A grass for every garden

Twenty years ago, mention ‘grasses’ to the average gardener and they would immedaitely think of lawn. Today, grasses for my garden are becoming much more common place and their importance in a garden is being recognised. Add bamboo (also in the grass family) to the list and there really is a grass for every garden. Grasses for my garden

For a modern garden with clean lines, Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ (as pictured) fits the bill with its upright habit. Hakonechloa macra looks wonderful planted en masse and has a nice tidy clump forming growth habit. Deschampsia cespitosa ‘Goldtau’ is perfect for an informal scheme or Prairie garden. If you are looking for height then grasses come in all shapes and sizes from ground cover to a statuesque 3m. They offer colour with the variegated leaf of Miscanthus sinensis ‘Zebrinus’ or the red hue of an Imperata cylindrica ‘Red Baron’. Grasses for dry gardens, grasses for bog gardens; the options are plentiful.

In our opinion, ornamental grasses really come to the fore in Winter when most have their seedheads on show and their yellowy wheat like stems. They catch the sun light, flow in the breeze and capture the frost. Cut back in the Spring and away they go for another year.