Anemanthele lessoniana (or Pheasants Tail Grass)
Bucking the norm a little, this grass variety does brilliantly well in shadier conditions which makes it a perfect choice if you have some awkward spaces that need some new life injecting.
It naturally grows in windy conditions making it perfect for a spot that is a little exposed and they hate sitting in water and wet compost making it another tick for why to grow in pots!
I've talked about the practical reasons the phesants tail is a great choice but what about the aesthetics? Well this semi-evergreen looks as gorgeous as they are hardy, with green foliage emerging from beneath first, which like many grasses works through the colours yello-tan, orange and then landing on red which actually intensifies during the Winter months. Added bonus for this grass is it produces airy flowers in Late Summer which really adds another level to the display.
Stipa tenuissima (or Pony Tails / Angel Hair / Mexican Feather Grass)
The grass with many names the stipa tenuissima is a popular and well known grass and it's easy to see why.
It's is a soft, very tactile variety of grass and would look (and feel) rather esquisite close to a pathway or entrance. The soft brown flowers emerge from green through to reddy leaves and whilst this isn't technically an evergreen you can leave the foliage in place to protect the crown until new growth starts to peep through in the Spring.
I must say that this is the top of my list for ornamental grass to grow in pots, as it is simply sublime wafty in the breeze as dusk descends and the golden hour hits. Adds a real element of magic to any garden space.
Stipa tenuissima 'Pony Tails' - Beth Chatto's Plants & Gardens
Briza Media
If a native ornamental grass is what you're looking for then the popular quaking grass will tick that box. It's a short lived perennial which means it won't last as long as some other grasses but in the shorter time it's around it will really pack a punch. It thrives in sun or light shade during Spring and Summer and gets it quaking namesake from it's movement of bobbing about on even the slightest of breezes.
Dry Area Plants | Briza Media - The Beth Chatto Gardens
Pennisetum (Fountain Grass)
There is an unrivalled beauty to fountain grass made more so by the vast selection of varieties to suit a whole array of tastes and garden styles. You can not help but be drawn in by it's soft looking plumes to be met with them actually being soft! A fantastically tactile grass to grow and like many grasses it dances about in the light adding a level of magic to your garden.
Search results for: 'pennisetum' (ashwoodnurseries.com)
Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Black Dragon’
We say grasses bring some drama to your garden, well I'm not exaggerating when I say Ophiopogon planiscapus will bring all the mood and all the dramatic energy to your pots. Lots of grasses will bloom feathery style plumage but this grass will produce very attractive violet toned bell flowers which really adds something special.
Buy Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens' (Black Lilyturf) in the UK (jacksonsnurseries.co.uk)
Don't forget that with grasses the bigger the pot, the better the plant will grow! Another thing is that you don't have to grow ornamental grasses in isolation, yes they give you around 10months of movement, light and joy but once you've given them their Spring chop you could have bulbs growing and emerging from beneath, keeping the interest in your beautiful pots alive.
We'll have plenty more Tom's Yard's favourites coming soon to give you all the inspiration of keeping active in the garden over the Autumn and Winter seasons and keeping those pots full of life.
