Ornamental grasses are an excellent way to add texture, movement, and color to your garden or patio. While they are often associated with large garden beds, many varieties can thrive in containers, making them a perfect option for small spaces, balconies, or patios. Container gardening not only adds versatility but also allows you to move plants around to create different looks throughout the year. In this article, we’ll explore 10 great ornamental grasses to grow in containers, ensuring your outdoor space is both beautiful and low-maintenance.
1. Pennisetum setaceum (Fountain Grass)
Fountain grass is a popular choice for container gardening due to its graceful, arching leaves and soft, fluffy flower heads that bloom in late summer. The plant forms a mounding shape that creates a flowing, fountain-like effect. It comes in various cultivars, including purple varieties like ‘Rubrum,’ which adds a touch of color to your container garden. Fountain grass thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, making it perfect for hot summer days.
Key Benefits:
- Low-maintenance
- Thrives in full sun
- Attractive plume-like flowers
2. Festuca glauca (Blue Fescue)
If you’re looking to add cool-toned elegance to your containers, Blue Fescue is an excellent option. This compact, clumping grass is known for its striking blue-gray foliage, which can provide a unique contrast against flowering plants. Its fine texture and small stature (usually around 12 inches tall) make it an ideal choice for mixed containers or as a border plant in larger pots.
Key Benefits:
- Compact size for containers
- Color contrast with other plants
- Low-growing and tidy
3. Carex oshimensis (Japanese Sedge)
Japanese sedge is a perennial grass that offers year-round interest. Its glossy, evergreen foliage makes it a perfect candidate for containers in both shaded and sunny spots. The plant forms a dense, arching mound of green leaves with yellow or white stripes, adding a tropical feel to any container garden. It’s also very tolerant of different growing conditions, including both wet and dry soil.
Key Benefits:
- Evergreen foliage
- Adaptable to a range of conditions
- Works well in both sun and shade
4. Miscanthus sinensis (Maiden Grass)
Maiden grass is a robust ornamental grass that provides height and structure to container plantings. Its tall, feathery plumes and dense green foliage can grow up to 6 feet tall, making it ideal for larger pots or containers that need a statement piece. Maiden grass thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, offering a dramatic contrast with shorter plants in your container garden.
Key Benefits:
- Height and structure for large containers
- Beautiful plumes for ornamental appeal
- Attracts birds and butterflies
5. Panicum virgatum (Switchgrass)
Switchgrass is an adaptable, tall grass that adds vertical interest to your container garden. It is available in several varieties, including the blue-green ‘Shenandoah,’ which has red-tinged leaves during the fall. Switchgrass thrives in sunny areas and well-drained soil, but it is also known for its drought tolerance. Its airy flower heads provide a soft, wispy texture that complements other container plants.
Key Benefits:
- Vertical growth adds height
- Attractive fall color
- Low-maintenance and drought-tolerant
6. Chasmanthium latifolium (Northern Sea Oats)
For a more distinctive ornamental grass, try Northern Sea Oats. This grass is unique because of its cascading seed heads that resemble flattened oats. The graceful, arching stems are perfect for containers, and the plant thrives in partial shade to full sun. In fall, the seed heads turn a rich bronze color, creating a beautiful display in your container garden.
Key Benefits:
- Unique, cascading seed heads
- Fall color interest
- Works well in partial shade
7. Deschampsia cespitosa (Tufted Hairgrass)
Tufted hairgrass is a graceful and airy ornamental grass that works well in containers due to its fine, wispy texture. It forms clumps of bright green foliage with airy, cloud-like flower heads that appear in summer. Its compact size (about 18 inches tall) makes it an excellent choice for smaller pots or as part of a mixed planting in larger containers.
Key Benefits:
- Delicate texture and light appearance
- Compact size
- Great for smaller containers
8. Spartina pectinata (Prairie Cordgrass)
Prairie cordgrass is perfect for larger containers that need a tall, statement-making grass. It grows vigorously, with upright, stiff leaves that can reach up to 5 feet tall. This grass is particularly effective for bringing a wild, natural look to your container garden. Prairie cordgrass also has a striking golden-yellow color in the fall, providing seasonal interest throughout the year.
Key Benefits:
- Tall, dramatic growth
- Gold-colored foliage in the fall
- Great for large containers
9. Holcus lanatus (Yorkshire Fog)
Yorkshire fog is a versatile ornamental grass that features soft, silvery-green foliage. It is known for its ability to thrive in both sun and partial shade, making it an excellent option for a variety of container placements. Its airy, delicate flowers provide visual interest, while the plant’s soft texture can complement bold foliage or flowering plants in the same container.
Key Benefits:
- Versatile and easy to grow
- Works in both sun and shade
- Soft, attractive texture
10. Setaria viridis (Green Foxtail Grass)
Green foxtail grass is an annual that adds a pop of green and texture to your container garden. Its tall, slender stems are topped with fluffy, green seed heads that resemble a fox’s tail, creating visual interest. While it is a shorter grass, it still offers a fun, whimsical touch to container gardens. It thrives in full sun and can handle various soil conditions, making it easy to grow in almost any container.
Key Benefits:
- Whimsical, unique appearance
- Fast-growing annual
- Thrives in full sun
Conclusion
Ornamental grasses are a fantastic addition to any container garden, providing both visual interest and texture throughout the growing season. From the dramatic height of Miscanthus sinensis to the delicate wisps of Deschampsia cespitosa, these 10 grasses offer a variety of options for every type of space. Whether you’re looking to add vertical interest, texture, or color, ornamental grasses are a versatile and low-maintenance option that can help bring your garden to life. With their ability to thrive in pots, these grasses allow for endless possibilities to enhance your outdoor living space.
Personal Experiences with Ornamental Grasses in Containers
Having grown several varieties of ornamental grasses in containers, I’ve learned that these plants can be both beautiful and surprisingly easy to care for. One of my personal favorites is Pennisetum setaceum (Fountain Grass), which adds movement and a lovely, soft texture to any outdoor setting. The best part? It’s almost impossible to kill! I once placed a pot of it on my balcony, forgetting to water it for weeksyet it still flourished, making me wonder if it had some kind of secret superpower.
Another grass that has become a staple in my container garden is Festuca glauca (Blue Fescue). Its cool blue-gray foliage contrasts beautifully with other colorful plants, especially during the summer months. I’ve even used it in a container where it was the centerpiece, surrounded by low-growing succulents for a Mediterranean look. It’s a fantastic contrast, and the fine texture of the fescue gives the entire arrangement a crisp, clean finish.
If you’re unsure about which grass to pick, I suggest starting with something low-maintenance like Carex oshimensis (Japanese Sedge). I placed a few pots of it in different areas of my garden, and it’s done wonderfully in both shaded and sunny spots. It’s also perfect for those who don’t have a green thumbthis grass practically takes care of itself, and the subtle color variation adds just the right amount of elegance.
In conclusion, container gardening with ornamental grasses can transform even the smallest space into a lush and vibrant garden. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a beginner, you can easily incorporate these grasses into your design to enhance texture, color, and movement. Don’t be afraid to experiment and mix and match different types of grasses to create a container garden that’s as unique as your style.
