Nothing adds grace and motion to a landscape like the ornamental grasses. From tall and striking to compact and cascading, they elevate gardens from good to great! With so many possibilities available, which one is right for you? Read on!
Grasses for Better Views
Need privacy? Want to block your view of the neighbor's garbage cans, or hide the big green utility box in the middle of your front lawn? Try these stately standouts!
Hardy Pampas Grass
Go big or go home! Hardy Pampas Grass is the largest ornamental grass available in our climate, capable of shooting up to 12' tall and half as wide. The creamy plumes make a relaxing rustling sound whenever the wind catches them.
Maiden Grass
The tallest varieties of Maiden Grass make excellent screens, with whispering plumes similar to Hardy Pampas Grass on a somewhat smaller scale. Varieties in the 5-6' range include 'Encore,' 'Gracillimus,' 'Graziella' and 'Huron Sunrise.' Make sure to put them somewhere where you'll be looking rather than touching- Maiden grass has very rough blades.
Big Bluestem
Go native with Big Bluestem, a key component of tallgrass prairie. Some varieties can grow up to 8' tall in a season! The cultivars that we carry have been selected for striking color, often reaching their peak display in autumn. If left standing over winter, the goosefoot shaped seedheads will attract songbirds to the garden.
Pictured: Blackhawks Big Bluestem (Photo courtesy of Walter's Gardens.)
'Etouffee' Fountain Grass
The largest Fountain Grasses are another excellent option if you want something that's both enormous and airy. To make a really big splash pick 'Etouffee,' which grows to an impressive 5-6' tall and wide. Best in a sheltered spot. See "Fountain Grasses" below for more information.
Grasses for Small Spaces
Ornamental grass can be big and dramatic, but they can also be small, adding up-close texture to the landscape. There are plenty of fantastic options!
Feather Reed Grass
'Karl Forester' is the king of the Feather Reed grass family, and with good reason! Each plant grows less than 3' wide and equally as tall, with masses of slender, tawny plumes rising above the foliage in midsummer. Compact and famously easy to grow, the Feather Reed grasses adapt to everything from moderate to ample water.
For a Feather Reed Grass that's a bit different, try 'Overdam.' Each leaf blade is edged with cream, giving the entire plant a luminous look.
Red Baron Japanese Blood Grass
The upright, red-tipped blades that give this grass its name become more pronounced throughout the season, until the entire plant turns crimson in fall. Very dramatic! Spreads aggressively in wet spots, but better mannered in moderate to dry conditions. Takes some shade, although color is best in full sun.
Little Bluestem Grass
If you like the cool color spectrum of Big Bluestem but you haven't got a spot for such an imposing plant, Little Bluestem is the grass for you! Foliage is a striking metallic blue during the growing season, with many named varieties taking on an interesting spectrum of additional hues.
Muhly Grass
Dense tufts of thread-like foliage are crowned with an airy cloud of pink seed heads that rises above the clump of Muhly grass in late summer, persisting through frost. The effect is magical, especially when the early morning or late afternoon light hits the plumes and sets them glowing.
Blue Fescue
Little Bluestem is still too big, you say? You can have your blues in an even smaller size with Blue Fescue! This cute little blue clump needs a sunny, very well-drained, dry site– not for clay soil. Other than that, it's carefree and wonderfully colorful!
Prairie Dropseed
This unusual native forms a distinctive tuffet of cascading, hair-like leaves. It sends up wispy panicles in summer that have a coriander scent. Despite its name, this clumping prairie grass doesn’t spread by seed, nor does it send out runners.
Dwarf Fountain Grass
Fountain grasses form arching clumps of soft, fine leaves, with graceful bottlebrush seed heads emerging in summer. These grasses come in a range of sizes, but if you're short on space, look for 'Hameln,' 'Praline,' or the 'Bunny' series. Best in a sheltered spot.
Grassy Plants for Shady Places
While grass isn't normally known for thriving in shade, there are grasses and grass-like plants that will do just fine, adding texture and color to the shadowy parts of your garden. If you're planning a visit to Hoerr Nursery and you'd like to see these plants in person, look for them under the shade lath in the perennial yard.
Japanese Forest Grass
This golden grass forms cascading clumps that add a splash of bright color and intriguing texture to shady spots. Likes moist, humusy, well-drained soils. Strongest yellow color develops with morning sunlight, with more lime hues in deeper shade.
Sedges
Sedges are intriguing, colorful, grasslike plants. Most adapt well to damp conditions. Some will spread over time to form a small-scale groundcover. They resist deer damage, and many perform well even in complete shade!
Pictured: Ice Dance Sedge, which is one of the most adaptable varieties
Lilyturf
Creeping Lilyturf resembles grass, and may be used on a small scale to replace lawn in shady spots. It can be mowed on a high setting, but it isn't meant for regular foot traffic.
Big Blue Lilyturf forms an arching clump of deep green blades. Both varieties bear spikes of blue-violet flowers in late summer-early autumn.
Northern Sea Oats
For something completely different, try our native Northern Sea Oats. It looks like a small bamboo before it sets its distinctive seed heads, which nod gracefully and flutter in the breeze. As the days shorten, the seed heads turn pink, then bronze, then copper.
Get growing!
Regardless of what kind of garden you've got, there's a grass for you! We hope that you've been inspired by this overview. If you'd like more tailored advice for utilizing ornamental grasses in your own garden, stop in and speak with one of our experts, or reply to this email. We're here to help you grow!
Got Landscape Problems?
We have solutions!
This summer we're offering four free problem-solving garden plans, crafted by our experts to give you six months or more of color! Too many deer and rabbits? Not enough water? Too much shade? Want to attract more pollinators? We've got the plans for you!
Pictured above: Astilbe, which flowers happily in well-watered, shady spots. You'll find it featured in our deep shade garden plan.
Hurry in with your Hardy Bucks!
Get out those Hardy Bucks that you've been saving, because now is the time to spend them. From July 15th to August 15th, use your Hardy Bucks to make your own sale!
In case you're new to Hardy Bucks or you need a refresher, here's how they work:
We issue Hardy Bucks with every retail purchase of $20 or more between April 1st and June 15th.
From July 15th to August 15th, (right now!) you can bring them in to spend
Hardy Bucks can be used toward the purchase of any in-stock item in the Garden Center or at Stone Market
Hardy Bucks may not be used toward taxes, services, payment on account, special orders, previous orders, or tree spade trees
You can use your Hardy Bucks to cover up to 50% of the price of any item.
Only retail customers may use Hardy Bucks.
Holding, tagging, and rain checks are not allowed during Hardy Bucks.
Items purchased before the Hardy Bucks redemption period may not be returned and re-purchased during the Hardy Bucks redemption period.
Hardy Bucks never expire, so you can use Hardy Bucks from previous years!
Items vanish fast during Hardy Bucks, so if there's something you've had your eye on, take it home before it disappears!
On Sale While Supplies Last
Select Herbs – 50% off
Spring Annuals – 50% off
Spring Veggies – Buy 1, Get 1 Free
Hand-blown art glass hummingbird feeders – $19.99
(Regular $24.99)
The Green Thumb Gardening Show is back on 1470 WMBD, at 7am on Saturday mornings! Tune in to hear Ethan Wise and Dan Diorio talk gardening for Central Illinois.
