We are all keen to have a beautiful natural space and are constantly looking for plant species capable of beautifying it whatever the season. The cultivation of grasses is extremely trendy and we can easily understand it. With their wispy ears of great delicacy animated by the slightest breath of wind, and their generally graphic and colorful foliagethey are absolutely exquisite. Small or largegrasses are easy to grow. It would therefore be a shame to deprive yourself of it. Here are 9 varieties of ornamental grasses to plant absolutely to bring an incomparable aesthetic touch to the garden.
1 – Grass of the Pampas (Cortaderia weep)
sculpturalthe beauty is adorned with feathery panicles which are available, depending on the species, in different tones, white, cream, brown, pink, purple, gold… Its long plumes majestic are carried with panache by immense poles of 2.50m high on average. Pampas Grass is unquestionably one of the most spectacular decorative plants in the garden.
To be planted in spring or autumn, in a frost-free period, for a flowering from August next and continuing until december. This ornamental grass ultra chic shows good resistance to drought and cold once it is well rooted.
2 – Angel Hair (Stipa tenuifolia)
We cannot remain insensitive to the beauty of his fine evergreen foliage nor even to his silky inflorescences of a delicate blondness. Like many ornamental grasses, “Angel Hair” golden culms are particularly suitable for creating a English garden whose wild side we love so much.
Easy to live with, this plant native to Central America likes dry soil, resists without batting an eyelid to extreme heat but also to extreme cold down to -15°C. This pretty ornamental grass which delights us with its flowering throughout the summerplant in the sun, in an ordinary well-drained soil.
3 – Blue Fescue (glaucous fescue)
Son evergreen of a superb blue with steel reflections works wonders. Blue Fescue adorns itself in June and July withyellow spikelets. It forms a tuft naturally having a regular rounded shape.
Its elegance is matched only by its resistance. This ornamental grass is perfect for embellishing a dry ground garden and filtering with a stony or sandy tendency. It tolerates sea spray and heat well, which makes it one of the queen plants of seaside gardens. down to -15°C. Blue Fescue is grown in the ground as in pots or planters and is best placed in full sun.
4 – Chinese reed (Miscanthus sinensis)
Here is an ornamental grass that is referred to by different nicknames such as “Eulalia”, “Giant Grass”, “Elephant Grass”. There are various cultivars and varieties, but only the giant form can reach 4 meters in height, the others displaying more moderate measurements. This perennial plant, brings from January to December a graphic touch to the garden. We love his green/yellow striped leaves or purple pink and his pink ears, silver, white or a copper redwhich bloom from late August to early November.
Majestic, the China Reed can be used to form a wind resistant plant screen. Whether planted in a group or isolated, it is best to choose spring. It is offered a rich and deep soil, and a sunny exposure.
5 – Red hooks
To give character to a bed or a rockery, this ornamental grass has it all. It is certainly not very imposing, not exceeding 25 cm in height and 35 cm in wingspan, but its foliage forming a compact and graceful tuft is made up of ribbon-like leaves available in bronze shades, dark pink and of Orange-red. As for its brown-black ears, they are very discreet.
This perennial is planted in a semi-shaded areain well-drained, non-calcareous soil. Easy to livethis grass with flamboyant colors must however be protected from the cold. In regions with well-marked climates, it is therefore preferable to grow it in pots in order to overwinter it easily as soon as the first autumn frosts are announced.
6 – Brize intermediate (Briza media)
This adorable ornamental grass that we call Common Snakewoodoffers us in summer bright red spikelets, in the shape of hearts supported by drooping stems. They are perfect for composing sumptuous dried bouquets. This graceful plant with a decorative effect that vibrates with the slightest breath of wind (hence the nickname Tremblotte which is sometimes attributed to it) has always proved to be a great source of inspiration for poets.
The intermediate Brize easily reaches 70 to 80 cm in height. She is said cespiteuse because its base is a compact tuft. It is an evergreen perennial native to Eurasia that finds its place in a wild garden. We plant the common Snakewood in the sun and in dry ground.
7 – Carex (du genre Carex)
Carex are superb ornamental grasses, whose ears have great similarities with those of wheat, bringing to the garden a very natural note, a bit wild. There are different species of Carex, white, copper or blue foliage, some upright, others soft. You can even opt for a dwarf sedge or a ground cover species. The choice is therefore vast.
The best time to plant this type of grass is spring. The Sedge loves sunny exposures but it is better to reserve a place for him partial shade in the southern regions which are particularly hot in summer. His preference is for well-drained soils but who remain costs during the good season. Carex lends itself well to pot culture. It must then be repotted in autumn.
8 – Muhlenbergia-capillaris
of a absolute beautythis large ornamental grass of more than a meter in height adorns itself from the middle of the summer and until October of sumptuous ears deep purple, pure white or orange-pink, which enhance the garden. His foliage trees a color silver bluish green.
This grass of a surprising beauty fast-growing likes well-drained, poor and light soils as well as sunny exposures. Moderately hardy, it can withstand temperatures down to -12°C.
9 – Ophiopogon
This ornamental grass is a rhizomatous perennial, basse, which finds its place in a rockery, a border, a pot but can also be grown as a ground cover. His graphic foliage is persistent. It forms a dense tuft and has an undeniable charm. Depending on the variety, the Ophiopogon has leaves that come in black (or almost), cream or green of various shades. His soft purple flowers or a pristine white open in bells during the summer period. They evoke the lily of the valley flower.
There is no doubt that with its original look, the Ophiopogon knows how to make itself essential to beautify a garden. Easy to liveresistant to cold down to -15°C as well as drought, it has no no maintenance requirements. It can be planted in spring as well as in autumn. You just have to install it preferably in a non-calcareous soil, very fertile and cool, and offer it a sunny to half-shaded corner.