Deliver Big Style Without the Bulk
Short on space but craving a big garden impact? Short Ornamental Grasses from Nature Hills Nursery offer vibrant texture, color, and movement without the towering height of traditional prairie or Pampas Grass. These compact Grasses pack a major punch in modern and classic landscapes alike!
Perfect for containers, small garden beds, rock gardens, or front-of-the-border plantings, these smaller selections bring year-round interest with colorful blades, plume-like seed heads, and wildlife-friendly charm. Hardy and easy to maintain, most dwarf ornamental grasses are also deer-resistant, drought-tolerant, and incredibly versatile throughout the fall and winter.
- Shortest of the Short (Under 12 Inches Tall)
- Colorful Small Grasses (1-2 Feet Tall & Wide)
- Biggest of the Littles (2-3 Feet Tall in Bloom)
- How to Use Short Ornamental Grasses in the Landscape
- Caring For Ornamental Grasses
Shortest of the Short (Under 12 Inches Tall)
These miniature marvels make a big impact with a tiny footprint. Ideal for edging, containers, and mixed plantings.
- Elijah Blue Fescue Grass: Powdery blue tufts, stiff texture, evergreen in mild zones.
- Pennsylvania Sedge: A grass-like native for woodland gardens and groundcover.
- Beyond Blue™ Festuca: Intense silver-blue foliage with a dense mounding habit.
- Big Twister Corkscrew Rush: Unique twisted stems and moisture-loving roots; thrives in containers and moist areas.
- Boulder Blue Fescue Grass: Smaller and compact, its steel-blue from top to bottom.
- Variegated Sweet Flag: Striped semi-evergreen leaves and spicy fragrance
- Piglet Fountain Grass: Tiny yet graceful, with fluffy seed heads in late summer.
- Dwarf Prairie Dropseed: Aromatic when in bloom, with arching, fine-textured foliage.
- Mondo Grass: A tidy, evergreen groundcover perfect for shady borders.
Colorful Small Grasses (1-2 Feet Tall & Wide)
Petite in form, but full of personality. These ornamental grasses are right-sized for patio pots or narrow beds.
- Dwarf Fountain Grass: Compact, mounding, and soft to the touch with rosy plumes.
- Japanese Forest Grass: Graceful cascading habit, golden tones, shade-loving. Try bi-color Sunflare™ or flowy All Gold.
- Autumn Moor Grass: Bright chartreuse blades with early blooming flowers.
- Chameleon Little Bluestem: Color-shifting foliage and great fall interest.
- Elk Blue California Gray Rush: Moisture-tolerant with cylindrical, glossy gray-green straight stems and golden seed heads.
- Lumen Gold™ Fountain Grass: Glowing chartreuse foliage brightens any border.
- Red Baron Japanese Blood Grass: Fiery red tips ignite midsummer beds.
- Mexican Feather Grass: Airy texture and golden flow; perfect for dry, sunny spots.
- Little Bunny/Burgundy Bunny Fountain Grass: Cute and compact for small spaces.
- Undaunted® Ruby Muhly: Billowing pink clouds in fall, heat-tolerant and easy-care.
- Pony Tails Mexican Feather Grass: Breezy movement and blond feathery flair.
- Blue Oat Grass: Blue-gray spikes and tidy form; deer-resistant and bold. Or try the blue Sapphire Blue Oat Grass.
- Gold Dew Tufted Hair Grass: Glowing blades with tiny flowers; great massed or solo.
- Blaze Little Bluestem Grass: Reddish-purple fall color and strong vertical form.
- Big Twister Corkscrew Rush: Curled green foliage, perfect for moisture-retentive sites.
Biggest of the Littles (2-3 Feet Tall in Bloom)
These are your mid-sized Grasses that make bold accents without overwhelming smaller spaces.
- Pink Muhly Grass: Famous for its airy pink haze of fall flowers.
- Blonde Ambition Blue Grama Grass: Upright, chartreuse seed heads and native flair.
- Prairie Dropseed Grass: Aromatic, fine-textured, and lovely en masse.
- Fox Red Curly Sedge: Striking evergreen bronze-red foliage. Fades to flaxen tips.
- Palm Sedge: Texture-rich options for part shade to sun along the water's edge.
- The Blues Little Bluestem Grass: Powder blue blades with vibrant red tones in fall.
- Cape Rush: South African native with strong, reed-like texture.
- Red Bunny Tails Fountain Grass: Fluffy, blushing seedheads and clumping habit.
- Strawberries and Cream Ribbon Grass: Creamy pink tones and spreading habit.
- Cassian Dwarf Fountain Grass: Dense and elegant, great for winter interest.
- Copper Shouldered Oval Sedge: Bronze hues and semi-evergreen foliage.
- Blue Dune Lyme Grass: Bold, silver foliage with strong vertical presence.
How to Use Short Ornamental Grasses in the Landscape
From elegant borders to cozy container gardens, short ornamental grasses add movement, structure, and seasonal color in any space. They blend beautifully with flowering perennials, native wildflowers, or flowering shrubs. Try using Ornamental Grasses in the landscape as:
- Flowing edging along walkways or patios
- In Rock Gardens
- Massed for waves of color
- On steep slopes or hard-to-mow hillsides, and as erosion control
- As dynamic groundcovers
- In decorative pots and raised beds
Many are perennial in Zones 4-9 and make great additions to both formal and wild garden designs. These Grasses also provide cover and seed for birds, plus soft sound and motion that calm the senses.
Caring For Ornamental Grasses
Read up on how to plant Ornamental Grasses here!
- Sunlight: Most prefer full sun for the best growth, but some tolerate partial shade.
- Soil: Must have well-drained soil. Some tolerate clay or sandy loam.
- Watering: Water regularly during the first year using the Finger Test to check soil moisture. Most are drought-tolerant once established.
- Mulch: Apply 3-4 inches of arborist mulch to conserve moisture and suppress weeds.
- Seasonal Care: Cut back in late winter to early spring to renew foliage and encourage fresh growth.
Short Grasses are incredibly low-maintenance, long-lived, and beautiful across all four seasons. Whether you want a tidy accent or a lush sea of motion, these versatile plants are a must-have.
Little Grasses, Big Style!
Don't underestimate the impact of short ornamental grasses! Whether you're going for tidy, textured curb appeal or a breezy naturalized meadow look, these compact powerhouses deliver all the movement, color, and structure with none of the bulk.
Order your favorites from Nature Hills Nursery today and bring a graceful rhythm to your garden spaces without losing out on space!
Happy Planting!
