Most of them are highly drought- and heat-tolerant, keeping their good looks no matter the weather.
Plus, they aren’t often bothered by pests and diseases, and deer tend to leave them alone.
Here’s how to make the most of these tough, versatile perennial plants in your yard.
Credit: John Granen
Add Texture to Beds and Borders
Ornamental grasses add unique textures to the landscape.
Soft, mounding grasses balance plants that have a bolder texture, for example.
Upright grasses make a perfect material contrast to more mounded plants.
Credit: Laurie Black
Maximize the effect by planting several different grasses in the same landscape.
Here,fountaingrassand a few varieties of miscanthus punctuate a garden filled withblack-eyed Susan,lavender, andhydrangea.
Here, for example,fiber optic grassin simple terra-cotta containers decorates a plain stone wall.
Credit: Richard Felber
The effect is maximized by the contrasting texture provided by the thick, succulent leaves of gray-blue echeveria.
Here, for example, a fountainlike clump of miscanthussoftens the concrete edge of a swimming pool.
Some types of grasses like miscanthus have becomeinvasive in specific areas of the country.
Credit: Hedrich Blessing
Dress Up Decks and Patios
Don’t limit ornamental grasses to beds and borders in your landscape.
Grow them in containers to add drama to decks and patios.
Here, purple fountaingrass adds eleganttexture to a rooftop garden.
Credit: John Reed Forsman
Here, a clump of fountaingrass subtly complements bold black-eyed Susans,canna,coleus, andpetuniaalong a deck.
Tight, mounding grasses work best in knot gardens.
Avoid grasses that are too loose and open; they can make the knot garden feel messy.
Credit: Matthew Benson
A knot garden is a formal, symmetrical garden design inspired by the look of knotted rope.
The intricate layout is carefully planned to mimic the interwoven patterns of ancient knotwork.
Create Edging
Edge your beds and borderlandscaping with ornamental grasses in a tidy line.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Many grasses offer twice the interest: They have beautiful seed heads and stunning fall color.
Switchgrass,big bluestem, andlittle bluestemare some of the best grasses for fall leaf color.
Set Off Garden Art
Complement sculptures and other garden art with fine-textured grasses.
Credit:Erica George Dines
Here, feathergrass creates an intriguing foil to broken pottery sculptures and silvery lamb’s ears.
The effect is a contemporary design that will look gorgeous all year long.
Attract Wildlife
Ornamental grasses can be great for attracting wildlife, especially birds.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
To attract the most songbirds, select grasses native to your region.
Here, the buff plumes offeather reedgrasscontrast nicely with the rich purples of a group ofeggplants.
Clump-forming grasses, such as feather reedgrass or blue fescue, are the best choices for vegetable gardens.
Credit: Jerry Pavia
Avoid running grasses such asribbongrassthat can become weedy as they spread.
Plant them in pairs to maximize the effect.
Cover Your Ground
Low-growing or midsize grasses aretop-notch groundcovers.
Credit: Bob Stefko
They’llhelp smother weedswhile adding an interesting texture in your landscape.
Mounding grasses often make better groundcovers because of their dense habit.
Grow a Pretty Prairie
Create a meadow orprairie effect with ornamental grasses.
Credit: Susan Gilmore
For best success, selectgrasses that are native to your region.
These extra-tough plants provide lots of natural beauty with minimal maintenance.
They’re less care than a lawn and more environmentally friendly.
Credit: Andrew Drake
Credit: Jon Jensen
Credit: Jerry Pavia
