We love ornamental grasses

Rachael, our head of horticulture has written this simple guide explaining why we should all try and include more grasses in our outdoor space.

Grasses provide a textural backdrop for colourful perennials in summer and add movement and colour later in the season when many flowering perennials have faded. Many grasses stay standing over winter giving interest and structure alongside evergreens. They soften hard landscaping.

Fibrous root systems prevent soil erosion and improve drainage. They can tolerate periods of drought once established as well as some handling periods of waterlogging, they are naturally pest and disease resistant.

The seed heads provide food for birds through autumn and winter, the foliage provides nesting material and habitat for small mammals and overwintering insects.

For Autumn colour choose ‘Anemanthale lessoniana’.

Pannicum ‘Heavy Metal’ gives blue notes of colour.

Miscanthus sinensis ‘Zebrinus’ gives bold structure.

Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’ also great for bold structure

Great for containers -Carex ‘Comans Bronze’.

Another one for containers is Carex ‘Comans Frosted curls’.

Calamagrostis ‘Overdam’ is perfect for screening.

Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’ is also good for screening.

Fluffy white particles in ‘Pennisetum villosum’ make this a lovely sensory grass.

‘Hakanachloa macra’ is good for providing shade.

Come and have a chat with our knowledgeable team here in our plant nursery who will give you advice and support about the best grasses for your garden.