Ornamental Grasses: Summer Blooming

Describes different kinds that work well together and how to care for them.

Miscanthus sinensis 'Gracillimus'
Item # 70550 		Miscanthus sinensis 'Gracillimus'
Maiden Hair Grass

each $8.79
3 to 6 $8.59
7 or more $8.29
Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’
Item # 27550 		Calamagrostis acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’
Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass

each $8.99
3 to 6 $8.79
7 or more $8.59
Festuca idahoensis 'Siskiyou Blue'
Item # 52375 		Festuca idahoensis 'Siskiyou Blue'
'Siskiyou Blue' Idaho Fescue Grass

each $5.99
3 or more $5.79
  • Topic: Ornamental Grasses
  • Author: David Salman
  • Keywords: planting, ornamental grasses, Perennials
  • Date: June 2005

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Few plants can match ornamental grasses for ease of cultivation, ability to catch the late afternoon sunlight and their graceful movement in the wind. Like conifers and other evergreens, ornamental grasses also provide interest in the fall and winter landscape. When the flowers of summer are only a memory, you’ll find delight looking out on frosted grass spikes as they catch the early light of a cold winter’s day.

Ornamental grasses are at their best when combined with other flowering perennials and grasses. Avoid the lonely specimen. Be brave and experiment.

Grasses should be mixed with other grasses to contrast size, flower type and foliage color. A few clumps of Helictotrichon (Blue Avena grass) combine beautifully around the base of Miscanthus ‘Silberfeder’. Plant several graceful Stipa (Silky Thread grass) to move with the breeze next to statue-like Agave havardiana. Festuca ‘Siskiyou Blue’ contrasts color and texture when planted into a carpet of Artemisia ‘Seafoam’.

Grasses provide more drama in the garden especially when massed in groups of threes and fives.

Maintaining Ornamental Grasses

Ornamental grasses are durable and easy-to-grow. Leave them standing over the winter for ornamental interest. Cut them back hard in mid-spring and scratch-out the middle of the clump to remove dead stems and leaf blades. This makes room for the new shoots to push through. Divide big clumps every three or four years to re-invigorate the plant. Grasses love nitrogen so top-dress with ample compost and Yum Yum Mix fertilizer in the fall.