Whether small, large, striped or with flowers - ornamental grasses have become indispensable in gardens. We reveal here which varieties are particularly beautiful and how they are cared for.
Ornamental grasses are among the absolutely easy-care plants in the garden and are often absolute eye-catchers in the garden due to the variety of varieties and colors offered in gardening shops today. But they also look beautiful indoors, because many ornamental grasses and their flowers or panicles can be easily integrated into dried bouquets. Simply dry, bundle and hang upside down in a dry room.
Ornamental grasses are simply great because they conjure up a very special flair in the garden. And besides, their movement in the wind is just pretty to look at. However, for this purpose, of course, a suitable or pretty-looking ornamental grass variety must first be planted. We would now like to explain in more detail how the varieties differ and which ones look particularly pretty.
Differences between varieties
A basic distinction is made between annual and perennial as well as winter-hardy and frost-sensitive grasses. Most of the common types of grass are hardy, but prefer a sunny (full sun) to only moderately semi-shady location in summer.
Ornamental grasses are also available in different growth sizes. Some are up to 3 and even 5 meters tall! Some of the particularly large ornamental perennials now also have smaller cultivated forms, such as dwarf pampas grass or dwarf reed grass. Some particularly pretty ornamental grass varieties are presented here:
Pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana)
• produces feathery flowers from September that last well into winter • Cut back in spring
Reed grass (Miscanthus)
• often also referred to as elephant grass • can also be placed near water points • grows up to 3 meters tall
Pennisetum alopecuroides
• produces impressive flowers from August to October • needs a lot of sun • prefers sandy soil
Bear's skin grass (Festuca Gautieri)
• lush green • low growth • belongs to the sweet grasses • flowers from July to August
Snake Beard (Ophiopogon)
• very low growth (approx. 10 to 20 centimetres) • forms bell-like flowers in summer and then berries
moor grass (Molinia)
• is extremely robust and easy to care for • loves the nutrient-rich soil • can also be planted in semi-shade
Zebra grass (Miscanthus Sinensis)
• also called porcupine grass • upright growth habit • lush green • can be propagated by division in winter
Red love grass (Eragrostis spectabilis)
• intensive flower coloring from July to October • fits perfectly into the perennial border • hardy
Bluegrass (Sesleria caerulea)
• blooms from June to July • about 30 centimeters growth height • do not cut back in autumn to protect it from severe frost
Sedge (Carex)
• perennial ornamental grass, which is offered in a wide variety of cultivated forms and therefore in many colours
Ear grass (Stipa Calamagrostis)
• particularly robust plant/hardy • forms its "ears" from June to September • about 1 meter growth height
Blue Fescue Grasses (Festuca Glauca)
•grey-green foliage • low habit • hardy • perennial
Japanese Blood Grass (Imperata Cylindrica Red Baron)
• got its name from its red-green leaf tips • is only conditionally hardy
Mist grass (Agrostis nebulosa)
• very filigree-looking ornamental grass variety • annual, but self-seeding
Bamboo (Bambusoideae)
• extremely tall • only suitable for planting in large gardens • there are also smaller cultivated forms • spreads widely
Effective planting of ornamental grass
Ornamental grasses can easily be combined with many other perennial plants. However, you should not plant tall ornamental grasses in the immediate vicinity of trees.
You can now even plant many ornamental grasses in tubs and thus place them effectively on the terrace and balcony. But then you have to pay attention to the frost sensitivity of the individual ornamental grasses.
Ornamental grass also has a very decorative effect in the midst of extensively spread ornamental stones and directly on garden ponds or on the edges of paths. Of course, you can also plant ornamental grasses in tiers, for example to create an attractive privacy screen or a garden room divider.
Tips for caring for ornamental grass
Tip 1 - Cut back:
Most ornamental grasses need regular pruning once a year. Ideally, you should only cut the individual varieties in the spring. Although the grass dies off in autumn and winter, it usually protects the root ball optimally against the onset of frost.
» Reading tip: Overwintering ornamental grasses - This is how it's done
Tip 2 - Improve soil conditions:
Furthermore, many types of ornamental grass prefer well-drained, nutrient-rich soil. You get this by adding a little fine pebbles or sand. You can also prevent soil compaction by loosening the soil several times with a rake (about 2 to 3 times a year).
Tip 3 - Propagation:
You can propagate the majority of the ornamental shrubs by dividing them or restricting their growth a little. For that in the spring(in exceptional cases also in autumn) carefully cut through the root system with a spade, lift the part of the shrub with the roots out of the ground and put it back in a new location. Then water the divided bush well at the new location.