Nothing beats ornamental grasses for a low-maintenance and water-wise garden. Available in a large range of sizes and forms they will bring an elegant, informal style to any garden, whether it’s contemporary, cottage, formal, natural or gravel. Grown alongside colourful perennials they look absolutely stunning
Try planting tall slender grasses, such as Pennisetum macrourum with its gorgeous silvery foliage, Eragnostis carpensis, panicum virgatum, Miscanthus sinemsis ‘cabaret’ or the thamnochortus insignis with long-season perennials like red-hot pokers, verbena bonariensis, rudbekias and penstemons.
A colourful border can also be created by growing achillea ‘red velvet’ and alliums amongst medium-sized grasses to add texture and colour.
Ornamental grasses can be variegated or coloured, like the red Japanese blood grass and pink melinus repens, the striped miscanthus sinensis ‘zebra’ or the white striped amethencetherum elatus bulbosum (oat grass).
To soften the edges of any paving use low-growing grasses such as Fescue in blue or grey, and the black mondo grass (ophiopogon planiscapis nigrencens), the carex ‘china blue’ or the bronze curls will all look very natural.
Grow ornamental grasses in groups, as a single dramatic focal point or singly in containers as a central plant surrounded with colourful annual or perennials. Containers can then be moved around to fill spaces or enhance your patio.
Wildlife will be attracted to the grasses. Birds use any fluffy tassels and leaf blades for nesting and small seed-producing grasses like eragrostis carpensis and briza maxima will provide food for the birds. Butterflies will use ornamental grasses as host plants for their larvae.
Ornamental grasses are among the most versatile plants in the garden, and will bring a calming, tactile, natural feel to any plot. They can soften the hard lines of hard-landscaping and add gentle movement as they catch the breeze.