Ornamental grasses add drama to any landscape

This time of year, our landscapes surrender to the swaying plumes of ornamental grasses.

We can see these grasses throughout the city, providing texture, movement and grace wherever planted. Unlike flowering shrubs, ornamental grass comes to life with the slightest breeze.

Installing ornamental grass to a landscape, hillside or container will add interest to the overall look. Red Fountain is probably the most popular ornamental grass installation in the area. Folks adore the reddish-brown foliage and rose-colored plumes.

Pennisetum Setaceum ‘Rubrum’ is the botanical name for this fountain-like ornamental grass. At maturity, expect it to reach 5 feet tall and wide. Red Fountain goes dormant during the winter, and its blades become brown and dry. This is part of its cycle, so consider that when placing within your landscape.

Pennisetum has another family member worth mentioning: Pennisetum Hameln. The dwarf fountain grass has green blades and blonde plumes. Use it along a border, to accent boulders or as a mass planting.

Mexican Feather grass is a super-trendy ornamental with a silky, thread-like texture. This selection provides tons of movement in the landscape. Many use Mexican Feather to highlight walkways, a dry riverbed, oversized boulders or retaining walls. Stipa tenuissima is the botanical name for Mexican Feather grass, and you can expect your clumps to grow almost 2 feet tall and 12-18 inches wide. Mexican Feather grass is invasive and will readily seed throughout the garden, so use caution when installing.

Karl Foerster Calamagrostis is commonly called Feather Reed grass. This selection makes an awesome hedge or screen, reaching 6 feet tall while in bloom. The purplish plumes pair nicely with its deep green foliage. This ornamental grass is both deer- and drought-tolerant. Feather Reed grows from the center out and will need to be divided every few years to prevent the hole-in-the-doughnut effect. It may sound like extra work, but the results are worth it.

Blue Fescue and several selections of Carex grasses have become quite the rage as people remove their lawns and opt for water-wise plant material. Blue Fescue is a predictable ornamental grass. Depending on the selection, expect growth of 8-16 inches tall and wide.

The color of the foliage is what sells Blue Fescue, and the bluer the better. Look for selections such as Beyond Blue, which has a metallic blue color, or Elijah’s Blue, which is a true blue. Carex creates a waterfall effect in the landscape and is available in green, variegated, bronze and orange.

Ornamental grasses add interest and texture to a landscape. They are readily available, drought-tolerant and easy to grow. Read up on the mature sizes of your considerations to ensure that you are happy with your installations.

Nicole is the Garden Girl at R&M Pool, Patio, Gifts and Garden. You can contact her with ­questions or comments by email at gardengirl94517@yahoo.com