Add Volume to Your Garden With These Fast-Growing, Hassle-Free Plants
Plump up your garden's flat look with these beautiful, enticing grasses
Ketaki Godbole Randiwe
21 February 2018
There are many plants that evoke a characteristic garden ‘feel’. Such plants can be used to create an interesting, rich fabric of greens, even in a small planting scheme. Just one or two, growing in containers, can give your doorstep, window sill, terrace or balcony a greener touch. Here are a few charming plants that have the ability to give your garden, no matter how big or small, the fullness and the lushness that it deserves. Read on to know more.
Welcome to the family of grasses
Feeling a bit flat when you look at your garden? Want to add some volume to it? Looking for something dramatic but subtle? Grasses are here to rescue your garden from the clutches of boredom.
One of the main reasons that grasses are so good in giving any garden that classic ‘gardeny’ look is their unique structure. They grow in the form of clumps, with delicate blades and unassuming flowers or berries that simply complement instead of overpowering. Although comparative newcomers to the garden scene, a few well-known grasses such as fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum) and golden bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea) are already widely used in many of our Indian gardens. All the plants listed here adapt well to Indian climatic conditions.
Tip: Grasses are best seen en masse – in groups or sometimes mixed in with other perennials.
Here are a few noteworthy grass varieties that are must-haves in your garden.
Feeling a bit flat when you look at your garden? Want to add some volume to it? Looking for something dramatic but subtle? Grasses are here to rescue your garden from the clutches of boredom.
One of the main reasons that grasses are so good in giving any garden that classic ‘gardeny’ look is their unique structure. They grow in the form of clumps, with delicate blades and unassuming flowers or berries that simply complement instead of overpowering. Although comparative newcomers to the garden scene, a few well-known grasses such as fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum) and golden bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea) are already widely used in many of our Indian gardens. All the plants listed here adapt well to Indian climatic conditions.
Tip: Grasses are best seen en masse – in groups or sometimes mixed in with other perennials.
Here are a few noteworthy grass varieties that are must-haves in your garden.
Fountain grass
This is a profusely flowering perennial clump-forming grass about 60-80 centimetres (2-2.5 feet) high. Its leaves spread outwards and it bears long red-brown or white flower spikes, like tiny fox tails, in summer.
Botanical name: Pennisetum setaceum
Water requirement: Medium moisture
Soil: Well-drained soil
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 0.6-1.2 metres (2-4 feet) tall and 0.6-0.9 metre (2-3 feet) wide
Native to: Southwest Asia, East Africa, tropical Africa and the Middle East.
This is a profusely flowering perennial clump-forming grass about 60-80 centimetres (2-2.5 feet) high. Its leaves spread outwards and it bears long red-brown or white flower spikes, like tiny fox tails, in summer.
Botanical name: Pennisetum setaceum
Water requirement: Medium moisture
Soil: Well-drained soil
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 0.6-1.2 metres (2-4 feet) tall and 0.6-0.9 metre (2-3 feet) wide
Native to: Southwest Asia, East Africa, tropical Africa and the Middle East.
Lemon grass
Lemon grass is an easy-going pernnial tropical plant that is quite happy in full sun and in average garden soil (a garden soil with equal proportions of sand, silt and clay matter is considered ideal as a growth medium).
Lemon grass forms dense clumps that can grow 2-3 feet tall in one to three years, depending on how vigorously they are growing. They become quite woody in the centre, so you may need an old pruning saw (don’t use a new one – you’ll quickly dull its blade) to cut the clumps into pieces for propagation.
Lemon grass is an easy-going pernnial tropical plant that is quite happy in full sun and in average garden soil (a garden soil with equal proportions of sand, silt and clay matter is considered ideal as a growth medium).
Lemon grass forms dense clumps that can grow 2-3 feet tall in one to three years, depending on how vigorously they are growing. They become quite woody in the centre, so you may need an old pruning saw (don’t use a new one – you’ll quickly dull its blade) to cut the clumps into pieces for propagation.
Botanical name: Cymbopogon citratus
Water requirement: Medium moisture
Soil: Well-drained soil
Light requirement: Full sun; tolerates light shade
Mature size: 0.6-1.2 metres (2-4 feet) tall and 0.6-0.9 metre (2-3 feet) wide
Native to: South and Southeast Asia
Water requirement: Medium moisture
Soil: Well-drained soil
Light requirement: Full sun; tolerates light shade
Mature size: 0.6-1.2 metres (2-4 feet) tall and 0.6-0.9 metre (2-3 feet) wide
Native to: South and Southeast Asia
Mondo grass
It is an evergreen perennial that makes for great ground cover or a standalone grass-like plant in a decorative contemporary container. Healthy mondo grass has a deep-green hue and somewhat resembles turf grass.
Botanical name: Ophiopogon japonicus
Water requirement: Low to medium
Soil: Moist but well-drained soil
Light requirement: It does best in filtered sunlight, although it can tolerate partial shade and even direct sunlight
Mature size: 15-30 centimetres (6-12 inches) tall and up to 40 centimetres (15 inches) wide
Native to: China, Japan and Korea
It is an evergreen perennial that makes for great ground cover or a standalone grass-like plant in a decorative contemporary container. Healthy mondo grass has a deep-green hue and somewhat resembles turf grass.
Botanical name: Ophiopogon japonicus
Water requirement: Low to medium
Soil: Moist but well-drained soil
Light requirement: It does best in filtered sunlight, although it can tolerate partial shade and even direct sunlight
Mature size: 15-30 centimetres (6-12 inches) tall and up to 40 centimetres (15 inches) wide
Native to: China, Japan and Korea
Black mondo grass
If you’re a lover of Gothic landscaping, you are likely to fall head over heels in love with this beauty when you first set eyes on it. Its unusual deep green-black colour is one of its most appealing features.
Black mondo grass may also produce pinkish-lavender flowers, which are followed by purplish-black berries. It is a low-growing grass and has a clumping habit.
Botanical name: Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’
Water requirement: Medium moisture
Soil: Well-drained soil
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Mature size: 15-30 centimetres (6-12 inches) tall and as wide
Native to: Japan
If you’re a lover of Gothic landscaping, you are likely to fall head over heels in love with this beauty when you first set eyes on it. Its unusual deep green-black colour is one of its most appealing features.
Black mondo grass may also produce pinkish-lavender flowers, which are followed by purplish-black berries. It is a low-growing grass and has a clumping habit.
Botanical name: Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’
Water requirement: Medium moisture
Soil: Well-drained soil
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Mature size: 15-30 centimetres (6-12 inches) tall and as wide
Native to: Japan
Golden bamboo
The golden bamboo is a perennial herb plant that belongs to the grass family (Poeceae), introduced in India and well-adapted to our conditions. It is classified as a woody, evergreen, perennial grass. With its bright-green foliage and golden-yellow stalks, the golden bamboo is in great demand for creating visual privacy while at the same time infusing freshness into a space.
Botanical name: Phyllostachys aurea
Water requirement: Medium moisture
Soil: Well-drained soil
Light requirement: Partial shade opportunities with plenty of direct sunlight are good growing conditions for the plant to flourish.
Mature size: 6-9 metres (20-30 feet) tall
Native to: Southwest Asia, East Africa, tropical Africa and the Middle East.
The golden bamboo is a perennial herb plant that belongs to the grass family (Poeceae), introduced in India and well-adapted to our conditions. It is classified as a woody, evergreen, perennial grass. With its bright-green foliage and golden-yellow stalks, the golden bamboo is in great demand for creating visual privacy while at the same time infusing freshness into a space.
Botanical name: Phyllostachys aurea
Water requirement: Medium moisture
Soil: Well-drained soil
Light requirement: Partial shade opportunities with plenty of direct sunlight are good growing conditions for the plant to flourish.
Mature size: 6-9 metres (20-30 feet) tall
Native to: Southwest Asia, East Africa, tropical Africa and the Middle East.
Horsetail reed grass
Equisetum breaks down into two Latin words, meaning ‘horse’ and ‘bristle’. It is a perennial herb that is evergreen (although the green colour will fade somewhat during the course of a rough winter), but this ancient plant is more closely related to ferns than to the perennials which we are most accustomed to growing in our gardens.
Botanical name: Equisetum hyemale
Water requirement: Medium moisture
Soil: Prefer moderately damp soil, but can also grow in shallow standing water
Light requirement: Extremely adaptable in terms of light levels, growing in full sun, deep shade and everything in between
Mature size: 0.6-1.8 metres (2-6 feet) tall
Native to: North America, Europe and Asia
Equisetum breaks down into two Latin words, meaning ‘horse’ and ‘bristle’. It is a perennial herb that is evergreen (although the green colour will fade somewhat during the course of a rough winter), but this ancient plant is more closely related to ferns than to the perennials which we are most accustomed to growing in our gardens.
Botanical name: Equisetum hyemale
Water requirement: Medium moisture
Soil: Prefer moderately damp soil, but can also grow in shallow standing water
Light requirement: Extremely adaptable in terms of light levels, growing in full sun, deep shade and everything in between
Mature size: 0.6-1.8 metres (2-6 feet) tall
Native to: North America, Europe and Asia
Dianella grass
This evergreen perennial grows to about 1.2 metres height. It has tough, grass-like leaves and branched panicles of violet-blue flowers 2 centimetres wide, with prominent yellow stamens, followed by glossy violet-blue berries.
Botanical name: Dianella tasmanica
Water requirement: Medium moisture
Soil: Well-drained soil
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Mature size: 1.2 metres (4 feet) tall and 0.5 metre (1.5 feet) wide.
Native to: Australia and Tasmania
This evergreen perennial grows to about 1.2 metres height. It has tough, grass-like leaves and branched panicles of violet-blue flowers 2 centimetres wide, with prominent yellow stamens, followed by glossy violet-blue berries.
Botanical name: Dianella tasmanica
Water requirement: Medium moisture
Soil: Well-drained soil
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Mature size: 1.2 metres (4 feet) tall and 0.5 metre (1.5 feet) wide.
Native to: Australia and Tasmania
Pink mist grass
Pink mist grass is a beautiful grass which creates an effect of a pink-purple haze 2-3 feet above the ground. It is a showy clump-forming grass that can become 3 feet tall and just as wide. The stems and leaves are unbranched and wiry in appearance, originating from a dense basal clump. Pink mist grass occurs naturally in wet prairies and savanna grasslands.
Pink mist grass is a beautiful grass which creates an effect of a pink-purple haze 2-3 feet above the ground. It is a showy clump-forming grass that can become 3 feet tall and just as wide. The stems and leaves are unbranched and wiry in appearance, originating from a dense basal clump. Pink mist grass occurs naturally in wet prairies and savanna grasslands.
Botanical name: Muhlenbergia capillaris
Water requirement: Medium moisture
Soil: Well-drained soil
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Mature size: 0.9 metre (3 feet) tall and 1.2 metres (4 feet) wide.
Native to: USA
Water requirement: Medium moisture
Soil: Well-drained soil
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade
Mature size: 0.9 metre (3 feet) tall and 1.2 metres (4 feet) wide.
Native to: USA
Read more:
Guide to Growing the Golden Bamboo
A Beginner’s Guide to a Moon Garden
Tell us:
If you enjoyed reading this story, like it, and tell us about it. What do you love most about grasses? Write in Comments below.
Guide to Growing the Golden Bamboo
A Beginner’s Guide to a Moon Garden
Tell us:
If you enjoyed reading this story, like it, and tell us about it. What do you love most about grasses? Write in Comments below.
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I love liriope for borders, to control the invasion of lawn grasses into borders and beds. It is drought tolerant and very good under trees as well. Needs a haircut going into the winter so that spring growth will be fresh and pretty,It comes in several heights and can be grown between pavers as well. I also like the tall perennial grasses. I live in Oklahoma and drought conditions alternate with extremely heavy rains. Grasses can tolerate and thrive in both.
Great!