Ornamental grasses are a wonderful addition to any landscape, offering beauty, texture, and movement with minimal care. From the feathery plumes of Fountain Grass to the striking stripes of Zebra Grass, there’s an ornamental grass to suit every style and garden size. Most grasses are hardy and low-maintenance, making them perfect for gardeners who want a landscape that looks beautiful year-round without too much effort.
Incorporating these nine grasses into your garden will not only add visual interest but also provide a sense of rhythm and flow as they move gently with the wind. Whether you’re designing a formal garden or a more relaxed, naturalistic landscape, these ornamental grasses will help you create a space that’s both stunning and serene.
1. Feather Reed Grass
Feather Reed Grass is a popular ornamental grass known for its upright growth and tall plumes that sway beautifully in the breeze. Its dense, narrow leaves form a clump, with tall flower spikes emerging in late spring or early summer. This grass is particularly loved for its vertical interest, making it an excellent backdrop for flower beds or as a statement piece in the garden.
- Height: 3-5 feet
- Light: Full sun to partial shade
- Best Feature: Year-round interest with its stiff stems that hold up in winter.
It’s also low-maintenance, drought-tolerant, and does well in a variety of soil types, making it a great addition for both formal and informal gardens.
2. Blue Fescue
If you’re looking for a grass with striking color, Blue Fescue is an excellent choice. This compact, mounding grass boasts a unique blue-gray foliage that stands out in any garden setting. It’s often used in borders, rock gardens, or as a ground cover to provide contrast against green or brightly colored plants.
- Height: 6-12 inches
- Light: Full sun
- Best Feature: Its silvery-blue foliage adds a pop of color year-round.
Blue Fescue is drought-tolerant and easy to grow, making it ideal for low-maintenance gardens. It prefers well-drained soil and is perfect for dry, sunny spots.
3. Japanese Forest Grass
Japanese Forest Grass is a beautiful, cascading ornamental grass perfect for shaded gardens. With its arching leaves in shades of bright green to golden yellow, it creates a soft, graceful texture that adds elegance to any space. This grass is often used as ground cover or in mass plantings under trees or along shaded pathways.
- Height: 12-24 inches
- Light: Partial to full shade
- Best Feature: Its cascading, bamboo-like leaves bring a calming, zen-like quality to shady spots.
While it’s slower growing than some other grasses, Japanese Forest Grass rewards patience with its striking beauty. It thrives in moist, well-drained soils.
4. Switchgrass
Native to North America, Switchgrass is a tall, hardy grass that is as functional as it is beautiful. Its upright, clumping form with airy, pinkish flowers makes it a standout in landscapes. In the fall, Switchgrass takes on a stunning golden hue, adding autumnal interest to your garden.
- Height: 3-6 feet
- Light: Full sun
- Best Feature: Its adaptability to a wide range of soil conditions, from sandy to clay, and its striking fall color.
Switchgrass is drought-tolerant and can even help with erosion control, making it not only a decorative choice but also a practical one for large landscapes or naturalized areas.
5. Fountain Grass
Fountain Grass is a popular choice for its graceful, arching form and soft, fluffy seed heads that appear in late summer. It’s known for adding movement and texture to gardens, with the flower plumes swaying in the wind. Fountain Grass is often used in borders, mass plantings, or as an accent in containers.
- Height: 2-4 feet
- Light: Full sun to partial shade
- Best Feature: The soft, feathery flower heads that provide interest well into the fall.
Fountain Grass is drought-tolerant once established and can adapt to a variety of soil types, making it a great choice for low-maintenance gardeners.
6. Purple Moor Grass
For those who love cool colors and airy textures, Purple Moor Grass is a must-have. This clump-forming grass produces delicate, purple-tinged flower spikes that rise above its green foliage, creating a light, ethereal feel in the landscape. It’s perfect for naturalistic or meadow-style gardens.
- Height: 3-4 feet
- Light: Full sun to partial shade
- Best Feature: Its fine-textured flower spikes that add a touch of elegance.
Purple Moor Grass prefers moist, well-drained soils and is relatively low-maintenance, making it a lovely choice for both formal and informal garden settings.
7. Zebra Grass
Zebra Grass is a striking ornamental grass with horizontal yellow stripes on its arching green leaves, giving it a unique appearance. Its tall, upright form and eye-catching foliage make it a great choice for adding vertical interest and contrast to any garden.
- Height: 5-7 feet
- Light: Full sun
- Best Feature: The bold, variegated stripes that create visual interest even from a distance.
Zebra Grass produces fluffy flower heads in late summer, which turn a soft tan color in the fall. It’s drought-tolerant and prefers well-drained soils, thriving in sunny spots where it can show off its unique pattern.
8. Maiden Grass
Maiden Grass is a versatile and elegant grass that can add structure and movement to your garden. With its tall, graceful blades and silvery flower plumes, Maiden Grass is perfect for mass plantings, borders, or as a specimen plant. It provides year-round interest, with its feathery seed heads lasting through the winter.
- Height: 4-8 feet
- Light: Full sun
- Best Feature: Its tall, elegant form that creates a soft, flowing effect in the garden.
Maiden Grass is relatively easy to care for and can tolerate a variety of soils, though it prefers well-drained conditions.
9. Pampas Grass
Pampas Grass is one of the most dramatic ornamental grasses, known for its towering height and large, fluffy flower plumes that rise above dense, arching foliage. This grass makes a bold statement in any landscape, often used as a focal point or natural privacy screen.
- Height: 8-12 feet
- Light: Full sun
- Best Feature: The large, plume-like flowers that can reach up to 12 feet tall.
While Pampas Grass is drought-tolerant and thrives in full sun, it can become invasive in some areas, so check with local regulations before planting. Its striking beauty makes it a standout choice for those looking to make a dramatic statement in their garden.
