warm-season and cool-season grasses and your own particular climate will steer you in either direction when choosing grass and grassy plants. Also note that there are grasses that run or creep as well as grass that clumps; there are grasses that grow in tufts or stand erect. Look at your space to best decide what particular style works best.
When dealing with ornamental grass it is easy to forget that caring for them is often simpler than working with other plants or flowers—they are quite beautiful and fill niches or garden gaps wonderfully. They work well as borders or to separate flowerbeds. Many are ideal groundcovers and some new lawn grasses do not even need to be mowed which is the height of a low-maintenance garden. Ornamental grasses do extremely well in differing garden situations too; consider using them in your rock and water gardens—even small container gardens too.
Before getting to particular styles and types of ornamental grasses, there are a few basic needs these plants require. Most need a decent soil—lots of organic matter is ideal. To begin with, they may need a composting, but they will soon adapt to their bit of earth. Also, good drainage is necessary as is a fair amount of sunlight. Although, there are many grasses that do well in moist, boggy areas. Other than that, the particular type of plant will reveal its individual needs in terms of spacing, watering, planting time, mulching, maintenance needs, etc…
A wonderful base grass that may be mowed or unmowed and works well as a pretty, durable lawn is Catlin Sedge (sometimes known as Texas Sedge). It adapts to sun or shade situations and grows well in moist, fertile soil. Whatsmore, this hardy grass has no known pests. Its lush leaves never seem to grow more than four inches.
Another good low groundcover is Mop-headed sedge (also called Beatles’ Sedge). It is a darker green than Catlin Sedge and also works well between stepping stones or in rock gardens. It grows best in slightly moist, fertile soil with light shade. It’s foliage is soft and this grass works lovely in any garden.
Lemon grass, though a tropical grass originally, tolerates various types of soils, light exposure and climate. It prefers moist fertile soil and full sunlight though. Be sure not to let it dry out. While this grass has enjoyed medicinal and culinary uses, it works as a fast-growing, gorgeously green plant perfect for border situations—or planted in pots or window boxes.
To grass a small area, consider Variegated Orchard Grass. It makes an interesting ground cover with its grey-green leaves. It grows in compact clumps that sprawl low to the ground. It prefers moist, fertile soil and some shade.
For a nice blue touch, add Blue Lyme Grass (also known as European Blue Dune Grass) to an area you’d like to highlight. This standout plant grows well in most soils in full sun or even light shade. Its thin leaves sprout up and out from its base about eighteen inches long.
Volga Wild Rye is also prized for its bluish foliage. It appears quite stunning planted near vibrant flowers or water. It is relatively hardy and does well in most soils in full sunlight or light shade. It is even tolerant to some drought situations.
Beardless Wild Rye is lovely, but because of its invasive nature, it needs plenty of space to show off its lovely color. It is a good choice to control areas vulnerable to erosion. It does well in most sun soils with full sun or light shade.
Scouring Rush is unique for its stalk-like appearance—it is somewhat reminiscent of bamboo so it is an obvious choice for oriental-inspired gardens. It grows best in a wet fertile soil with exposure to full sunlight. The narrow stalks may reach as high as six feet tall—this plant is a good choice for pots.
Cotton Grass is a safe choice for wet areas doing well in wet soil exposed to full sun. Its cottony white flower heads show in April and May adding not only color to green situations, but also texture. It grows in clumps in the garden but does well in pots also.
If you need to add height to your landscape, Ravenna Grass is a good choice. It requires moist soil that is well drained and also does best in full sunlight. Its spikes may reach as high as twelve feet and it sports gray-green leaves.
Variegated Manna Grass is a great choice for water gardens. It grows best in moist, fertile soil—even in shallow water exposed to full sunlight. It is rather aggressive, but looks most at home growing beside streams or ponds.
Velvet Grass is a lovely soft, gray-green plant that may be used in lawn situations. It needs moist, fertile soil with full sunlight to do best. The grass is prone to rust, but it is so attractive, it is worth the risk.
For a dramatic statement in your landscape, consider Purple Pampas Grass. It usually grows to about twelve feet and works well in a hedge situation. It’s fluffy plumes range from pink to purple. This grass does best in a moist, loamy soil.
Gold Band Pampas Grass grows in clumps that tend to reach about five feet tall. It does pretty well in shady conditions. It’s gold-striped leaves make it a stand out for very green areas that need a bit of definition. It is similar to other kinds of Pampas Grass in nature and care.
Egyptian Papyrus will certainly make a dramatic statement in your garden given the right conditions. A stunning choice for moist, fertile soils—moisture must be ever-present, but it thrives in full or even partial sunlight. This sedge may grow as tall as fifteen feet so it will do well as a background or even as a focal point in your landscape.
Tufted Hairgrass (also known as Fairy Wand Grass) grows in dense tufts and does well in shade situations with a moist, fertile soil. It makes a great groundcover choice sporting a rich green color and may grow up to three feet.
Crinkled Hairgrass is a pretty ornamental growing between six to twelve inches long and is lovely in borders or even as a groundcover. It is often dried for flower arrangements. It requires moist, rich soils and some shade. This selection will add elegance to any garden or landscape.
To add color, try Bronze Veil Tufted Hairgrass for a touch of gold in your garden. Although the gold fades late into the season, they are marvelous in a mild climate with a moist, fertile soil and fair exposure to sunlight.
Although there are many varieties of ornamental grasses available for ground cover or to fill small areas, these are a few standouts to provide you with some ideas. Short or tall, dense or sparse—there are a multitude of possibilities for endless garden and landscape situations. Many flower in a wide range of colors so are quite attractive enough on their own without much fuss. They are the natural way to spice up your outdoor space and usually hardy enough not to require much maintenance.
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