Now that it’s warmer outdoors, it’s time to start decorating our gardens, porches, and patios with beautifully-planted container gardens. The best thing about container gardening is how versatile it is—planters can be as simple or as extravagant as you’d like!
While big, beautiful blooms first come to mind—and certainly have their place in any container—ornamental grasses are also great additions to many container arrangements. Some add subtle interest that helps to balance out the “thriller” of the mix, while others add enough flair to be the thriller themselves! Take a look at some of our favorite ornamental grasses, along with our tips on how to use them in your containers this year.
Sedge
With over 2000 species, sedge is a diverse family of ornamental grasses, many of which are native to North Dakota. Sedges are known for their strappy, spiky foliage, bold green colors, and interesting variegations. Their gently arching blades are perfect for filling in gaps and spilling over the edges of the planter, but they remain upright enough to function as a focal point, as well. Sedges are cool-season grasses, so use them in your early spring and fall containers.
Little Bluestem
If you’re after an ornamental grass with that enchanting, icy-blue color, Little Bluestem is the perfect perennial for you. Little Bluestem grass reaches 3-4 feet tall—that’s two feet shorter than it’s big brother, Big Bluestem, which makes it ideal for containers. As an upright grass, Little Bluestem stuns all on its own. However, you can also pair it with other sun-loving ornamental grasses for a subtle, refreshing garden accent.
Purple Fountain Grass
The gently arching blades of fountain grass are the reason this annual is one of the most popular ornamental grasses used in containers. But Purple Fountain Grass, in particular, has to be our absolute favorite. Its deep burgundy color adds an extra pop of interest to your outdoor living space. You’ll also enjoy its wispy purple plumes that tower over your plants’ foliage during the summer months. Although this fast-growing grass is considered an annual in North Dakota, we promise you’ll want to keep bringing it back to your planters year after year! Pair this purple grass with contrasting flowers, like yellow Begonias or Pot Marigolds.
Feather Reed Grass
Feather Reed Grass is an adaptable ornamental grass that’s a staple across many North Dakota landscapes. Hardy from Zones 4-9, this perennial will provide you with interest all year long, if you keep it around! Equipped with thin, green foliage and tall, brown-ish flower plumes, Reed Grass can function as a lovely focal point for larger containers. Its wispy nature and feathery flowers will most certainly add charm to your outdoor living area.
Miscanthus
Perhaps one of the most graceful ornamental grasses, Miscanthus (also called Silvergrass) is adored for its vase-like shape and silvery-blue hues. If you think this grass looks great on its own, you’re not wrong! However, just wait until you see its soft, white-pink plumes swaying in the summer breeze. This ornamental’s soft textures and airy movements are what make it such a popular choice for gardens and containers alike.
Not only do ornamental grasses make great thrillers, fillers, AND spillers in container garden design, but their subtle nature offers a sense of peace and harmony that many brighter and bolder plants just can’t replicate. If you want to make your outdoor living space a little more calm and relaxing, these grasses could be the feng shui your patio needs—and we could all sure use some positive energy right now!
Unsure about how to design your container? Ask us about our custom planter service! We are also offering no-contact, curbside pickup at this time.