Ornamental grasses come in many shapes, sizes and colors, making them an important element in garden design. Grasses are not only green, but can also take on brown or bronze, white, reddish or even bluish shades. Even white, black or yellow variegated varieties provide variety in the garden.

Tall ornamental grasses are also a nice privacy screen

Table of Contents

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  1. the essentials in brief
  2. location and soil
  3. Plant grass properly
  4. Optimal care after planting
  5. Garden design with grasses
  6. frequently asked Questions

    7. the essentials in brief

    • Ornamental grasses prefer sunny locations and nutrient-poor, loose soil
    • Only a few ornamental grasses should be combined with each other or with flowering plants per bed
    • The best planting time is in spring
    • A root barrier for rampant grasses is highly recommended

    location and soil

    Most grasses prefer a sunny garden location. However, the group of ornamental grasses is very numerous and therefore varied, which is why you will also find a large selection of shade-tolerant species. Typically, the shade-loving ornamental grasses sprout very early and bloom in spring. These species do not mind cooler temperatures, and they are often winter or even evergreen. For this reason, these species are also known as cold-season grasses. But it doesn't matter whether it's a sunny or (semi)shady location: all grasses need loose, nutrient-poor and humus-rich soil.

    The following table shows you which types of grass are particularly suitable for sunny or shady or dry or moist soils:

    Grasses for sunny locations Grasses for shady locations Grasses for dry locations Grasses for fresh to moist locations
    Chinese reed (Miscanthus) Pennisetum (Pennisetum) Mosquito grass (Bouteloua gracilis) giant reed (Arundo donax)
    Pampas grasses (Cortaderia) Foxgum sedge and other sedges (Carex) Rainbow fescue (Festuca amethystina) Stiff golden sedge (Carex elata)
    Reed Grass (Calamagrostis) Beach sedge (Carex arenaria) Blue fescue (Festuca cinerea) Morning star sedge (Carex grayi)
    Moor-grass (Molinia) Grove rush (Luzula) Atlas fescue (Festuca mairei) Palm frond sedge (Carex muskingumensis)
    giant reed (Arundo donax) Forest Hair Grass (Deschampsia cespitosa) Sheep fescue (Festuca ovina) Giant sedge (Carex pendula)
    Blue oat (Helictotrichon sempervirens) Japanese grass (Hakonechloa) Blue oat (Helictotrichon sempervirens) Cyprus grass (Cyperus longus)
    Blue fescue (Festuca cinerea) Golden millet (Milium Effusum 'Aureum') Blue Iris (Koeleria glauca) Narrow-leaved cotton grass (Eriophorum angustifolium)
    Bottle Brush Grass (Hystrix patula) Stiff sedge (Carex elata) Pennisetum (Pennisetum) European rush (Juncus effusus)
    Tufted Hairgrass (Stipa capillata) Reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) Autumn Head Grass (Sesleria autumnalis) Blue bulrush (Juncus glaucus)
    Giant feather grass (Stipa gigantea) Nest Bluegrass (Sesleria nitida) Giant feather grass (Stipa gigantea) Giant country reed (Miscanthus x giganteus)
    Eyelash pearl grass (Melica ciliata) different fescue species (Festuca) Angel hair (Stipa tenuissima) Tall moor grass (Molinia arundinacea)
    Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) Moor Moor Grass (Molinia caerulea)
    Silver spike grass (Achnatherum calamagrostis) common reed (Phragmites communis)
    Cattails (Typha)

    tips

    Shady, however, does not mean absolutely dark, north-facing locations. If grass is too dark, it will grow poorly and will not bloom. So make sure that the selected spot gets sun for a few hours a day or at least is in light shade (i.e. partially shaded to shady).

    Plant grass correctly - this is how it's done

    A few varieties cleverly combined appear noble and timeless

    "Don't put too many different types of grass in the bed, it quickly looks untidy and looks like an unmown meadow. Instead, limit yourself to a few varieties.”

    Ornamental grasses are usually available in a plant pot. Do not leave the plants in for too long after purchase as these pots are very small and therefore not suitable for permanent cultivation. On the other hand, it is better to plant the grasses as soon as possible.

    The right planting time

    It is best to plant all grasses in the spring, as the perennials then have enough time to root and grow. Winter-hardy species can be planted in beds as early as February, weather permitting. Non-hardy ornamental grasses, on the other hand, should only be planted out after the ice saints. In principle, autumn planting is also possible, but then even the hardy species need a little winter protection. In this case, the plants have not yet had enough time to take root and are therefore sensitive.

    Step-by-step instructions for planting

    Lift the grass out of the plant pot together with the adhering soil and first water the root ball vigorously. This works particularly well if you simply place the plant in a bucket of (lukewarm!) water. Make sure, however, that only the roots are in the water. Proceed as follows:

    1. Prepare the soil at the chosen site.
    2. Loosen the topsoil, dig up if necessary and remove weeds, etc.
    3. If necessary, improve the soil, e.g. B. by mixing in sand and/or humus soil.
    4. Dig the planting holes.
    5. These should be about twice as big and deep as the root ball.
    6. Pay attention to the recommended planting distances.
    7. These depend on the type and variety of ornamental grass.
    8. Plant the grasses as deep in the garden soil as they were in the pot.
    9. Press the plants down well after planting.
    10. Water them vigorously now, even if it's raining.
    11. The water closes any cavities in the soil and thus ensures the necessary soil contact of the roots.
    12. Shade grasses or grasses for moist soil should also be protected from drying out with a layer of mulch about five centimeters thick.

    Prevent grasses from spreading

    A basic distinction is made between types of grass that grow in clumps and types that form runners. When buying, pay close attention to which species you have selected belong to, because you should never plant the second variant in the garden without a stable root barrier - otherwise these perennials will overgrow all available areas and are also very difficult to remove. Typical representatives of this are bamboo (except Fargesia) and Chinese reed. In the meantime, however, some newly bred varieties are available that hardly ever form runners and therefore have little tendency to proliferate. When installing the root barrier (which can also be added later, by the way), note the following advice:

    • Do not use pond liner, roofing felt or similar, as these are too thin and easily punctured.
    • Special, thick root barriers made of polyethylene, on the other hand, are more suitable.
    • You can also plant the grasses in tubs or large pots made of (stainless) metal or plastic.
    • Mortar buckets are also suitable.
    • Dig the root barriers as deep as possible - 60 to 80 centimeters - as the rhizomes of many grasses can also migrate very deeply.

    By the way, many grasses spread not only by rhizomes, but also by self-seeding. If you want to avoid this, it is best to rely on self-sterile hybrid breeds. Limit yourself to a single variety here, since if you plant several types of grass, cross-pollination can still produce germinable seeds.

    digression

    When buying, make sure that the plants are of good quality

    Buy grasses either in spring or during the summer months. Healthy plants show bushy growth and brightly colored stems without spots or brownish areas (unless these are typical of the variety). However, grasses that are available in spring are often still dormant, which is why you should pay more attention to the root ball here: The plant pot is ideally not completely rooted, so that the roots still have enough space and are not squeezed.

    Optimal care after planting

    Once planted and established, ornamental grasses usually do not require too much care. In the first few weeks after planting, just make sure that the water supply is increased, as this promotes the development of the roots and thus growth. Grasses also do not need fertilization, which is why you should avoid any additions of compost, horn shavings (32.93€) and other fertilizers - regardless of whether they are organic or not - when planting. A pruning is also superfluous. The first cut is always made at the start of the new season, when you remove the dried stalks of the previous year to make room for new shoots.

    digression

    propagate grasses

    Most grasses can be propagated very well by division. To do this, cut off as many sections as you want in the spring with a sharp spade and plant them separately. The root ball of the separated pieces should be about the size of a fist.

    Garden design with grasses

    The following video with detailed instructions for replanting shows how attractive grasses look in a gravel bed:

    youtube

    Most ornamental grasses belong to the so-called structural plants that do not push themselves to the fore. However, they form nice group plantings together with other perennials. This applies in particular to delicate species such as woolly hair grass (Melinis) or quivering grass (Briza), which are ideal companions for prominent perennial plants such as dahlias or perennial sunflowers. On the other hand, some grasses, such as the popular pampas grass or the attractive switchgrass, also come into their own in a single position due to their magnificent floral decoration and intensive colouring.

    When planning the perennial bed, also pay attention to the flowering times of the desired species so that the planted area looks attractive all year round. Grasses for sunny locations, for example, often sprout very late in spring and flower in late summer. With the help of spring perennials and bulbs, ensure that the bed does not look too bare in spring. So-called shade grasses, on the other hand, sprout quite early and often remain green during the winter months. Leaf ornamental perennials and ferns go very well with this. Spring flowers provide the color accents between March and May.

    frequently asked Questions

    Which grasses are suitable as privacy screens?

    You can use high-growing species such as garden bamboo, Chinese reed or pampas grass for this.

    Can I also keep grasses in buckets?

    In principle, most grasses can be cultivated very well in tubs, provided the planter is large enough and the location and substrate are right. Of course, the rather low and drought-tolerant species are particularly recommended here.

    Why doesn't the ornamental grass grow and bloom properly?

    If the planted ornamental grass makes a sickly impression and does not seem to want to grow, then it is most likely in the wrong location - it is often simply too dark for the perennial.

    tips

    Garden centers and hardware stores often sell ornamental grasses in a strong blue or bright pink colour, and these plants can also be found at many online retailers. These are not special varieties, just artificially colored grasses. These are often not particularly robust and usually die quickly.

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