Just because these are grasses, don’t think you have to mow them regularly! In fact, you only need to trim the grasses within a few inches of the ground annually, just before they awaken from winter dormancy in early spring. You can trim off the growth from the previous year and put it right into your compost pile.
As the name implies, for most people, the biggest reason to grow ornamental grasses is their beauty. They provide interest through the seasons and look great even in areas with winter snow. With a variety of grasses in shapes and sizes from dwarf to towering forms, you’re sure to find a variety to suit your needs.
Designers love to punctuate landscapes with ornamental grasses because they can plant upright varieties or others that gently weep, depending on the desired effect. Just when perennials have succumbed to the cold, grasses will maintain their shape and attractiveness. They are particularly eye-catching to use en masse, whether it be one large drift or several smaller groupings to define an area or enhance your perennial border or shrub layer.
Functionally, grasses will help stabilize slopes, thanks to their deep root systems. These roots also help to improve soil conditions and fertility as the root system regenerates every three to four years with the older roots decomposing.
But you don’t need a sweeping landscape to enjoy these versatile plants. They lend their tapestry of textures not only to beds and borders, but also to containers. You can make an architectural statement by putting suitable grasses in colorful containers. Ornamental grasses are also very popular in dried flower arrangements.
Native grasses provide a habitat for birds and other wildlife. Birds thrive on the seeds that grasses provide. I’ve enjoyed watching wrens and chickadees perched in the feathery grass, dining on many of these easily accessible feeding stations.
One of my favorite grasses is pink muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris). It boasts a stunning display of feathery pink clouds, plus exceptional tolerance to heat, sun and drought. It thrives in well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade, as most grasses do. This tough plant even thrives next to the roadside. This grass is native to the eastern U.S. from Kansas to Massachusetts and south to Florida and Texas.
If you can’t grow pink muhly grass, don’t despair. You will find a variety of ornamental grasses at your local garden center. A few grasses are sold as annuals, so be sure to check the plant tag or ask someone knowledgeable in the nursery to determine if the plants are hardy in your area. I’ve used ornamental grasses to add texture, color and attract wildlife for decades. They never fail to amaze me.
For more information on ornamental grasses, there are numerous sites on the Internet for everything you need to know.
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Joe Lamp’l is the host and executive producer of Growing a Greener World on national public television, and the founder of The joe gardener® Company, devoted to environmentally responsible gardening and sustainable outdoor living.
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