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Decorative grass buying guide

Think beyond the bowling green style-turf and explore decorative grasses for your borders. As many gardeners look to more natural ways of planting, grasses are becoming very popular. Unpretentious and delicate, grasses bring an elegant and calming feel to your garden. They add a sensory element to your outdoor space with their different textures, shades, and even sounds as the breeze catches them – the perfect backdrop for the moment with your morning tea or evening drinks.

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A bright green Acorus plant growing next to a pond.A bright green Acorus plant growing next to a pond.A bright green Acorus plant growing next to a pond.A bright green Acorus plant growing next to a pond.

Acorus

If you have any areas of water in your garden this wetland plant is a great way to add interesting foliage in the banks of moist soil. A fountain of bright yellow sword-shaped leaves striped with green, arch out from a central clump. Also known as calamus and sweet flag, acorus is a genus of the monocot flowering plants.

Location: full sun, partial shade

Soil: clay, loam, sand

Size: 0.1 - 0.5m

A dense group of tall, thin black bamboo plants creating a natural privacy screen.A dense group of tall, thin black bamboo plants creating a natural privacy screen.A dense group of tall, thin black bamboo plants creating a natural privacy screen.A dense group of tall, thin black bamboo plants creating a natural privacy screen.

Black bamboo

Also known as phyllostachys nigra, this bamboo is instantly recognisable by its long arching stems that turn black as it matures. The contrasting long green leaves stay all year round and look fantastic swaying on the tall canes. If you’re looking for a plant with instant impact, this is it. Black bamboo grows extremely fast, making it superb for creating contemporary hedging or screening to section off different areas of your garden. It can take a few years for the stems to turn black, but it’s worth the wait.

Location: full sun, partial shade

Soil: loam

Size: 2.5 - 4m

A large patch of bright orange Carex decorative grasses, adding vibrant colour to the landscape.A large patch of bright orange Carex decorative grasses, adding vibrant colour to the landscape.A large patch of bright orange Carex decorative grasses, adding vibrant colour to the landscape.A large patch of bright orange Carex decorative grasses, adding vibrant colour to the landscape.

Carex

This looks like a grass but in fact it’s in the cyperaceae family, also known as sedges. They fit perfectly when planted with other grasses and as it’s another moisture-loving plant, you can grow beside your garden water feature to create a beautifully natural landscape. The mostly evergreen leaves keep your garden looking great all year round. The colours of the foliage vary so you can match the variety to the other plants around it.

Location: full sun, partial shade

Soil: sand, clay, loam

Size: 0.5 - 1m

A small Festuca decorative grass growing in a pot in a garden, adding texture and colour to the space.A small Festuca decorative grass growing in a pot in a garden, adding texture and colour to the space.A small Festuca decorative grass growing in a pot in a garden, adding texture and colour to the space.A small Festuca decorative grass growing in a pot in a garden, adding texture and colour to the space.

Festuca

The silvery blue mound of narrow leaves creates a stunning textured dome of ornamental grass in your garden. A striking evergreen feature that we think is particularly effective in pots. It will add a contemporary and characterful feature to your patio, made even more unusual when the feathery panicles of flowers appear.

Location: full sun, partial shade

Soil: clay, sand

Size: 0.1 - 0.5m

Large, tall golden bamboo plants creating a dense, natural screen, providing privacy and a decorative touch to the garden.Large, tall golden bamboo plants creating a dense, natural screen, providing privacy and a decorative touch to the garden.Large, tall golden bamboo plants creating a dense, natural screen, providing privacy and a decorative touch to the garden.Large, tall golden bamboo plants creating a dense, natural screen, providing privacy and a decorative touch to the garden.

Golden bamboo

Also known as Phyllostachys Aurea, tall and delicate, with thick evergreen foliage, this upright bamboo of yellow/green canes grows to impressive heights. Sometimes called fish-pole bamboo, or monk’s belly bamboo, it’s a magnificent architectural feature for larger gardens. It’s a great choice for creating screening that’s less rigid than a traditional hedge. The swaying canes result in a peaceful soundscape for relaxation in your garden.

Location: full sun, partial shade

Soil: loam

Size: 2.5 - 4m

A miscanthus decorative grass with light green foliage, offering a bright and airy look, perfect for adding texture and movement to a garden.A miscanthus decorative grass with light green foliage, offering a bright and airy look, perfect for adding texture and movement to a garden.A miscanthus decorative grass with light green foliage, offering a bright and airy look, perfect for adding texture and movement to a garden.A miscanthus decorative grass with light green foliage, offering a bright and airy look, perfect for adding texture and movement to a garden.

Miscanthus

A gorgeous cottage garden favourite and one of ours too. Miscanthus, or morning light, is a bright and airy grass to liven up your plot. Its leaves die back in autumn adding to the anticipation of new growth in spring. Compact and clump-forming, the upright stems are stunning when they arch over smaller plants in your border, or spill out into your garden path, especially in the summer when panicles of white flowers appear.

Location: full sun

Soil: chalk, clay, loam, sand

Size: 1 - 1.5m

A Nandina plant growing in a garden, showcasing vibrant foliage with shades of orange, red, and green, adding colour and texture to the landscape.A Nandina plant growing in a garden, showcasing vibrant foliage with shades of orange, red, and green, adding colour and texture to the landscape.A Nandina plant growing in a garden, showcasing vibrant foliage with shades of orange, red, and green, adding colour and texture to the landscape.A Nandina plant growing in a garden, showcasing vibrant foliage with shades of orange, red, and green, adding colour and texture to the landscape.

Nandina

You can add an eye-catching feature with nandina, even if your border is on the small side. It looks like a bamboo, but it’s actually a compact evergreen or semi-evergreen plant native to eastern Asia. We think its exotic leaves and feathery structure make it a great choice alongside or instead of bamboo. Make sure it’s in a spot where you can see it changing throughout the seasons, with its star-shaped summer flowers and autumn berries.

Location: full sun, partial shade

Soil: chalk, clay, loam, sand

Size: 0.5 - 1m

Close up of black ophiopogon decorative grass, showcasing its dark, almost black leaves, adding a striking contrast and texture to the garden.Close up of black ophiopogon decorative grass, showcasing its dark, almost black leaves, adding a striking contrast and texture to the garden.Close up of black ophiopogon decorative grass, showcasing its dark, almost black leaves, adding a striking contrast and texture to the garden.Close up of black ophiopogon decorative grass, showcasing its dark, almost black leaves, adding a striking contrast and texture to the garden.

Ophiopogon

Looking for something dramatic rather than pretty for your garden? We love the dense leathery black bands of leaves of the grass-like ophiopogon. Compact and evergreen you get instant impact that lasts throughout the year. You will see small bell-shaped flowers on dark stems in summer, followed by dark berries, but it’s all still about those leaves. This is one to plant somewhere it will be noticed.

Location: full sun, partial shade

Soil: sand, clay

Size: 0.1 - 0.5m

Close-up of the soft, brush-like flowers of pennisetum decorative grass.Close-up of the soft, brush-like flowers of pennisetum decorative grass.Close-up of the soft, brush-like flowers of pennisetum decorative grass.Close-up of the soft, brush-like flowers of pennisetum decorative grass.

Pennisetum

The soft heads of brush-like flowers bobbing above long, slender foliage creates a sense of wild meadow charm. With around 80 species of pennisetum available, some upright, some elegantly arching over, finding the right shape and size is made easy for you. We think they are the perfect way to create an effortless and informal feel to that area of your garden for relaxing.

Location: full sun, partial shade

Soil: sand, chalk, loam

Size: 0.5 - 1m

Close-up of green zebra grass with its distinctive striped leaves, growing in a planter.Close-up of green zebra grass with its distinctive striped leaves, growing in a planter.Close-up of green zebra grass with its distinctive striped leaves, growing in a planter.Close-up of green zebra grass with its distinctive striped leaves, growing in a planter.

Zebra grass

This miscanthus grass is a great specimen plant, growing tall and proud, ready to catch the eye of your garden guests. It’s the plant’s bright green foliage with white horizontal stripes (just like a zebra), that gets people talking. We love that it looks both striking and elegant, so whether your plot is traditional or contemporary it will complement your garden design.

Location: full sun

Soil: chalk, clay, loam, sand

Size: 0.5 - 1m

Plant types explained. Visit our plant hubPlant types explained. Visit our plant hubPlant types explained. Visit our plant hubPlant types explained. Visit our plant hub