Ornamental grass is an excellent way to add visual appeal to your yard and garden, and it is easy to grow and maintain too. It can grow to quite tall heights too (up to 20 feet in some cases!), thus adding vertical interest. However, it doesn’t generally require the same kind of cutting or regular maintenance as regular grass and bushes, making it a relatively low maintenance choice.
There are many areas of your yard that may benefit from ornamental grass. Bare spots, for example, can be revitalised by the color it adds, and it can also be planted in existing flower beds and lawn areas. Be aware though that some species of ornamental grass are invasive in nature, and left unchecked, can grow tall enough to block the sunlight from your flowers and other plants – so it pays to be careful when choosing ornamental grasses for your flower beds, and choose species that don’t grow too tall.
Ornamental grass has other benefits too. in contrast to normal grass, it isn’t generally prey to problems with disease and pests. And as mentioned, it is easy to maintain, and doesn’t need to be trimmed a lot – in fact over-trimming it can cause weakness, and grass of this type that’s mowed too often can die prematurely.
There are plenty of varieties to choose from also, and they all have their specific properties, making them suitable for different purposes. Some types of ornamental grass are great for creating small areas of colour to highlight specific parts of your garden, whereas others can be used to create eyecatching focal points, in the same way that trees do.
Ornamental grasses also come in different colors – red switch grass, for example, produces stunning fall colors, whereas Rubra boasts a vibrant mixture of deep red and deep green. You can mix and match different types of grass to produce beautifully colored effects in your yard.
Another appealing aspect of many ornamental grass species is the lovely seed pods that some of them produce. You can leave these on the plants for extra appeal, and they will also help to attract more birds to the garden. Alternatively, they can be picked off and dried, then used for decorating inside your home.
Many ornamental grasses also produce flowers, which are often very pretty. They also prefer a variety of conditions – some like shade, others sun, so whatever the conditions in your yard, you’re sure to find a grass species to suit.
With so many types to choose from, it may be difficult to decide which ornamental grasses to try, but many species grow as annuals, giving you the chance to experiment, and become familiar with growing them, before committing yourself to a more permanent choice. Whichever species you opt for, ornamental grasses will certainly be a positive addition to any yard!
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