Plumes and seed heads that rise just as the borders run out of flowers, then stems that hold a crystal-like coating of frost all winter: ornamental grasses earn their keep for most of the year. Give them ordinary, well-drained soil and plenty of sun, and they ask for almost nothing else.
Full of colors and pride, they’ll bring a dynamic touch that will last through the larger part of the year.
Ornamental grasses (carex, fescue, stipa, pennisetum…) come in such a wide range of wild grasses that you’ll be bound to find a variety that will match your land and taste. They can be used in many different settings. Pair them with colorful perennials and rose trees to produce harmonious ensembles. Plunk them in a pot to effortlessly decorate balconies and terraces. Use them to mark the edge of the lawn. Set them up to camouflage the stakes of tall fall perennials like dahlia or daisy. Even such plants as Miscanthus are herbaceous giants that are perfect for creating a wind-breaking hedge.
The natural resilience and frugality of grasses lets them feel at home even in extreme growing conditions, and they require very little care. One more advantage: most of these grasses bloom towards the end of summer and the beginning of fall, just when a great many more conventional plants have wrapped up their own blooming cycle.
The article points to a handful of grasses with very different jobs in the garden. Use it to match a grass to the spot you have in mind.
| Grass | Noted for | Where to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Stipa | Copes with dry, poor ground | Thin, fast-draining soil in full sun |
| Miscanthus | A herbaceous giant | Wind-breaking hedge or tall screen |
| Oshima grass (sedge family) | Needs no yearly cut-back | Low-maintenance beds and edges |
| Grasses in containers | Instant decoration, no ground needed | Balconies and terraces |
| Clump-forming grasses among perennials | Hide supports and soften groupings | Beside dahlia or daisy, along the lawn edge |
Whatever the setting, the same easy routine applies: ordinary soil, sun, and a spring tidy-up.
Not picky at all, grasses are contented with ordinary and well-drained soil. Stipa even do well in dry, poor ground.
Purchase plants in nursery pots or small containers, and plant them in place in a clean patch, giving them enough space among the nearby plants.
Hoe and water while the roots are developing. Mulch, and the job is done!
Most grasses are very happy in full sun, some of them tolerate part shade. Take note that some varieties, if properly exposed, can even become invasive!
Generally, ornamental grasses are resilient plants that are invulnerable to diseases. Care is thus reduced to the bare necessities.
In spring, after having admired the beautiful crystal-like effect of frost on their stems in winter, cut back the growth entirely to relieve new shoots. Some grasses of the Sedge family, such as Oshima grass for instance, don’t even need that yearly shave.
Every three to four years, divide the clumps for the plants to continuously grow vigorously.
M.-C.H.
