Get Four-Season Interest Using Ornamental Grasses in the Landscape

A few strategically chosen plants can turn any boring concrete pool area into a lush tropical retreat.

There is no way to sugarcoat the challenges many of us in the Mid-Atlantic region have faced this summer. The inconsistency of rainfall and the extreme high temperatures have greatly impacted our efforts to garden successfully. Even with valiant efforts to apply supplemental irrigation, I have witnessed a wide range of plant material showing signs of drought stress that I have rarely witnessed in my 15-plus years of gardening in this region. To say it is cause for concern would be an understatement. As a result, in the last few months I have been repeatedly asked how we can prepare our beloved gardens to reduce heat and moisture stress for future growing seasons. One answer to this conundrum is to add organic matter to the soil in the form of compost.

While most plants struggle to survive when it’s time for frost, these ones thrive! So, as you layer up in wool and fur and ready your fireplace, these plants shed their shyness and burst into the prettiest blooms in fall; some of these even continue their show in winter! We present to you the best cool-season flowers that love chilly weather. Dig in!

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Who wouldn't want the best looking house on the block? We're sharing smart tips and expert-approved advice for boosting your home's curb appeal all year long.

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Susan Calhoun’s garden in Poulsbo, Washington started out as an ugly patch of lawn that stretched along a property line. It was close to the shoreline and extremely close to a neighboring house. She craved privacy and four-season appeal but didn’t want to install a heavy line of shrubs or trees and create a claustrophobic “garden room.” Always having been a big fan of ornamental grasses and their undeniable texture, Susan decided to build a double border with grasses as the backbone. To that foundation, she added colorful plants that shine in different seasons, ensuring that this garden always looks good. Susan insists that designing this type of magical garden was easy; it just took the right planning and plants. The following are some of the main areas of this enchanting space, and the perennials, grasses, trees, and shrubs that help it shine.

Happy ornamental grasses need to be divided every three to four years. Smaller species (those less than 2 feet wide or so) are easy to cut in half with a sharp shovel or to dig up and gently pull apart with the help of a soil knife. Bigger grasses can prove more of a challenge. The important thing is to do something about the overgrown grass as soon as you notice a possible problem. Don’t walk away and think, “I’ll do it next year”; doing so only makes rectifying the issue that much harder. I like to divide grasses in spring just as I start to see the new growth starting. This is easier to do because there isn’t a lot of tall (and often sharp) foliage to fight through. Actively growing grasses will keep growing after division. In fall/winter most grasses are dormant, and they can struggle to recover. I have two methods everyone can use for dividing behemoth grasses.

Although redbuds usually get the most attention in spring when a plethora of magenta-pink blooms burst out of every stem before the leaves emerge, this new cultivar has more to offer. Midnight Express®, a nativar that sports velvety purple leaves, fills out much faster and maintains a denser habit than the similar, more familiar ‘Forest Pansy’. As summer gives way to autumn, the interior heart-shaped leaves shift to a golden yellow-orange, while the outer ones stay burgundy. This gives the small tree the appearance of being on fi re. Silvery, ghostlike bark carries the interest into winter, making this plant a worthy year-round investment.

Howard Nemeroff began his career in horticulture as a sales manager for a commercial greenhouse. When it was time to break out and build a plant business for himself, his initial plan was to offer clients garden maintenance and care, but he quickly realized that a more creative endeavor was in demand. Howard used his experience selling tropical plants and designing dish gardens at his former job to establish Plant Parenting, Inc., a company that offers many services but most notably creates award-winning container gardens.

There are countless ornamental grasses to choose from, so narrowing down a list of my favorites is tough. However, the following assortment—categorized by their best season of interest—is a good start. Choosing at least one from each season will ensure that your grass-forward garden always has something spectacular going on.

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