Plant ornamental grasses now that the soil has warmed up, as many hail from much warmer climates than ours and only really get going once the ground is at the right temperature in early to mid May.
There are dozens of different grasses. Among the best are the tall, statuesque evergreen Stipa gigantea, with elegant oat-like flowers reaching to 1.5m tall, and soft, strokeable Deschampsia cespitosa, topped with a haze of flowers all summer.
Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' produces waterfalls of golden foliage and is a perfect choice for containers, while Pennisetum alopecuroides is topped with soft rabbit's-tail flowers, the foliage turning golden-tan in autumn. If you're not sure which variety is right for your garden, do ask our knowledgeable staff for advice.
Most grasses grow best in sun and well-drained soil, but some, such as Carex, are ideal for damper, shadier spots. Soak the plant thoroughly once you get it home, then plant at the same depth as it was in the pot. After that they're very low maintenance: leave flower heads through winter, as they look lovely rimed in frost, and then just trim them back to the ground in early spring.
