Great Combinations with Ornamental Grasses

Think beyond the classic combos to make grasses more than just fall accents

Ornamental grassesare classical autumn star , and they ’re usually combined with other nifty twilight boner , such as Joe Pye weeds ( Eupatoriumspp . and cvs . , USDA Hardiness zone 3–11 ) , contraband - eyed Susans ( Rudbeckiaspp . and cvs . , zona 3–11 ) , and sedums ( Sedumspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–11 ) . These jazz group are pop for good reasons : They ’re dim-witted , sensational , and no - fail . But with a small imagination and a slightly all-inclusive pallet of plants , you could make your grasses stars all time of year long . They ’ll still come into their own as the day cool , as you ’ll see in these jazz band , but instead of fading into the background for most of the season , they ’ll sail through the early months of spring and summer as active , productive part of your garden tableau .

A large grass deserves an equal partner

Not many perennials could stand up to the mass and stature of mature , bloom ornamental grasses like these , but tall verbena is up to the task . This perennial acts more like an annual : blooming all time of year while it hold back for its grassy neighbors to catch up . Tall verbena is pleasingly aerial , too , which keeps it from being too unattackable a demarcation to the feathery grass salad days .

1 . ‘ Hameln ’ fountain grass(Pennisetum alopecuroides‘Hameln ’ , Zones 6–9 )

2 . Tall verbena(Verbena bonariensis , Zones 7–11 )

3 . ‘ Northwind ’ switchgrass(Panicum virgatum‘Northwind ’ , Zones 5–9 )

4 . ‘ Itasca ’ small bluestem(Schizachyrium scoparium‘Itasca ’ , Zones 2–7 )

5 . ‘ Skyracer ’ purple moorland grass(Molinia caeruleasubsp.arundinacea‘Skyracer ’ , Zones 5–9 )

Conditions : Full sun ; moist , well - debilitate filth

Bronze sedges look autumnal all season long

Who says you have to hold back until tumble to have autumnal colors ? Bronze sedges can be even more exciting in the center of the summer , when you’re able to use them in unexpected color jazz band or recall their bold colors in nearby hardscaping . Instead of the grass change as tumble approaching , it acts as the constant , while the nearby planting alter .

1 . Weeping dark-brown sedge(Carex flagellifera , Zones 7–9 )

2 . Armenian cranesbill(Geranium psilostemon , Zones 5–8 )

3 . Nipponese painted fern(Athyrium niponicumvar.pictum , zone 5–8 )

4 . Variegated Japanese iris(Iris ensata‘Variegata ’ , Zones 3–9 )

weather : Partial shade ; fertile , moist , well - run out grease

Grasses and perennials intertwined

When a Gunter Grass is planted close to a perennial with a counterpoint form , the plants can jumble to create even more visual interestingness than if they were establish their own space . Before the grass blooms , it adds elongate form to this compounding . When the grass puts forth its pyrotechnic of arching bloom , it ’s like a ready - made bouquet that lasts for weeks . As the peak of the over-embellished coneflower fade , the stay seed heads are the word-painting of gloaming .

1 . ‘ Rubinglow ’ purple coneflower(Echinacea purpurea‘Rubinglow ’ , Zones 3–9 )

2 . Pheasant grass(Stipa calamagrostis , Zones 7–10 )

3 . ‘ Silver Ghost ’ ocean holly(Eryngium giganteum‘Silver Ghost ’ , Zones 4–9 )

4 . regal moor grass(Molinia caeruleacv . , Zones 5–9 )

5 . Sneezeweed(Heleniumcv . , Zones 4–8 )

Conditions : Full sun ; rich , moist , well - drained land

Create a cool ocean breeze with blue and white

It ’s just a subtle change that makes this grass jazz band autumnal . Until the blue fescue ’s tawny unfolding stems emerge in late summertime , this pasturage bestow a beachy tactile property when combine with fresh and fragrant white bloodstone and sweet madwort . The nearby pea crushed rock is dotted with blue sea glass that echoes the hue of the fescue .

1 . ‘ Elijah Blue ’ blue fescue(Festuca glauca‘Elijah Blue ’ , Zones 4–8 )

2 . ‘ New Carpet of Snow ’ fresh alyssum(Lobularia maritima‘New Carpet of Snow ’ , annual )

ornamental grasses

Photo: Michelle Gervais

3 . White heliotrope(Heliotropium arborescens‘Alba ’ , one-year )

A long-lasting combo keeps giving and giving

All three plants in this combo bear upright stems of flush in sunglasses of empurpled - bolshy , and because all three are long blooming , you ’ll be able to relish this harmonious scene for months . The salvia flowers first and continue through the season . The purple moor grass blooms from late springiness through summertime , and the mountain fleeceflower brings the combo to a flush in midsummer . The show bear on into spill . This symmetrical group of plants melds well not just in colour but in texture , as well : No one plant overpowers the others .

1 . ‘ Paul ’ salvia(Salvia splendens‘Paul ’ , yearly )

2 . ‘ Firetail ’ mountain fleeceflower(Persicaria amplexicaulis‘Firetail ’ , Zones 3–8 )

‘Hameln’ fountain grass, Tall verbena, ‘Northwind’ switchgrass , ‘Itasca’ little bluestem, ‘Skyracer’ purple moor grass

Design:Jonathan Wright for Chanticleer Garden in Wayne, Pennsylvania.Photo: Michelle Gervais

3 . ‘ Skyracer ’ imperial moorland grass(Molinia caeruleasubsp.arundinacea‘Skyracer ’ , Zones 5–9 )

Conditions : Full sun to fond specter ; rich , moist , well - drained ground

This unusual grass goes with everything

This novel cultivar of ornamental rice present a plethora of combo hypothesis with its dark , dramatic , dusky black vane that wrick multihued and vivacious in pin . It make exciting contrasts with almost any color , whether of flower or foliage . Because the plant can mix successfully with mysterious purple , chartreuse , and silver all at once , it can handle anything you bewilder at it . The real flower are a incentive , which makes this one-year dope a full - season star .

1 . ‘ Black Madras ’ ornamental rice(Oryza sativa‘Black Madras ’ , annual )

2 . ‘ Powis Castle ’ wormwood(Artemisia‘Powis Castle ’ , Zones 6–9 )

Weeping brown sedge, Armenian cranesbill, Japanese painted fern, Variegated Japanese iris

Design:Jonathan Wright for Chanticleer Garden in Wayne, Pennsylvania.Photo: Michelle Gervais

3 . Sweet potato vines(Ipomoea batatascvs . , Zone 11 )

Shape can show you the way

Michelle Gervais is the associate editor in chief .

Illustrations : Martha Garstang Hill

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‘Rubinglow’ purple coneflower, Pheasant grass, ‘Silver Ghost’ sea holly , ‘Silver Ghost’, Purple moor grass, Sneezeweed

Design:Richard Easton for Mayroyd Mill House in Yorkshire, England.Photo: Suzie Gibbons/gapphotos.com

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‘Elijah Blue’ blue fescue, ‘New Carpet of Snow’ sweet alyssum, White heliotrope

Design:Harold Taylor for Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.Photo: Michelle Gervais

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Paul’ salvia,. ‘Firetail’ mountain fleeceflower . ‘Skyracer’ purple moor grass

Design:Jonathan Wright for Chanticleer Garden in Wayne, Pennsylvania.Photo: Michelle Gervais

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Design:Harold Taylor for Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania.Photo: Michelle Gervais

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