Ornamental grasses are a fantastic, low-maintenance plant choice for a wide range of landscape styles and looks. Grasses bring unparalleled texture, movement, and year-round interest to gardens, and can be used in mass plantings, in tidy rows, or incorporated alongside flowering plants or evergreen shrubs. Mixing different varieties of grasses creates a dynamic tapestry of colors and textures in the landscape, while planting en masse evokes a sense of serenity and organization.
Dennis’ 7 Dees Bohemian Landscape Design Guide illustrates how to use herbaceous grasses in a relaxed, layered way alongside perennials, bulbs, and flowering shrubs to create a dynamic landscape that shifts with the seasons. In the Modern Landscape Design Guide, grasses are used to achieve organization and to soften the edges of the clean, architectural lines that are the hallmark of a modern garden.
Each type of ornamental grass brings its own unique leaf shape, form, and flowering style to gardens or containers and our blog on Our Favorite Grasses for Pacific Northwest Gardens provides images and descriptions of the best herbaceous and evergreen grasses for our region.
Here are some great ideas for using ornamental grasses in your garden and landscape designs.
How to Use Ornamental Grasses in Your Garden
- Create natural privacy—plant tall grasses around patios or seating areas for a soft, airy screen.
- Add contrast to hardscapes. The soft texture of grass foliage looks stunning against virtually any type of hardscape including concrete pavers, natural stone, gravel pathways, and boulders.
- Intermix grasses with perennials for a free-flowing, layered Bohemian aesthetic.
- Plant mass quantities of grasses in straight lines for a structured, Modern feel.
- Co-plant with bulbs. Pairing grasses with early-spring bulbs allows flowers like tulips and narcissus to shine while herbaceous grasses are still dormant or small, and later the grass growth will neatly hide fading bulb foliage.
- Elevate container gardens with ornamental grasses to bring unique texture, color, and even movement to pots next to patios, entryways, and seating areas.
- Support local wildlife by leaving herbaceous grasses intact through winter to provide shelter, nesting spots, and late-season seeds for birds and pollinators.
- Plant shorter grasses at the front of landscapes or tuck around the base of water features as a groundcover or accent.
- Plan for growth. Grasses reach full size in about three years—design with their mature height and spread in mind to avoid overcrowding.
Using Ornamental Grasses for Container Gardens
Ornamental grasses are a versatile choice for container gardens, where they will provide year-round interest and bring drama and a unique look during Summer and Fall. Their varied textures, graceful movement, and seasonal color make them excellent for creating dynamic, layered displays. In addition to their visual appeal, many grasses are low-maintenance and adapt well to pots, making them an easy way to bring texture, height, and seasonal charm to patios, decks, and entryways.
Typically, evergreen grasses are longer-lived in pots and containers, where they will keep their shape, structure, and color all year long. Herbaceous grasses tend to grow aggressively and dominate container combinations after 2-3 years and thus should be transplanted into garden beds to allow for fresh container combinations. Additionally, many faster-growing herbaceous grasses rely on extensive root networks to establish drought-tolerance, so they may quickly fill available container space and deplete soil faster than evergreen options.
Ornamental Grasses for Every Landscape Need
Discover the best ornamental grasses for every garden type and condition, including varieties with eye-catching flowers that can be brought indoors and used as cut flowers. From sun-loving perennials to shade-tolerant types, learn which grasses thrive in wet soils, drought-prone areas, or containers, and add texture, color, and seasonal blooms to your landscape.
Ornamental Grasses with Attractive Flowers
With flowers that range from feathery tassels to fluffy plumes, these grasses add garden interest or make excellent cut or dried flowers.
- Fountain Grass
- Maiden Grass
- Millet
- Muhly Grass
- Sea Oats
- Switchgrass
Ornamental Grasses for Privacy & Screening
Tall grasses can provide seasonal or year-round privacy, perfect for screening unwanted views or seating areas.
- Clumping Bamboo
- Feather Reed Grass
- Fountain Grass
- Maiden Grass
- Pampas Grass
- Switchgrass
Ornamental Grasses for Shady Areas
Shade grasses (and grass-like plants) will tolerate low-light conditions and work well as understory plants or in shady gardens that have northern exposure.
- Gold Sedge
- Japanese Forest Grass
- Japanese Sedge
- Lilyturf
- Millet
- Mondo Grass
- Sweet Flag
- Tufted Hair Grass
- Wood Rush
Ornamental Grasses for Rain Gardens & Bioswales
These grasses tolerate wet soils and standing water, making them ideal for rain gardens and bioswales.
- Black Sedge
- Maiden Grass
- Rush
- Slough Sedge (Native)
- Sweet Flag
- Tufted Hair Grass
Drought-Tolerant Ornamental Grasses
Once established, these grasses thrive with minimal water, making them a low-maintenance garden star.
- Blue Fescue
- Blue Oat Grass
- Fountain Grass
- Leatherleaf Sedge
- Little Bluestem
- Mexican Feather Grass
- Muhly Grass
- New Zealand Hair Sedge
- New Zealand Wind Grass
- Northern Sea Oats
- Pampas Grass
- Weeping Brown Sedge
- Wood Rush
Explore the diversity of ornamental grasses at each of our Portland-area Garden Centers. We source locally-grown grasses that are hardy, non-invasive, and ideal for growing in the Pacific Northwest!