Grasses can add a whole new dimension to your garden, and there are some wonderful newer releases!
Just 18 inches tall and 24 inches wide, ‘Piglet’ dwarf fountain grass works well in small gardens.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Intrinsic Introductions
While its foliage sure looks like an ornamental grass, Libertia ixioides ‘NNGF2’ is technically a member of the Iris family
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Plant Haven
The blooms of Goldfinger New Zealand Iris are a giveaway that the plant isn’t a real grass.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Plant Haven
In fall, the variegated leaves of ‘Naomi’ Hakone grass take on magenta and purple hues.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of CNB Greenteam
Cortaderia selloana ‘Splendid Star’ breaks all the rules of Pampas grass: It’s small, variegated and not green!
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Plant Haven
‘Prairie Fire’ switchgrass turns bright red in summer – earlier than others of its kind.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of CNB Greenteam
For starters, say hello to ‘Piglet’ dwarf fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Piglet’ PPAF), a great little grass that’s just the right size for a small garden. Standing just 18 inches tall in a space-saving clump only 24 inches wide, almost anyone will have room for this textural-interest specimen. (And its late summer blooms make the plant a nice addition for container gardens.) When you get it home, be sure to give it plenty of sun and good drainage! ‘Piglet’ is hardy in USDA Hardiness zones 5-9.
If you’re in the mood for something exotic, bring the glowing sun down to earth with this hot little number from New Zealand: Goldfinger New Zealand Iris (Libertia ixioides ‘NNGF2’ PP18228). Although it’s not technically a grass, its foliage really resembles one, which is why you’ll find this beauty in the grasses section at a garden center. But foliage is where the similarities end – the clusters of white flowers give it away as an Iris in summer, and the blooms turn to pretty red berries come fall.
The beautiful blade-shaped leaves are striped with a wide, bright gold, central stripe, and they appear to turn colors as the berries set up. Growing just 18 inches tall and wide in a nicely behaved clump, this grasslike perennial is hardy in zones 7-11. Be sure to plant it in full sun to light shade and give it moist, fertile soil for best results.
The irresistible beauty of Hakone grass just went up a notch with the most colorful introduction ever. Imported from France, ‘Naomi’ Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘Naomi’ PPAF) has absolutely gorgeous foliage – and no two leaves look alike. The interest factor just never stops: Tall, elegant, creamy-colored plumes begin to blossom in May and continue into the summer above a gorgeous mound of pale sage green leaves variegated with cream and yellow. The arrival of fall turns the variegation tones magenta and purple.
A forest native, Hakonechloa makes the perfect foil for the expected shade garden dwellers like ferns and astilbe, but ‘Naomi’ reportedly tolerates more sun than the species. For best results, grow this perennial in normal, loamy soil that’s moist, yet well-drained. Hardy in zones 5-9, this lovely new plant matures at 9-16 inches tall and 18 inches wide. ‘Naomi’ should prove a very easy-care ornamental grass once established.
Pampas grasses tend to be tall, massive plants, so small-space gardeners typically have to enjoy them from afar. But ‘Splendid Star’ pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana ‘Splendid Star’ PP16277) breaks all the rules. First, it’s not green, and second, it’s truly a dwarf plant, reaching only 30-40 inches tall and wide. This slow-to-mature perennial is also the first-ever variegated dwarf pampas grass, and its heavy cream variegation on glossy, weeping foliage makes the plant glow with a soft buttery presence.
In fall, the foliage turns lovely shades of peach to apricot topped with silvery-white plume-type blooms. Hardy in zones 7-11, ‘Splendid Star’ needs fertile, well-drained soil with minimal to moderate water. It does best in full sun to part shade, and makes a great container specimen north of its hardiness range. Perhaps best of all, it’s a shoo-in for the easy-keeper category once established!
When it comes to Panicum varieties, ‘Prairie Fire’ switchgrass (Panicum virgatum ‘Prairie Fire’ PPAF) is a knockout! While other switchgrasses turn brilliant red in fall, ‘Prairie Fire’ takes on that bright coloring in early summer, making it a powerful player in your garden. This lovely purple-red introduction grows 4-5 feet tall and up to 2 feet wide. Hardy in zones 4-9, it produces rose-colored panicle blooms above the foliage in late summer.
One of the great things about switchgrass is it’s wonderful for novice gardeners because it’s so easy to grow: It does well in any soil type, withstands drought well once established and even copes with occasional flooding. Its tolerance to wind and salt adds to the plant’s attributes. Full sun is best, but ‘Prairie Fire’ can tolerate light shade (although if the shade is too heavy, the plant will get floppy and loose its sturdy upright shape).
Its early color flush and ability to adapt to so many different growing situations make ‘Prairie Fire’ great for use as a specimen, in masses for a wavy, natural-looking prairie garden or along a pond or stream. Don’t have room for it in your landscape? Consider putting it in a large container on a patio to add some beautiful screening.
So while you’re shopping around for new plants this year, don’t forget these gorgeous showstoppers! Whether tall or small, one of these beauties is bound to fit into your garden, bringing it a wonderful touch of grass.
