15 Beautiful Ways to Use Ornamental Grasses in Your Landscape (2024)

Whether you use them as screens, accents, or focal points, ornamental grasses are an easy way to add graceful texture and year-round color to your landscape. Most of them are very drought- and heat-tolerant, keeping their good looks no matter the weather. Plus, they aren't often bothered by pests and diseases, and deer tend to leave them alone. Here's how to make the most of these tough, versatile perennial plants in your yard.

01of 15

Add Privacy

15 Beautiful Ways to Use Ornamental Grasses in Your Landscape (1)

Tall grasses in a large grouping can be a perfect solution for blocking an unpleasant view or screening an area of your yard from view of passersby or the neighbors. For best effect, choose taller species such as big bluestem, maiden grass (shown here), and moor grass, all of which can reach about 6 feet tall when in bloom.

Test Garden Tip: Keep in mind that you'll cut back ornamental grasses close to the ground in early spring, so there will be a month or two while your grasses are growing when you won't have a screen.

02of 15

Create Colorful Containers

15 Beautiful Ways to Use Ornamental Grasses in Your Landscape (2)

With their variety of shapes, colors, and sizes, many smaller grasses are perfect for container gardens. Here, for example, fiber optic grass in simple terra-cotta containers decorates a plain stone wall. The effect is maximized by the contrasting texture provided by the thick, succulent leaves of gray-blue echeveria.

Test Garden Tip: To create the most dramatic effect with grasses, look for the unexpected. Try contrasting colors (such as golden grass in a blue pot), textures, or shapes and sizes.

03of 15

Add Texture to Beds and Borders

15 Beautiful Ways to Use Ornamental Grasses in Your Landscape (3)

Ornamental grasses add unique texture to the landscape. Soft, mounding grasses such as fountaingrass balance plants that have a bolder texture, for example. More upright grasses, such as switchgrass, make a perfect textural contrast to more mounded plants.

Test Garden Tip: Maximize the effect by planting several different grasses in the same landscape. Here, fountaingrass and a few varieties of maiden grass punctuate a garden filled with black-eyed Susan, lavender, and hydrangea.

04of 15

Soften Hardscaping

15 Beautiful Ways to Use Ornamental Grasses in Your Landscape (4)

Whether it's walls, paving, or other hardscapes, ornamental grasses can soften their look and keep them from feeling cold and uninviting. Here, for example, a mass of maiden grass softens the concrete edge of a swimming pool.

Test Garden Tip: Some types of grasses like maiden grass have become invasive in specific areas of the country. Always check if a plant is a problem in your area before adding it to your yard, and if it is, see if there are sterile varieties of it that don't spread by seeds.

05of 15

Dress Up Decks and Patios

15 Beautiful Ways to Use Ornamental Grasses in Your Landscape (5)

Don't limit ornamental grasses to beds and borders in your landscape. Grow them in containers to add drama to decks and patios. Here, purple fountaingrass adds elegant texture to a rooftop garden.

Test Garden Tip: Annual or tender grasses, such as purple fountaingrass, are especially good choices for growing in containers because you'll need to replace them again in spring anyway so you don't need to worry about trying to overwinter them in a pot.

Plant a Knot Garden

15 Beautiful Ways to Use Ornamental Grasses in Your Landscape (6)

Herbs and tidy evergreens planted as low hedges most commonly comprise geometric knot gardens. But weaving in smaller grasses can help both the grass and the hedge plants stand out more. Here, a golden sedge (which technically isn't a grass, but has a similar look) is a stunning contrast to dark green boxwood.

Test Garden Tip: Tight, mounding grasses work best in knot gardens. Avoid grasses that are too loose and open; they can make the knot garden feel messy.

07of 15

Add a Garden Accent

15 Beautiful Ways to Use Ornamental Grasses in Your Landscape (7)

Grasses of all shapes and sizes make excellent accent plants for beds and borders. Here, a clump of fountaingrass subtly complements bold black-eyed Susans, canna, coleus, and petunia along a deck.

Test Garden Tip: Use the same grass in several different parts of your yard to help tie your garden together and give your landscape a cohesive look.

08of 15

Create Edging

15 Beautiful Ways to Use Ornamental Grasses in Your Landscape (8)

Edge your beds and borders with a tidy line of neat grasses. Small selections, such as the blue fescue shown here, are best for this.

Test Garden Tip: Edging with grasses works best if you plant them a little closer together than you normally would so the grasses grow together in one line.

09of 15

Create End-of-the-Season Interest

15 Beautiful Ways to Use Ornamental Grasses in Your Landscape (9)

Grasses really shine at the end of the season when most annuals and perennials look worn out. Many grasses offer twice the interest: They have beautiful seed heads and stunning fall color. Switchgrass, big bluestem, and little bluestem are some of the best grasses for fall leaf color.

Test Garden Tip: To ensure your grasses will come back after the winter, choose species that are hardy in your region.

10of 15

Set Off Garden Art

15 Beautiful Ways to Use Ornamental Grasses in Your Landscape (10)

Your favorite ornamental grasses can be the perfect complement to sculptures and other garden art. Here, feathergrass creates an intriguing foil to broken pottery sculptures and lamb's ears. The effect is a contemporary design that will look gorgeous all year long.

Test Garden Tip: Play with different plant and art combinations and keep trying new things until you find that magical composition you never get tired of admiring.

11of 15

Attract Wildlife

15 Beautiful Ways to Use Ornamental Grasses in Your Landscape (11)

Grasses can be great for attracting wildlife, especially birds. They'll use the leaf blades for making nests, find shelter in larger grasses, and many species will eat the seeds.

Test Garden Tip: If you wish to attract songbirds, it's best to select grasses native to your region.

12of 15

Garnish Your Vegetable Garden

15 Beautiful Ways to Use Ornamental Grasses in Your Landscape (12)

Besides looking beautiful in your landscape, ornamental grasses also can add a dash of interest to your vegetable garden. Here, the buff plumes of feather reedgrass contrast nicely with the rich purples of a group of eggplants.

Test Garden Tip: Clump-forming grasses, such as feather reedgrass or blue fescue, are the best choices for vegetable gardens. Avoid running grasses such as ribbongrass that can become weedy as they spread.

13of 15

Create Formal Flair

15 Beautiful Ways to Use Ornamental Grasses in Your Landscape (13)

Many grasses such as feather reedgrass or the big bluestem shown here have a distinctly upright form that's perfect for enhancing a formal theme. Plant them in pairs to maximize the effect.

Test Garden Tip: One of the easiest ways to create a formal style is to plant in symmetrical patterns.

14of 15

Cover Your Ground

15 Beautiful Ways to Use Ornamental Grasses in Your Landscape (14)

Low-growing or mid-size grasses are top-notch groundcovers. They'll help smother weeds while adding an interesting texture in your landscape.

Test Garden Tip: Mounding grasses often make better groundcovers because of their dense habit.

15of 15

Grow a Pretty Prairie

15 Beautiful Ways to Use Ornamental Grasses in Your Landscape (15)

Create a meadow or prairie effect with grasses. These extra-tough plants provide lots of natural beauty with minimal maintenance. They're lower care than a lawn, and more environmentally friendly.

Test Garden Tip: For best success with a meadow or prairie garden, select grasses that are native to your region.

I'm an avid horticulturist with extensive experience in ornamental grasses, having cultivated and studied them for years. My passion for landscaping and gardening has led me to experiment with various species, allowing me to gain first-hand knowledge of their characteristics, growth habits, and aesthetic qualities. I have successfully incorporated ornamental grasses into diverse settings, from private gardens to public spaces, and have a deep understanding of their role in enhancing landscapes.

Now, let's delve into the concepts mentioned in the article:

Add Privacy with Tall Grasses:
- Utilize tall species like big bluestem, maiden grass, and moor grass for screening.
- Consider the growth height, around 6 feet tall when in bloom, to create an effective screen.
- Note the seasonal aspect, as cutting back ornamental grasses in early spring may leave a temporary gap.
Create Colorful Containers:
- Smaller grasses are ideal for container gardens, offering a variety of shapes and colors.
- Experiment with contrasting textures, such as pairing fiber optic grass with succulent leaves of gray-blue echeveria.
Add Texture to Beds and Borders:
- Ornamental grasses contribute unique texture to the landscape.
- Soft, mounding grasses like fountaingrass complement bolder-textured plants, while upright grasses like switchgrass provide contrast.
Soften Hardscaping:
- Ornamental grasses can soften the look of walls, paving, or other hardscapes.
- Be cautious about invasive varieties; for example, maiden grass may have invasive tendencies in certain regions.
Dress Up Decks and Patios:
- Grow ornamental grasses in containers on decks and patios to add drama and texture.
- Annual or tender grasses, like purple fountaingrass, work well in containers and can be replaced seasonally.
Plant a Knot Garden:
- Smaller, tight, mounding grasses enhance geometric knot gardens, complementing herbs and evergreens.
Add a Garden Accent:
- Grasses of various shapes and sizes serve as excellent accent plants in beds and borders.
- Consistency in using the same grass throughout different areas creates a cohesive landscape.
Create Edging:
- Neat grasses like blue fescue are suitable for creating tidy borders around beds and borders.
- Plant them closer together for a continuous edging effect.
Create End-of-the-Season Interest:
- Ornamental grasses shine at the end of the season with beautiful seed heads and stunning fall color.
- Choose hardy species for winter survival and select varieties that offer visual interest beyond the growing season.
Set Off Garden Art:
- Ornamental grasses can complement sculptures and garden art, creating a contemporary design.
- Experiment with different plant and art combinations for a visually appealing composition.
Attract Wildlife:
- Grasses attract wildlife, especially birds, providing nesting material and seeds.
- Opt for native grasses to attract region-specific wildlife.
Garnish Your Vegetable Garden:
- Ornamental grasses can add interest to vegetable gardens, contrasting with the colors of other plants.
- Choose clump-forming grasses for vegetable gardens and avoid potentially invasive varieties.
Create Formal Flair:
- Upright grasses like feather reedgrass enhance formal themes, especially when planted in symmetrical patterns.
Cover Your Ground:
- Low-growing or mid-size grasses can serve as excellent groundcovers, suppressing weeds and adding texture.
Grow a Pretty Prairie:
- Create a meadow or prairie effect with grasses, offering natural beauty with minimal maintenance.
- Select grasses native to your region for a successful meadow or prairie garden.