Glorious Grasses: How to Use Them in Your Landscape

A blade of grass is the journeywork of the stars.” - Walt WhitmanThere is something so inviting about grass. I’m not talking about short lawns, but abundant, overflowing grasses at full height—the glorious wildflower and grass meadows that you’ll find in a forest, or the waves of grasslands on the open plains.They are one of the most common, yet most unknown plants in our landscapes. We all grow them in our yards, but few use them to their full advantage. There are over 1200 species of grass in North America—more than there are trees—yet most of us could hardly identify a single one. That can all change when we learn how to use them!

‍Garden Grasses When most of us think of a garden, we think of flowers. But grass can give a totally new feel, shape, and mood to our beds. They can soften the textures with fine leaves or bring a wilder look with their windblown hair. Some tall grasses lend an exotic mood, while familiar varieties bring us home to Arkansas. The silver-blue leaves of oat grass might echo the colors of pollinator flowers, and reed grass might sit beautifully beneath a pecan tree. If grasses become the dominant feature, suddenly your whole garden begins to dance in the wind.

Grass Hedges Their breezy stalks make an excellent buffer or privacy screen. The silver plumes of Pampas Grass form a bush 5’ in height with seed heads reaching upwards of 12’ into the sky. Big Bluestem reaches 6’ or more with its classic burgundy-blue grains. When you cut them back in the spring, you have a short gap in your privacy. But afterwards, you’ll admire their vigorous stalks that will grow above you all in one season. The soothing rustle of grass is a natural sound barrier too.

‍Lush Ponds Several kinds of grass are water-loving creatures that may line your pond with lush leaves. The King Tut Egyptian Papyrus lends a tropical look and will call you to relax at the water’s edge. The Baby Tut Umbrella Grass displays shiny green blades that branch out like umbrellas. Both are semi-aquatic species that you can grow without worrying about weeding, pruning, or shaping in those difficult-to-access places.

Containers of Grass A tuft of tall grass, like the Purple Fountain Grass, can be a beautiful focal point of a garden container. Bushier species like Hakone Grass can stand alone in your pots as low-maintenance companions. If you’ve ever doubted the beauty of grass, try planting some in a pot. Like framing a picture that you’d never thought to frame, they’ll suddenly come to life in their full, overflowing majesty.

‍Grass for Every Season Except for the short time after you cut them back, most grasses provide year-round interest. In the springtime, they offer succulent green, gold, or blue leaves. As their grains mature in the heat, they may blush bronze or burgundy. Many varieties burn orange or red in the fall, before fading to a ruddy beige which lasts all winter.

Grass for the Birds Many birds eat grass seeds, make nests in grass, and find shelter in grassy meadows. Native breeds like Bluestem and Switchgrass are the best for attracting wildlife. Adding taller grass to our landscape may be one helpful step in bringing back birds, like the Bobwhite, that we’ve pushed aside through conventional suburban design and agriculture.

‍A Lawn of Grass We can also make the bold step of replacing our lawns with—you named it—grass! Yes, they’re likely already grass, so it shouldn’t be hard to imagine. I’m talking about bringing a full meadow to your doorstep with a gorgeous mix of native species. It’s not much different than replacing your lawn with a flower garden—except you won’t have to weed, you’ll save water and can put away your mower for good. In exchange, you’ll get to admire a shape-shifting quilt of grasses while bringing some wildlife back to your neighborhood. They don’t have to be six feet tall, as there are many shorter varieties. Even creating a small meadow can improve your landscape in a beautiful way.Grasses bring a sense of freedom to your landscape—both in their fuss-free maintenance and their flowing textures. While flowers give you a bounty of color, grasses play with the sunlight and wind. They shimmer and dance throughout the year along ponds, borders, decks, or even in your whole lawn. We’re all secretly grass lovers. We’ve planted it everywhere, yet we only plant one type and never let it grow.

Grow some grass this year and let these glorious plants surprise you!We’re happy to help you at any of our four garden centers in Northwest Arkansas!