More and more gardeners are using ornamental grasses in their gardens. But what’s making them so popular?

Well the first thing is their hardiness. A lot of grasses love the conditions that most plants hate. Many thrive in hot dry conditions, while others will grow in wet boggy soils.

Other great points are their good looks and the many ways you can use them. Grasses look great in pots; you can use them as an accent plant in a rockery, they’re excellent for stabilizing banks - which creates a fabulous effect, and for a really smart look, they make a terrific border in the garden.

The other great thing about ornamental grasses is the variety you have to choose from, and there are new fprms turning up all the time. You may know the popular native Lomandra. The one we featured on prime News was a fairly new form called “Tanika”. The fine foliage creates a soft graceful look and it also offers attractive yellow flowers in spring. But the great thing is, it’ll put up with heavy frost, dry soils even heavy clay soils. Now that’s tough!

Liriopes are really popular. I think you could match them with any plant and create a brilliant effect. They look great as a border or mixed with hardy foliage plants like cycads, cordylines and gingers. Evergreen Giant is well known; then there’s the one with the variegated leaf called ‘Stripy White’. It’ll give your garden a great lift especially where there is a lot of green.

So if you’re looking for a tough performer that’ll always look good, check out some ornamental grasses. There are lots to choose from.