Grasses

Dwarf fans of bright golden leaves make a colorful evergreen groundcover or highlight for a rock garden. Moisture loving plants, they form mats of stiff, narrow bladed leaves. Can tolerate clay soil. Deer resistant. Moderate foot traffic. Space on 8" centers.

Tall, sturdy canes that resemble corn plants are adorned with wide green and white striped leaves. Unlike the species, this cultivar maintains its variegation throughout the summer. In fall it is topped with 18" tall bronze-burgundy plumes.

Upright, clumping, grassy green foliage displays "see through" reddish-bronze plumes in summer which fade to tan by fall. Good winter interest. 2001 Perennial Plant of the Year.

This warm season clump-former has stiff, bright green leaves 1/4"-5/8" wide. In late summer they produce pink tinted blooms on stems up to 4' tall standing well above the foliage. Plumes mature to light tan. Great for light shade to shade!

Fine-textured grassy leaves with a fountaining habit characterize this native of dry woods in Eastern U.S. A medium to fast grower. Makes a great groundcover for slopes.

A selected strain with fine evergreen foliage that is deep fox brown to red and characterized by a strongly upright habit. Tips may have a decorative curl. Good winter hardiness even to zone 5. Fantastic planted with silver or burgundy leaved plants.

Vase-shaped clumper with interesting fine textured brown foliage that is rusty orange at the bottom and somewhat curled on its tips. Deer resistant. May self-sow.

Fine textured weeping foliage forms swirls. Very narrow leaves seem almost iridescent with a silvery green color. Evergreen. Benefits from a haircut to about 1/3 height in early spring. Deer resistant.

Fine textured leaves are bordered in gold. Beautiful swirl-forming Carex. Evergreen. Benefits from a light haircut in spring. Makes a good, deer-resistant groundcover.

Clear, bright golden-yellow foliage with a narrow green margin is stunning planted with golden variegated hostas and ferns in partial shade. Deciduous. Effective when used as groundcovers or edges.

Strong clump forming sedge with glaucous blue foliage that is 1/2" wide. Spreads slowly and is drought tolerant. Excellent evergreen groundcover! Native. Deer resistant.

This New Zealand native forms widely arching clumps of olive-green, grassy foliage providing great color and texture in the garden. Evergreen. Excellent in containers.

This pretty sedge has attractive, narrow, blue-green grass-like foliage that grows in clumps 10"-16" tall. It is more upright and its color is lighter blue than the species. Usually evergreen, it spreads slowly by rhizomes. Excellent for rain gardens.

This low-growing native sedge has lovely silvery blue, evergreen foliage and forms large, dense moderately spreading clumps. Works well in the border, shade garden or in containers.  Plant patent applied for.

Bright white and dark green grassy leaves make a showy groundcover. Semi-evergreen plants have a vigorous habit and spread by underground rhizomes. Deer resistant. A favorite! May be cut back in early spring.

Narrow 1/2" green leaves have white margins that give it a fine textured appearance. Forms thick, silvery clumps. Great semi-evergreen groundcover and also effective as an edger. Deer resistant.

Deep blue-green,  leaves edged in bright white form pretty fountain like mounds. Lovely in containers! Prefers partial to light shade and average moisture. Clumping. Evergreen.

Handsome creamy-yellow and green variegated grass-like foliage. Mound forming with a swirling habit. Evergreen. Deer resistant. May be trimmed back by 2/3's in early spring.

Grassy, lime-green leaves form mounding fountains that light up the border. Leaves gradually deepen to golden yellow. Best color is maintained with some morning sun. Performs well in dry shade! Evergreen. Plant patented.

Shiny deep green leaves have bright limy yellow centers. Plants form fine-textured, weeping mounds that maintain their good looks year round. Nice in containers. Evergreen. Plant patented.

Striking green and white, grassy foliage on large plants that have a lovely waterfall form. It has more sun tolerance than other variegated Carex, plus good heat tolerance. Evergreen. Fantastic for containers as well as in the landscape.

This native makes a wonderful groundcover for dry, part sun to shady areas. Fine textured, slowly spreading plants have a tough constitution and provide both food and shelter for small birds. Try this one under trees where grass won't grow.

Broad (1+"), shiny, evergreen leaves are puckered like seersucker. Very attractive for moist shady areas where it thrives and spreads to make a lovely groundcover.

A wetland native this bright green plant forms a grassy mound that is straw-colored at the base. Plants spread via rhizomes to form a deer-resistant groundcover for meadows, bogs, wetlands and stream edges. Great for erosion control.

Fine grassy foliage emerges olive green to red-brown and changes to coppery-brown with orange tips. Red/orange shades predominate in fall. Great in containers or for massing.

Shiny, olive bronze spring and summer foliage becomes fiery orange in winter. Elegant arching form spills over the edge of containers and walls. A bit more red than the species, color is best in full sun. Great as specimen or for massing.

Soft green foliage with graceful clusters of tan seeds that dangle from delicate stems in summer. Remove seed heads to prevent heavy self-sowing. Yellow fall color. Deer resistant. Long blooming. Native.

Dwarf form with large fluffy white plumes in late summer. Graceful grass with year round interest. Evergreen and hardier than the species. Deer resistant.

This is a cool season grass that tolerates light shade. Its very thin, arching, wiry dark green blades form dense tussocks. The flower stems that arise in summer bear airy panicles of purple to bronze flowers that turn gold as the seed ripens.

Beautiful, bright steel blue blades have an arching habit. A very heat tolerant and vigorous grass from Gr. Britain.  A rapid spreader, it may be invasive in garden conditions.

This native grass forms loose tufts of upright, narrow-bladed, medium green leaves. 4 1/2' stems of attractive pale green, bottle-brush-like blooms flower in summer. These will mature to tan seeds and persist well into autumn.

Fluffy clouds of magenta to purple tinted flowers over coarse green foliage. Nice for the late summer and fall naturalized garden! Deer resistant. Cut back in February.

Fine, powder blue foliage creates an evergreen mound. Maintains its color throughout the season without browning. Plant patented.

Fine textured, cool blue leaves form vigorous mounds topped by stems of fine feathery blooms in early summer. Good heat tolerance. Makes a nice specimen plant or attractive in masses. Evergreen.

Upright to arching, round green stems characterize this wetland native. Plants form clumps that spread by creeping rhizome and seeds. Usually evergreen in Zone 7. Use for water's edge or rain gardens.

This attractive rush is excellent for wet or boggy areas, forming clumps of stiff, slender, upright, blue green blades. Good for containers. Evergreen. Cut back in late winter.

Milky white flower spikes over dark green, evergreen leaves. Must have partial shade. Clump forming. Can tolerate drought, very moist soil conditions, and clay soil. Attractive to butterflies.

Narrow, bright yellow leaves form a showy clump with lavender blooms on 12" stalks. Color intensity depends on the amount of light it receives. Best in bright shade or edges of shade beds. Great for providing contrast in the border.  Attractive to butterflies.

Dark green, strap-like, evergreen foliage compliments large purple bloom clusters held well above the foliage. This is a tight clumping variety with exceptional flower production in late summer/fall. Long leaves have a weeping habit. Plant patented.

Bright violet blue bloom spikes are tall and showier than most, standing above the foliage. A clumping variety, it has narrow dark green, strap-like leaves that form an arching mound. Great for massing, edging, accents or containers.

Grass-like foliage with green and cream markings & lavender flowers on reddish stems. Best appearance is achieved in light shade during the summer, although it can tolerate full sun. Can tolerate drought, very moist soil conditions & clay soil. Attractive to butterflies.

Rapidly spreading stoloniferous habit makes it excellent for erosion control. Narrow leaf blades with lavender flower spikes. Can tolerate drought, very moist soil conditions, and clay soil. Attractive to butterflies.

Variegated foliage that appears white in a shaded landscape. Violet flowers. Excellent to lighten a shady area. Stoloniferous but not as vigorous as L. spicata. Can tolerate drought, very moist soil conditions, and clay soil. Attractive to butterflies.

Thin silvery-gray foliage with pink flowers that turn white. New foliage is tinted red. Orange-red fall color. Excellent dwarf variety.  Long blooming and deer resistant. Bold, clump former that is well suited to mass plantings or the low maintenance garden. One of our favorite miscanthus.

Very fine textured foliage with attractive bronze red flowers that turn to silver. Graceful, upright, arching habit. Long blooming and deer resistant.

Thin, silver-green leaves with a bushy appearance. Silver plumes in fall. A favorite dwarf form. Long blooming and deer resistant.

Smaller version of 'Zebrinus' that has a neat arching shape and vivid yellow horizontal banding. Reddish plumes in August.  Long blooming and deer resistant. Plant Patented.

Narrow, vertically variegated leaves are grayish-blue to blue-green and creamy white. Lovely. Long blooming and deer resistant.