While deer generally avoid most grasses, they still might show an interest, especially in ornamental grasses with young or more-tender leaves. Step by step instructions on how to plant your wildflower seeds. 'Karl Foerster' Feather Reed Grass creates a dramatic garden accent, with tall, slender, vertical growth and feathery plumes of shifting bronze color that stay in place year-round. Some of the warm season grasses include Northern Sea Oats, Japanese Silver Grass, Hardy Pampas Grass, Perennial Fountain Grass, Switch Grass, and Prairie Cord Grass. Replant in a similar area as the original grass, adding compost to the hole and water well. Ornamental Grasses can be grown under several diverse soil conditions, and are usually free of disease and insect problems. Ornamental grasses have become all the rage in landscaping circles. Plant the grasses in groups rather than singularly. Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil. Ornamental Grasses are truly outstanding landscape plants, giving a bonus of material for long-lasting flower arrangements. Scientific Name: Pennisetum. With their fountains of elegant foliage and plumes of feathery seedheads, they bring drama and movement as they sway in the breeze. Ornamental grass seeds can be directly seeded into a flower garden or started indoors for transplanting later. -You will find grasses with interesting textures to be best displayed in groups. Feed with compost, backfill the soil, water, and add mulch to retain moisture and keep weeds down. Panicum virgatum ‘Purple Breeze’ – This hardy switchgrass plant has a slim appearance that looks neat in narrow borders and containers. Gently loosen and spread out several roots that are wound around the plant. Soil and moisture requirements can differ by variety. Cut back ornamental grasses in the spring before new growth exist. Starting ornamental grass seed by planting 1 or 2 seeds per growing cell will work, just not as fast as method #2. Airy white plumes form in mid-summer over green foliage. Grasses are one of the main successful plant groups on earth and come in a multitude of sizes, with showy blades in red, orange, yellow, and even purple colors. They require regular water, but most are not as thirsty as flowering plants. Ornamental grass plants are easy to grow. Some of the popular cool-season grasses include Fescues, Blue Oat Grass (Helictotrichon), Tufted Hair Grass (Deschampsia), and Autumn Moor Grass (Sesleria). However, it's good to water young grass transplants frequently until they get established. Tie these tall grasses to stakes in summer to support them when they have large flower heads in fall. Size: Ranges from 12 inches to 3 feet tall. Varieties with fine flowers and seed heads should have plain backgrounds to show off their blooms. Pennisetum ‘Fairy Tails’ – Fountain grass has impressive arching flowers, changing from pink to white to buff, over a long season from midsummer until the first frosts. Ornamental grasses generally suffer from few problems if they are planted in an appropriate position for their needs. Large clumps will need dividing about every 3 years. -Cut back Ornamental Grasses in the spring before new growth shows. Harvest Ornamental plant stalks and flower heads for indoor decorating in the fall. It generally will bloom substantially in the spring but continues to create year-round. Blue Oat Grass – Containers of blue oat grass bring a cooling blue-gray to the home garden as well as a gentle rustling sound and a texture that makes you want to reach out and touch the plant. An early bloomer, 'Karl Foerster' is a cool season grass that grows most rapidly in the spring season and produces notably early blooms. The pot must have drainage holes and an unglazed or lighter colored pot will evaporate excess moisture better than a glazed, dark colored pot. The variety of descriptions must help you decide where you can place your Ornamental Grasses. Soil Conditions: Ornamental grasses are not picky about soil conditions. Festuca glauca is also known as blue fescue, is a species of flowering plant in the grass family, Poaceae. Wildflower seeds native to your region. Ornamental grasses are grown from seed. Also, some of the clumping types will die out in the center, indicating that they need to be divided. Many varieties of Ornamental Grasses such as Fountain Grass or Aureola Hakenechloa are tolerant of severe drought. Foliage emerges dark green, shifting to a deep purple that d... Hardy Pampas Grass, or Ravenna Grass, makes an excellent specimen plant all year. Diseases, such as rust and powdery mildew, can also effect ornamental grasses, especially in wetter areas. Mix 3 inches of garden soil into the top 6 inches of existing soil to give your new Ornamental grasses a boost of nutrition and just the right environment to build a strong root system. Plan carefully for sound and movement. If you want your grasses to form a solid wall of greenery, plant closer together. Cool-season grasses also seem to do better and have improved foliage quality when temperatures are cool or if they are given sufficient water during drought periods. Some of the best ornamental grasses to grow in Florida are Blue love grass, Fakahatchee ​Grass, Fountain grass, Lemon grass, Muhly grass, and Pampas Grass. Sprays of insecticidal soap can kill them. Once Ornamental grasses are established, they will grow well until frost. Learn about varieties which help to replenish nutrients to your soil. Space Ornamental grass 1 to 3 feet apart depending on the plant variety. That makes them ideal for creating a natural fence in the landscape providing privacy and wind protection for patios and other exterior common areas. Home gardeners have created that Ornamental Grasses combine well with other flowers, providing an interesting range of textures and colors to the garden. Hang upside down to dry in a cool, well-ventilated area out of direct sunlight requirement. Compact forms are great for small gardens and containers, and wont overtake its companions in the garden. Sign Up For Our Best DealsAnd get $5 off your first qualifying order. If planting outdoors, sow them after the soil has begun to warm in the spring season. Blue Fescue. Spreading grasses will fill in faster than clumping variety grasses, so they can be planted further apart. Low growing in tight mounds with fine silvery blue-green foliage, plant 'Elijah Blue' in borders, rock gardens, or as groundcover to create year-round visual interest in the garden. Ornamental grass plant is a low-maintenance landscape element once it’s planted. Generally, most ornamental grasses are found in the 1 to 6 foot tall and 1 to 3 foot wide range. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser.