Ornamental grasses are a useful way to create a low-maintenance landscape with year-round interest. Grasses, such as Cortaderia, Carex, and Miscanthus, add texture and movement to your garden. Ideal for borders, feature areas, or adding a soft, flowing backdrop to your plants. Ornamental Grasses are chosen for their decorative qualities and whether used indoors or outdoors, they can bring a striking diversity to your garden. From round shrubs to tall walls of quivering spikes, ornamental grasses bring new shapes and textures that will contrast against the twisted roots of trees and the blooms of traditional plants and flowers. They are also becoming increasingly popular due to their hardiness against the British weather and their ability to hold their colour through autumn and winter.
Ornamental grasses are very versatile and come in a lot of different shapes and sizes, along with different preferred environmental conditions. Its important to choose one that will thrive in the conditions of your garden space. For example, Miscanthus and Cortaderia prefer well-drained soils, while Stipa Tenuissima prefer free-draining, poor soils. Most ornamental grasses prefer full sunlight.
Its important to ensure you plant grasses at the right time of year; Grasses from cooler climates, such as Stipa Tenuissima, Deschampsia Cespitosa, and Festuca, prefer to be planted in the autumn, while plants which originate from warmer climates, such as Miscanthus, Arundo Donax, and Phalaris Arundinacea, should ideally be planted in late spring.
Grasses tend to be very low-maintenance, and require little care year-round. In early to mid-spring, any damaged foliage can be removed as needed, and plants can be lightly tidied up to keep everything neat. Deciduous grasses can be cut back to be base if required / desired, however evergreen grasses don’t respond well to heavy pruning and therefore should only be trimmed of any dead foliage. Many grasses are drought and frost tolerant, and don’t require feeding, adding to their attractive low maintenance.
Customer Favourite
Our customers have been loving Cortaderia (Pampas Grass), and it’s no wonder why. Cortaderia is a classic ornamental grass. It is low maintenance, evergreen, and hardy. Not to mention its unique, cream tufty appearance, making it stand out instantly.
Pampas Grass is one of the most impressive plants you can include in a garden design. In years gone by, it was only seen in the estates and arboretums of the rich and powerful, but now thankfully, it can be owned by anyone who has the space for it. Pampas Grass’s densely tufted cream flowers emerge in late summer. Why not combine them with other members of the Cortaderia family to create a mix of colours?
