The Best Ornamental Grasses for Irish Gardens: Sedges, Fountain Grass, Blood Grass & More
The best ornamental grasses for Irish gardens are evergreen sedges (Carex) and great woodrush (Luzula sylvatica) for shade, feather reed grass (Calamagrostis) for heavy clay, and blue fescue, fountain grass and Mexican feather grass for sunny, free-draining spots. This guide covers all ten grass and grass-like plants in our Ornamental Grasses & Sedges collection: which to plant where, how tall they grow, when to cut them back, and how many you need, with free tracked delivery across Ireland and 24 more EU countries.
Not every "ornamental grass" is a true grass. Carex are sedges, Luzula are woodrushes and Liriope is a lily relative. They look grassy, but unlike most true grasses they are evergreen and happy in shade, which makes them the most useful "grasses" for Irish gardens.
What Are the Best Ornamental Grasses for Irish Gardens?
The best ornamental grasses for Ireland are the ones matched to your soil and light, because Irish winters are wet more than they are cold. In shade or heavy soil, sedges, woodrush and feather reed grass are the most reliable. In full sun and free-draining ground, fescues, fountain grass and Mexican feather grass give the classic airy, movement-filled look. All the plants below are supplied as young plants in 9cm pots, in packs of six, and establish quickly when planted in autumn or spring.
- Shade and part shade: Carex morrowii and Carex oshimensis, Luzula sylvatica and Luzula nivea, Hakonechloa macra, Liriope muscari
- Sun and gravel: Stipa tenuissima, Festuca glauca, Festuca gautieri, Pennisetum alopecuroides
- Heavy clay and height: Calamagrostis × acutiflora 'Karl Foerster', Calamagrostis brachytricha, Sesleria autumnalis
- Colour: Imperata cylindrica 'Red Baron', Carex oshimensis 'Evergold'
Which Ornamental Grasses Grow in Shade?
Japanese sedges, great woodrush and Japanese forest grass are the best ornamental grasses for shade in Irish gardens. Carex morrowii 'Ice Dance' has white-edged evergreen leaves and spreads slowly into a weed-suppressing carpet; 'Irish Green' is a plain, glossy green form. Great woodrush (Luzula sylvatica) is native to Ireland and one of the few plants that thrives in dry shade under trees. Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra) forms soft, cascading mounds in part shade and moist soil; it is slow to bulk up, but worth the wait.
Lilyturf: the flowering alternative for shade
Lilyturf (Liriope muscari) makes neat, evergreen, grass-like clumps and adds something true grasses rarely offer in shade: spikes of violet or white flowers from late summer into autumn. 'Big Blue' and 'Moneymaker' flower violet-purple, 'Monroe White' white, and 'Ingwersen' lilac. It is excellent for edging paths and for massing under shrubs.
Which Grasses Suit Sunny, Free-Draining Spots and Gravel Gardens?
Mexican feather grass, blue fescue and fountain grass are the best ornamental grasses for sunny, well-drained spots, gravel gardens and raised beds. Stipa tenuissima 'Ponytails' has fine, hair-like leaves that sway in the slightest breeze. Blue fescue (Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue') forms tight, silver-blue evergreen tufts, and bearskin fescue (Festuca gautieri) makes low, bright green cushions. The dwarf fountain grass Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln' carries fluffy, bottlebrush plumes in late summer and autumn, flowering most freely after a warm summer.
Which Tall Grasses Cope with Heavy Irish Clay?
Feather reed grass is the best tall ornamental grass for heavy Irish clay. Calamagrostis × acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' grows ramrod-straight flower stems to about 120–150cm from early summer, holds its shape through winter and tolerates heavy, moist soil better than most grasses. Korean feather reed grass (Calamagrostis brachytricha) is a little shorter, with soft, pink-tinged plumes in late summer, and tolerates part shade. For lower, tidy structure, autumn moor grass (Sesleria autumnalis) forms lime-green clumps with silvery flower spikes in late summer and autumn.
Which Ornamental Grasses Add Colour?
Japanese blood grass and golden sedge add the strongest colour. Imperata cylindrica 'Red Baron' has upright leaves that emerge green and turn deep red from the tips through summer and autumn; it colours best in sun and moist, well-drained soil. Remove any shoots that come up plain green, as they are more vigorous than the red form. Carex oshimensis 'Evergold' has cream-and-green striped evergreen leaves that brighten shade all year.
How Do These Ornamental Grasses Compare?
The table below compares every grass and grass-like plant in our collection by mature height, light, winter habit and best use. Heights are approximate for established plants in Irish conditions, including flower stems.
| Plant | Height | Light | Winter | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese sedge (Carex morrowii) | 30–40cm | Part shade to shade | Evergreen | Ground cover, edging |
| Golden sedge (Carex oshimensis 'Evergold') | 25–30cm | Part shade | Evergreen | Brightening shade, pots |
| Great woodrush (Luzula sylvatica) | 30–40cm (flowers taller) | Shade, incl. dry shade | Evergreen | Under trees, woodland |
| Snowy woodrush (Luzula nivea) | 40–60cm in flower | Part shade | Evergreen | White early-summer flowers |
| Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra) | 30–40cm | Part shade | Deciduous | Cascading mounds, pots |
| Lilyturf (Liriope muscari) | 30–40cm | Shade or sun | Evergreen | Edging, autumn flowers |
| Mexican feather grass (Stipa tenuissima) | 40–60cm | Full sun | Semi-evergreen | Gravel, movement |
| Blue fescue (Festuca glauca) | 20–30cm | Full sun | Evergreen | Gravel, edging, pots |
| Bearskin fescue (Festuca gautieri) | 10–15cm | Sun | Evergreen | Rockeries, low cushions |
| Fountain grass (Pennisetum 'Hameln') | 50–60cm | Sun | Deciduous | Late-summer plumes |
| Autumn moor grass (Sesleria autumnalis) | 40–50cm | Sun or part shade | Semi-evergreen | Mass planting, structure |
| Feather reed grass (Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster') | 120–150cm | Sun | Deciduous, stems stand | Height, clay soil |
| Korean feather reed grass (C. brachytricha) | 90–120cm | Sun or part shade | Deciduous | Autumn plumes |
| Japanese blood grass (Imperata 'Red Baron') | 30–40cm | Sun or part shade | Deciduous | Red colour |
Which Ornamental Grasses Stay Green Through an Irish Winter?
Sedges, woodrush, fescues and lilyturf stay green all winter. Carex, Luzula, Festuca and Liriope keep their foliage year-round, which makes them the backbone of low-maintenance planting and ground cover. Deciduous grasses such as Calamagrostis, Pennisetum and Hakonechloa fade to straw and bronze tones, which many gardeners value for winter structure, especially when frost or low sun catches the seed heads.
When Should You Cut Back Ornamental Grasses?
Cut back deciduous ornamental grasses in late February or March, just before new growth starts. Leave them standing through autumn and winter: the dry stems give structure and shelter overwintering insects. Use shears to cut Calamagrostis, Pennisetum, Hakonechloa and Imperata to about 5–10cm. Evergreens are different: do not cut Carex, Luzula or Festuca hard; instead comb through with gloved fingers or a rake in spring to pull out dead leaves. Tidy Liriope by removing tatty foliage in late winter, before the new leaves appear. Stipa tenuissima should be combed, not cut back.
How Many Ornamental Grasses Do I Need, and How Do I Plant Them?
For ground cover with small grasses and sedges, plant about 5–7 plants per square metre, so a pack of six covers roughly one square metre. Medium grasses such as Stipa, Pennisetum, Sesleria and Hakonechloa need 3–5 per square metre, and tall Calamagrostis about 45–60cm apart, or 2–3 per square metre. Planting in groups of three, five or more gives a more natural, flowing look than dotting single plants.
Autumn and spring are the best planting times; Pennisetum and Imperata establish best from spring planting. Improve drainage for fescues and Stipa, water all new plants through their first summer, and mulch between them until they knit together. For larger schemes, most of these grasses are also available in 24, 48 and 60-plant packs in our bulk plants range.
Frequently Asked Questions
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- Ground Cover for Dry Sunny Banks & Gravel Gardens — what to plant with fescues and feather grass
- Rockery Plants for Irish Gardens — drainage advice for wet winters
- The Best Ground Cover Plants for Irish Gardens — pair sedges with geraniums and more
- Low-Maintenance Landscaping Plants — ground cover, perennials and grasses by sun and shade
- Shade Garden Plants — ferns, hostas and woodland plants to grow with sedges
- Plants for Gravel Gardens
- Plants for Exposed and Windy Sites
- Plants for Wildflower Meadows
- Coastal Garden Plants
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