Last updated on March 10th, 2022
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Ornamental grasses are a wonderful addition to any garden but there are situations where it’s simply not practical to add them directly into your garden. You might, for example, already have an overwhelming display in your garden and be unable to accommodate the grasses. You might instead not have a garden in which to grow anything and be left with nothing but a patio or balcony. Rest assured you can grow plenty of delightful ornamental grasses in pots, so no matter your reason behind it, below you will find ten of the best grasses to grow in containers, starting with the stunning Miscanthus ‘Zebrinus’ which is one of my personal favourites.
1. Miscanthus sinensis ‘Zebrinus’ – Zebra-striped Grass
Getting its name from the unique pattern of horizontal yellow rings that climb the leaves, the zebra-type plant has attractive foliage that remains a mixture of green and yellow from the spring until autumn. In summer you can enjoy copper plumes that are sure to catch your eye. It grows in clumps and these grow quite large, between 100-150cm in height and 50-100cm in spread. It prefers moist but well-drained soil and does not like the wet winter weather, so some care should be taken to ensure the soil is free-draining. You can achieve this by adding plenty of grit to the compost to improve drainage as necessary. Plant in full sun to get the most out of this stunning ornamental grass.
2. Stipa gigantea – Golden Oats
This particular plant thrives in heat and will do excellently in any poor soil you have, as long as it is well-draining. Being a native plant from Spain, it requires full sun and will grow large, reaching approximately 1.5 to 2.5 metres in size once fully established. It produces graceful long-awned purplish flowers that ripen to gold atop green foliage clumps. To ensure it continues to thrive, we recommend dividing them every 3-5 years to maintain its vigour.
3. Festuca glauca ‘Blaufuchs’ – Blue Fescue
This type of ornamental grasses is great for containers because it grows somewhat smaller than most ornamental grasses. It comes in a range of colours, but we think the blue varieties such as ‘Blaufuchs’ have the most appeal, making them an excellent and eye-catching ornamental grass for containers. You can control the height and intersperse it with other flowering bulbs or perennials. Once fully established it will require very little of you and can withstand drought, deer, pests and other diseases. It really is a low maintenance grass.
4. Hakonechloa macra – Japanese Forest Grass
This Japanese Forest Grass takes on bright colours, rich with green and highlighter-shade yellows, sometimes even lime green tones. If you have moist, shaded areas in your garden, this is the ornamental grass for you. An adaptable plant that can be combined with other plants in containers, used as a groundcover or shown off as an accent piece. It will spread via rhizomes and grow in dense mounds. It will grow happily in locations from full sun to dense shade, in exposed or sheltered sites. One of our favourite varieties is Hakonechloa ‘Aureola’ which has stunning golden foliage and is the variety we have pictured above.
5. Cortaderia selloana ‘Pumila’ – Pampas Grass
Otherwise known as pampas grass, this delightful ornamental grass is perfect for mid-sized gardens, although it needs plenty of space, it definitely makes an eye-catching focal point in the garden. A showy plant, it has the most magnificent tussocks of leaves that arch in a narrow form. From the end of summer to the middle of winter the leaves are topped with cream coloured plumes that are large and fluffy, and just demand to be touched.
It typically grows between 120cm and 180cm in height, and 90cm and 120cm in width, which is why you need to choose a larger pot. It does well planted as a screen, in groups or as a specimen plant. Like most ornamental grasses, it is easy to care for, requires next to no pruning, and has no disease or insect problems. It’s worth noting you can also get varieties that produce stunning pink flowers too.
6. Ficinia truncata ‘Ice Crystal’
This smaller ornamental grass stays small, and at full maturity spans no more than 30cm in height and spread, making it easily contained in pots of any kind. It is an evergreen perennial that produces recurved green leaves lined with the white margins that are responsible for the frosty look for which it is named. It produces small, brown flowers in spring and will remain most appealing with its leaves. This variety is best brought into a greenhouse over winter because it’s a little tender if grown in colder regions although it should be okay further south (in the UK) where is usually milder in winter.
7. Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’ Black Mondo Grass
Give your garden something different with mondo grass, a black perennial grass with foliage that will stand apart against a backdrop of otherwise green/yellow colours in your garden. When grown in sunny locations it will produce rich black foliage and light pink flowers in summer, which are a feature in themselves. It is excellent as a groundcover but can also do well contained in pots. When grown in containers, be sure to water them regularly and keep the soil well-drained. It does not do well in winter, so you will need to protect it or bring it inside a cold greenhouse. If grown outdoors try wrapping the pot and plant in fleece and it’s usually enough for it to thrive year after year.
8. Carex buchananii – Leatherleaf Sedge
Otherwise known as the leatherleaf sedge, this is a stunning ornamental grass that has narrow evergreen foliage that offers a unique copper colour. It will stand erect when planted, eventually arching over time. It is wonderful for sunny spots and great for mixing in with other perennials or shrubs. Prefers moist well-drained soil and doesn’t like soil that is either very dry or very wet, and it will thrive in full sun or partial shade. The good news is all this can be controlled easily when grown in pots.
9. Carex oshimensis ‘Evergold’ – Japanese Sedge
The Evergold Japanese Sedge gets its name from the colourful golden strip that fills the centre of each blade of grass and is bordered by rich green. This grass requires partial shade or full sun and is best suited for rain garden designs. It is quite tolerant of deer and is otherwise low maintenance. Growing in mounds it can get as tall as it does wide, to approximately 30cm. Can be grown in exposed and sheltered sites making it a very versatile plant.
10. Stipa tenuissima – Mexican Feather Grass
Mexican feather grass, as it’s commonly known, grows in graceful tufts of thread-like leaves. These leaves are often seen dancing in the wind, moving about with even the slightest of provocation. Throughout summer the top of the silvery green leaves brings feathery panicles that are often dried and used in floral arrangements. Grows well in full sun in both sheltered and exposed sites.
No matter which of these grasses you choose, even if you mix and match, you are sure to create a stunning display in your garden that is soothing aesthetically and is low maintenance.
