5 Reasons to Grow Ornamental Grasses in Your Garden

Ever wondered how best to use grasses in your garden?  There are plenty of examples at Knoll Gardens, and I've been to take a look. 

If you thought ornamental grasses could only ever be a plain sidekick to more exciting specimen plants then think again. Here are five ways to make grasses the stars of your garden...

Grasses don't often get the credit they deserve. To be fair, they often feature in  planting schemes which seem a bit bland or boring. They're frequently added simply to act as a foil to more solid specimen plants. 

Perhaps they are too frequently planted en masse in a single variety, purely to waft in the breeze. This can make them appear to be a horticultural "one trick pony" maybe. But wandering round Knoll Gardens in Dorset I observed how versatile they are. 

There is much more to Knoll Gardens than grasses. There is a beautiful woodland garden, a water garden, some exuberant herbaceous borders and several rare and unusual trees. But grasses are their speciality, and they are prominent throughout, and to great effect.

My visit highlighted the different purposes grasses can be put to in any garden. 

5 Reasons to Grow Ornamental Grasses in Your Garden

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Grasses for colour

Ornamental grasses come in a range of colours which can be used in their own right, just as you would with other plants. It is perhaps a limited pallet, but probably not as much as you think. 

Grasses tend to have softer tones rather than bright colours, but whether it's a rich red imperata, buttery yellow hakonechloea, or iridescent blue festuca, there is plenty of choice.

Whilst choosing a colour scheme based on flowers means that colour scheme will only be evident during flowering time, using grasses makes that scheme last much longer. 

So whether you are looking for a golden glow behind dark purple perennials, or dark foliage to help show off a sparkling flower alongside, check out the grasses you might find what you need.   

Tall golden grass highlights the deep purple foliage in front 

Grasses as border edging

Grasses can be used instead of flowery bedding plants at the front of a border. It's a permanent and low maintenance alternative which has plenty of colour and interest. I love the way they arch gracefully out over the edge of the lawn, but without lying on the ground making the grass develop bare patches or getting in the way of the mower! 

These grasses are ideal at the front of the border

Grasses for texture

This is what grasses are most renowned for I suppose, adding texture. They are very tactile, and appear so even from some distance. Moving in the breeze, rustling and tempting you to feel them, they activate several of our senses all at once.

They can be used to soften the appearance of hard landscaping, and contrast with the stillness of a pool of water.

But remember, grasses are not all the same texture. There are many different forms, with different size and thickness of leaves, and different growing habits. Some go straight up, some arch outwards. Some are tall and slender, others broad and bold.

In combination they can form a patchwork of different textures, as in the Dragon Garden at Knoll:   

The Dragon Garden at Knoll - a patchwork of textures

Combine Grasses with Flowers

Prairie planting has been very popular in recent years, combining grasses and tall flowering perennials in large swathes. The meadow look is increasingly fashionable too, the delightful way that the blooms float around in the long grass adding a romantic air to a garden. 

One of my favourite combinations in my garden in late summer is the tall pink flowers of Verbena bonariensis dancing around amongst the feathery plumes sent up by Miscanthus sinensis.

A similar combination was evident at Knoll Gardens too:

Ornamental grasses growing up alongside
 the flowers of Verbena bonariensis 

Grass for flowers

Yes, grasses have flowers too! Whether it's the feathery plumes of Miscanthus or the fluffy bunny tails of a Pennisetum, they can put on a show for you. As an example, the Pennisetum below offers some colour, an interesting contrast against the foliage, and will withstand the rain and carry on looking good afterwards, unlike a few other more delicate flowers I could mention! 

You can even use them as cut flowers. In some cases you don't even need water in the vase, and they'll stay looking good for a lot longer than many other flowers:

Related: Six Plants you can put in a vase for winter (without water)

Pennisetum in flower at Knoll Gardens

Unlike other more delicate but brightly coloured flowers,
 grasses even look good after the rain 

Do visit Knoll Gardens if you can, it's a very enjoyable and relaxing way to spend a few hours. They also have a well stocked plant sales area, and an excellent website that features a guide to choosing the right plant (especially grasses) for the right part of your garden.

http://www.knollgardens.co.uk/choose-the-right-plants-for-your-garden/

What ornamental grasses are you growing in your own garden? What you growing alongside them? If you have any good combinations, please share your ideas in the comments below.

Happy gardening,
Paul 

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