Grasses for the garden

Apart from the Grass varieties used for lawns there are quite a number of grasses grown purely for ornamental purpose.

The height range of grasses is wide, from tall growing grasses to very attractive dwarf species seldom exceeding 6in. in height.

A few grasses, like the pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana), is grown as much for its feathery plumes in late summer, as for its foliage effect. In the main ornamental grasses are foliage plants, often variegated, sometimes bluish-green in colour.

Grasses are mostly easy plants to grow, not at all fussy about soils.

There are a few grass varieties that can easily get out of hand and need to be trimmed, or if planted in the right place, they would not be a problem and they could be left to there own devises.

There are grass varieties most suited to boggy soils. These go well around the ponds or water features.

The variegated types of grass offer something different and attractive, set amongst other plants in your boarders.

The bluish-green grass varieties also offer a distinctive foliage colour not found in most other general garden plants.