Are you looking to add texture and movement to your full-sun garden? Ornamental grasses are a fantastic choice, offering a wide range of styles and colors that thrive in sunny conditions. This guide shows you the best ornamental grasses for full sun, so you can find the perfect fit for your landscape!
YayImagesBenefits of Planting Ornamental Grasses in Full Sun Gardens
Ornamental grasses are a great choice for sunny gardens, offering a variety of benefits:
- Low Maintenance – Once established, most ornamental grasses are easy to care for and require little attention.
- Drought Tolerance – Many varieties are naturally drought-resistant, making them ideal for water-wise landscapes.
- Year-Round Interest – From vibrant green foliage in the spring and summer to stunning seed heads in the fall and winter, these grasses provide beauty throughout the seasons.
- Wildlife Attraction – Birds, butterflies, and beneficial insects are drawn to ornamental grasses for food and shelter.
- Erosion Control – Their deep root systems help stabilize the soil and prevent erosion.
Now, let’s take a look at the best ornamental grasses for full sun, organized by height to help you make the right choice for your garden.
Tall Ornamental Grasses
Maiden Grass
YayImagesMaiden Grass (Miscanthus sinensis) is a favorite for its tall, arching leaves and feathery plumes. In summer, it’s lush and green, but in fall, it turns a gorgeous golden hue.
It’s a low-maintenance choice that grows well in full sun and well-drained soil. Use it for privacy screens, borders, or as a dramatic focal point in your landscape.
Switchgrass
YayImagesSwitchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a tough, native grass that brings height and texture to sunny gardens. Its airy seed heads and upright growth make it an eye-catching addition to any space.
It’s drought-resistant and thrives in different soil types, including clay. Popular varieties like ‘Shenandoah’ and ‘Northwind’ develop beautiful red or blue-green foliage in the fall.
Feather Reed Grass
YayImagesThe Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis × acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’) is loved for its tall, narrow shape and feathery golden plumes. It blooms early in the summer and stays upright through winter, adding structure even in the colder months.
This grass thrives in full sun and prefers moderately moist soil, though it can handle some drought. It’s a great option for formal gardens, borders, or mass plantings.
Ravenna Grass
If you’re looking for height, Ravenna Grass (Tripidium ravennae) is a showstopper that can grow up to 12 feet tall. It resembles Pampas Grass but is more cold-hardy, making it a great choice for northern climates.
It loves full sun and well-drained soil and doesn’t need much care once established. Use it as a striking focal point, windbreak, or backdrop for other plants.
Big Bluestem
Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) is a native prairie grass that brings both height and color to sunny landscapes. Its blue-green leaves turn shades of red, orange, and purple in the fall, creating a bold seasonal display.
This hardy grass is drought-tolerant and great for naturalized plantings or meadows. Plus, its deep roots help prevent erosion and improve soil health over time.
Medium Ornamental Grasses
Fountain Grass
YayImagesFountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides) is a graceful, mounding plant with soft, arching foliage. It produces bottlebrush-like flower spikes in late summer that sway beautifully in the wind.
It grows best in full sun with well-drained soil and works great in borders or containers. This deer-resistant grass is easy to care for and adds instant texture to any garden.
Little Bluestem
Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) is a compact, native grass that adds year-round interest. Its blue-green leaves turn brilliant copper-orange in the fall, creating a warm, seasonal glow.
It thrives in dry, poor soil and is highly drought-tolerant, making it perfect for low-maintenance landscapes. Plus, it provides shelter for wildlife and looks great in prairie-style plantings.
Blue Grama Grass
Blue Grama Grass (Bouteloua gracilis) is known for its horizontal seed heads that look like little eyelashes floating above the foliage. These seed heads persist through winter, keeping the garden interesting even in the colder months.
‘Blonde Ambition’ is incredibly low-maintenance and thrives in full sun with minimal water. It’s perfect for rock gardens, borders, and naturalistic landscapes.
Pink Muhly Grass
YayImagesPink Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) is a showstopper, producing airy pink plumes in late summer and fall. When the sunlight hits, the feathery flowers create a dreamy, cloud-like effect.
This drought-tolerant grass thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. It’s a great choice for adding color and texture to garden beds or along pathways.
Prairie Dropseed
Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) is a fine-textured, clump-forming grass that adds a soft, flowing look to the landscape. In late summer, it produces delicate, fragrant seed heads with a sweet, subtle scent.
It adapts well to different soil types and is extremely low-maintenance. This native grass is ideal for prairie-style gardens, borders, or mass plantings.
Short Ornamental Grasses
Blue Fescue
Hans / PixabayBlue Fescue (Festuca glauca) is a compact, drought-tolerant grass with striking blue-gray foliage. It forms small, rounded clumps that provide a cool-toned contrast in garden beds.
It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, making it perfect for rock gardens and borders. To keep it looking fresh, divide clumps every few years.
Purple Love Grass
Purple Love Grass (Eragrostis spectabilis) produces clouds of tiny, pinkish-purple flowers in late summer, creating a dreamy, misty effect over its green foliage.
This drought-tolerant grass thrives in full sun and is great for mass plantings, erosion control, or adding unexpected color to dry landscapes. It’s a low-maintenance beauty that brings charm to any garden.
Japanese Sedge
Japanese Sedge (Carex morrowii) has bright green, arching foliage that adds softness and movement to garden beds. Some cultivars, like ‘Ice Dance,’ feature variegated leaves that brighten shaded areas.
It prefers moist, well-drained soil but can adapt to drier conditions with extra care. Ideal for edging, containers, or woodland gardens, it brings year-round texture to the landscape.
Dwarf Fountain Grass
‘Little Bunny’ is a miniature version of Fountain Grass, growing just 12-18 inches tall. Its fine-textured, arching green leaves form a compact, rounded mound.
In late summer, it produces soft, buff-colored plumes that sway gracefully in the wind. This easy-to-grow, low-maintenance grass is perfect for small spaces, borders, or containers.
Japanese Sweet Flag
Japanese Sweet Flag (Acorus gramineus) features slender, sword-like leaves that release a subtle, sweet fragrance when crushed. Some varieties have golden-yellow foliage, adding brightness to damp areas.
Unlike most ornamental grasses, it prefers consistently moist soil and can even tolerate shallow standing water. It’s a great choice for rain gardens, pond edges, or moisture-rich containers.
Tips for Growing Ornamental Grasses
To get the best results from your ornamental grasses, keep these growing tips in mind:
Soil
The right soil is essential for healthy ornamental grasses. While most grasses prefer well-drained soil, some can adapt to clay or sandy conditions if you amend them properly.
If your soil tends to hold too much moisture, mixing in compost or sand can help improve drainage and prevent root rot. This gives the grasses a solid foundation to grow deep, strong roots.
Watering
Many ornamental grasses are drought-tolerant once they’ve established themselves, but they still need regular watering in their first season. Deep, less frequent watering encourages the roots to grow deeper, helping the plants become more resilient to dry spells.
During dry periods, it’s good to water occasionally to keep the grasses looking healthy. Just be careful not to overwater, as soggy soil can lead to diseases or weak growth.
Pruning
Pruning your ornamental grasses at the right time helps keep them looking neat and encourages fresh growth. Most grasses should be cut back in late winter or early spring before new shoots appear.
Some grasses, like blue fescue, only need a light trim to maintain their shape. Leaving the dried foliage over winter can also add visual interest and provide shelter for wildlife.
Dividing
Dividing your ornamental grasses every few years helps prevent overcrowding and keeps them growing strong. Clumping grasses like fountain grass or prairie dropseed can start to die off in the center if they’re left too long without being divided.
The best time to divide them is early spring or fall. Dividing not only boosts their health but also gives you extra plants to spread around your garden or share with others.
Companion Planting
Pairing ornamental grasses with the right plants can make your garden even more beautiful and beneficial. Grasses look great alongside perennials like echinacea, black-eyed Susan, and sedum, creating a mix of textures and colors.
These plants also attract pollinators and beneficial insects, which helps support a balanced garden ecosystem. Combining grasses with flowering plants creates a dynamic, low-maintenance landscape that thrives in the sun.
YayImagesConclusion
Ornamental grasses are an easy way to add movement, texture, and color to your full-sun garden. Whether you need something tall for privacy, medium-sized for accents, or short for edging, there’s a perfect option for every space.
By picking the right varieties and giving them a little care, you’ll enjoy their beauty year-round. Try adding some of these stunning grasses to your garden and watch your landscape come to life!
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