Yes you should use ornamental grasses!! I am a fan of ornamental grasses, though I am far from and expert. My experience is that ornamental grasses are very low maintenance. You just need to trim them back to around 6" high sometime in winter or early spring. I hear this can be a bit of a chore with large mature clumps and I hear that dividing a large clump can be a bit of work, but I have not gotten to that stage with any of my grasses (plus I recently moved so I have to start over again).

I would not say that new grasses require "a lot of watering". They seem to require less than most perennials. There are several books on designing with ornamental grasses. One tip that I will pass along. I have found that a bed with a mix of grasses and evergreens looks great in the fall and winter, but a bed with just grasses tends to look a little like brown dead stalks.

I tend to favor beds where something is in bloom/peak at all times. With grasses there will be a period (depending on when you cut them back) where they will look a tad unattractive. I have planted grasses near evergreen shrubs and been happy with that combination and I have also planted grasses near peonies and been happy with that combination. Any of the plants that you mention will look nice mixed with grasses during the summer (will astilbe take full sun in your zone?).

- Brent

Thanks for your post, Brent!

This house was previously owned by an avid gardener, and when we arrived there were a a few astilbe's in full sun, doing just fine, so I guess they do. I had to transplant them last summer while the new deck was being built, and the only place I could put them temporarily was in full sun, and they did fine once again.

I'm glad to hear you say that you've used Evergreens with grasses. That is one combination I was thinking of doing, but wasn't sure if it would look odd. Any evergreen varieties in particular? Also, I'm a bit of a symmetry nut, any thoughts on whether the wild and casual style of ornamental grasses would look peculiar if arranged symmetrically?

Thanks for your advice!

- Alana

Whether Ornamental Grasses fit into your design style is another question and one that I cannot answer. I have a better selection of broadleaf evergreens in my area but I am sure that you could combine grasses with yews, junipers, boxwood, jap. hollies or what ever evergreen shrubs do well in your garden. I have seen wonderful pictures of grasses combined with dwarf and full sized conifers. I would suggest purchasing a couple and giving them a try.

- Brent

You might want to check on the hardiness of some of those grasses you suggest. You may also want to think about what symmetry means to you, if you are talking about lining them up this may well look peculiar but two groups of three (say Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster' which has an erect habit)at an entrance could also be considered symmetrical but may not be out of place.

Brent - thanks for the suggestion on evergreens!

wonbyherwits - thanks for the suggestions and for including a picture - I've been searching the web for pics of grasses combined with other plantings, but seem to find most pics that come up on a search are of grasses only. Thanks as well for suggesting that book by Nancy Ondra - I've reqeusted it from my public library and can't wait for it to come in!

inkognito - thanks for pointing out the hardiness issue. So far I'd only looked at the recommended zones for each of the grasses I'd mentioned, but after your comment I checked out their frost tolerance, and I see that I'm going to have to revise my selections.

Lots of homework to do! Glad it's only February!

Thanks Everyone!

Since this post was written in 2007, just wondering how your grasses and landscaping worked out. Hope it all was beautiful!