Ornamental Grass Planting and Care

Galloping Grasses

column and photos by Michelle Riley

Looking to add texture and color to your autumn decor?

Ornamental grasses are a great addition to the fall garden and there are many applications for them.

Large varieties that can be trimmed back and bundled in lieu of cornstalks would include Miscanthus sinensis strictus (Zebra Grass, native to Asia) or Arundo Donax (Giant Reed Grass, native to India).

Beware, the latter grows much larger than the first and the strictus can easily reach 8 feet in height, if the burgundy seed heads are included. I will remind you of the days of childhood when monsters existed under the bed, these are much like the monsters we always worried about.

If not a hardened gardener, I would suggest steering clear of these two grasses or their kin unless you are up for a hardy adventure.

As an alternative to the monster grasses, Calamagrostis Karl Forester is a lovely well-mannered chap.

Karl is a gem of a grass, reaching between 3- and 4-feet tall, Karl stays very compact and tidy. He carries very upright tan seed heads in late summer through the fall and creates a very striking display when planted in a soldier row.

He is also a great companion to air conditioning units or utility boxes to soften them yet offer easy access for maintenance.

The native Blue Stem is another beautiful grass that is a nice cover for a barren patch or hillside. It stays low and tidy, growing about 2 feet in height and spreading out neatly where it has been planted.

Another native eye-catcher, Blue Dune Lyme grass, creates an ocean of waves across the landscape, reaching approximately 18 to 24 inches in height. This grass spreads like water.

Blue Dune is a messy character, and you really must enjoy a bit of controlled chaos to truly love this plant. Leading to the million-dollar question: Controlling plants, when to trim back ornamental grasses?

Grasses can be trimmed any time from October through early March, but before new growth begins in the spring.

Michelle Riley is a local horticulturist, landscape designer, and consultant. She is the founder of the gardening subscription service, https://theplantmall.com/; https://michellerileyhorticulturist.com ; and https://neohiogarden.com . She also is the president of All About You Signature Landscape Design, Inc. Riley can be contacted at Info@MichelleRileyHorticulturist.com or by calling 234-678-8266.