ServeScape 7: Ornamental Grasses You Should Plant This Spring

Ornamental grasses are the unsung heroes of Southern landscapes. They bring movement, texture, and seasonal drama—without demanding constant maintenance. Spring is the ideal time to plant them, giving roots time to establish before summer heat sets in.

At ServeScape, we love grasses that work hard and look good doing it: heat-tolerant, drought-resilient, and well-suited to Georgia and the greater Southeast. Even better? Many of the best options are native, supporting wildlife while thriving in our climate.

Here are seven native ornamental grasses worth planting this spring, starting with a Southern favorite.


 Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris)

 Few plants define Southern fall quite like muhly grass. Its fine green   foliage erupts into a cloud of pink blooms in autumn, creating one   of the most iconic seasonal displays in Georgia landscapes. Muhly   thrives in full sun, tolerates drought once established, and works   beautifully in masses, along driveways, or as a soft border plant.

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) 

A true workhorse native grass, switchgrass offers upright structure, airy seed heads, and excellent year-round interest. It’s highly adaptable—handling wet soils, dry conditions, and everything in between—making it ideal for rain gardens, naturalized areas, or modern landscape designs.

 

Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) 

Compact and colorful, little bluestem starts the season blue-green and finishes with copper, bronze, and purple tones in fall. It’s perfect for sunny borders, pollinator gardens, and low-input landscapes. This native grass thrives in poor soils and adds texture without overwhelming nearby plants.

 

Soft Rush (Juncus effusus)

A vertical, clumping grass-like native that offers bright sculptural form in moist garden areas. Its upright stems add architectural height and textural contrast, especially against finer grasses like muhly or little bluestem.

 

River Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) 

One of the best grasses for shade, river oats features broad leaves and distinctive oat-like seed heads that sway gently in the breeze. It thrives in part shade and moist soils, making it an excellent choice for woodland edges, under trees, or along shaded paths.

 

Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) 

Tall, elegant, and deeply rooted, Indiangrass brings prairie-inspired beauty to Southern landscapes. Golden seed plumes appear in late summer and persist into winter, adding seasonal interest and wildlife value. It’s best used in open spaces where its height can shine.

 

Purple Lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis) 

Delicate but dramatic, purple lovegrass forms low mounds of fine foliage topped with airy purple-pink blooms in summer. It’s ideal for sunny slopes, naturalized plantings, or mixed perennial beds where you want color without bulk.

 

Why Plant Ornamental Grasses in Spring?

  • Stronger root establishment before summer heat

  • Better drought resilience in year one

  • Cleaner growth habit through the season

  • Earlier landscape impact by late summer and fall

Spring planting sets these grasses up for long-term success, especially in Georgia’s hot, humid climate.

Design Tips from ServeScape

  • Group grasses in odd-numbered masses for a natural look

  • Mix fine-textured and bold grasses for contrast

  • Use native grasses to reduce irrigation needs and boost habitat value

  • Let grasses shine—avoid crowding them with high-maintenance companions

Build Movement Into Your Landscape

Ornamental grasses aren’t just fillers—they’re foundational plants that bring rhythm, resilience, and seasonal beauty to your garden. Whether you’re designing a modern landscape, restoring native habitat, or softening hard edges, these seven grasses deserve a place in your spring planting plans.

Need help choosing the right grass for your space? ServeScape makes it easy to design, source, and plant with confidence—rooted in Southern know-how and native-smart selections.

 

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