Grasses are the typical plant choice for stone beds. They are easy to care for, tolerate drought and are usually very hardy. Some types of grass are even evergreen! Below you will find beautiful ideas for using grasses in stone beds and a list of the 20 most beautiful ornamental grasses for the rock garden.
Which grasses are suitable for a stone bed?
The best way to create a stone bed with grasses is to use ornamental grasses such as satin fescue, bearskin grass, blue fescue, miscanthus, feather grass or sedge. They tolerate drought, sun and poor soil and bring color and movement to the stone landscape.
Why grasses for stone beds
Grasses are often not companion plants in the stone bed but rather the main players. In general, almost all of the few plants in the selectively planted rock garden are solitary plants. In the rock garden, occasional holes are made in the barren ground for plants, which bring green and color into the bright stone landscape. Grasses in the rock garden have to tolerate sun and drought and get by with few nutrients. Since most grasses - with the exception of swamp grasses - have no problem with such conditions, ornamental grasses are the optimal choice for stone beds. In addition, ears of grain swaying in the wind bring movement to the rock garden.
Use grasses effectively in stone beds
Plant gigantic ornamental grasses such as giant miscanthus to create large protagonists in the middle of the rock garden. Plant smaller and several low grasses such as bearskin grass or blue fescue in locations closer to the edge of the stone bed.
A selection of the 20 most beautiful ornamental grasses for the stone bed
| ornamental grass | Subspecies | Growth height | Wintergreen | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlas Fescue | Up to 1m | Yes | Long, outwardly bending stalks | |
| Bearskin Grass | Up to 20cm | Yes | Spotty, bushy, green | |
| Mountain sedge | Up to 20cm | No | Easy-care grass with flowers in spring | |
| Blue Fescue | Up to 30cm | Yes | Blue stalks | |
| Blue oats | Sapphire swirl | Up to 1m | Yes | Blue stalks |
| miscanthus | Aksel Olsen, Malepartus | Up to 4m, up to 2m | No | Giant grass, gigantic solitary plant |
| Diamondgrass | Up to 1m | No | Beautiful, white ears of corn in autumn | |
| Feather grass | Up to 70cm | No | Very tender, feathery ears | |
| Pennisetum grass | Hameln, Little Bunny, Japonicum | Up to 60cm, up to 30cm, up to 1.2m | No | Beautiful, light ears of corn |
| Morning Star Sedge | Up to 70cm | Yes | Star-shaped fruits | |
| Mosquito grass | Up to 30cm | No | Mosquito-like flowers | |
| Pearl grass | Up to 60cm | No | Beautiful, bright ears of corn | |
| Riding grass | Karl Förster | Up to 1, 50m | No | Elongated, yellowish ears of corn in summer |
| Switchgrass | Hänse Herms | Up to 1.2m | No | Grass growing straight up |
| Schillergrass | Up to 40cm | Yes | Blue-green stalks | |
| Sedge | The Beatles | Up to 20cm | Yes | Beautiful bushy grass |
| Silver Eargrass | Up to 80cm | No | Silvery reddish ears of corn in summer | |
| Beach Rye | Up to 1m | Yes | Blue stalks | |
| Zebra reed | Strictus | Up to 1.5m | No | White-green striped stalks |
| Quickgrass | Up to 40cm | Yes | “trembling” ears of grain |
