Drawing inspiration from garden designer Piet Oudolf’s projects like The High Line in NYC and the Lurie Garden at Millennial Park in Chicago – the popularity of perennial grasses has spiked along with our interest in creating meadow gardens. Available in a variety of heights, shapes, and colors, ornamental perennial grasses add unique texture, year-round interest, and graceful movement in the garden. Fresh and dried floral arrangements are enhanced by the addition of grass blades and seed stalks.
Along with beauty, the habitat for birds and pollinators is enhanced when planting native perennial grasses (we currently have a nice assortment of native grasses in stock). Even after the fall frost when ornamental grass turns a soft straw color, they continue to provide structure and movement in the winter garden. Perennial grasses are also extremely low maintenance, making them a welcome addition to any garden.
Most ornamental grasses look best when planted in full sun and well-drained soil. Perennial grasses should be cut back to 8-10” tall once a year in Feb/March before new growth begins.
In shadier spots consider Carex (sedges) to add beautiful color and texture to the shade garden. Carex can be cut back or tidied up if needed after winter, but it recovers more slowly than grasses. It can be better to remove individual blades of sedge when sprucing up after winter, rather than cutting the entire sedge back.
“While grasses generally don’t provide nectar, they are important for pollinator habitat and possibly as pollen sources for bees. Native bunch grasses/sedges/rushes serve as larval hosts and habitat for overwintering butterfly eggs, caterpillars and pupae. Their thatch offers ideal protection from predators and cold weather and creates nesting conditions for many bumble bees. Bunch grasses also stabilize flower beds and meadows, fending off exotic invasive plants.” – Bee City-Asheville
Many of our striking perennial grasses are native to Western North Carolina. Other grasses like the Pennisetums add beautiful ornamental interest to the garden throughout the seasons.
Visit our Perennial Section to check out our selections of Big Bluestem (Andropogon), Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium), Switchgrass (Panicum), Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia), Rush (Juncus), Purple Lovegrass (Eragrostis), Fountain Grass (Pennisetum), various Carex including natives, and more.
Visit the Live Inventory to our Perennial Grasses here.
