Ornamental grasses are special elements in a garden. They may add height, movement, and even sound. They can be annuals or perennials. Some are flowering; some flourish by seeding; some grow in organized clumps and others spread wildly. You can plant grasses in the spring or fall, but there is an advantage to spring planting, especially in the Midwest, to give the plants a chance to develop a strong root system. Investigate some of the available grasses, sedges and rushes in this section, and make your choices based on what you are trying to achieve. Some plants in this category can become quite prolific and take over areas where you may not want them. Choose wisely to get the maximum impact in your garden! (See our "Grasses & Similar" Top 25 Rankings!)
Plant | 2024 | 2023 |
Carex pensylvanica | 1 | NR |
Sporobolus heterolepis | 2 | NR |
Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' | 3 | NR |
Hakonechloa macra 'All Gold' | 4 | NR |
Sesleria autumnalis | 5 | 2 |
Schizachyrium scoparium | 6 | NR |
Carex elata 'Aurea' | 7 | NR |
Carex flacca 'Blue Zinger' | 8 | NR |
Calamintha nepeta 'Montrose White' | 9 | NR |
Andropogon gerardii 'Blackhawks' | 10 | 5 |
Carex rosea | 11 | NR |
Festuca 'Cool as Ice' | 12 | NR |
Carex morrowii 'Ice Dance' | 13 | NR |
Miscanthus sinensis 'Gracillimus' | 14 | NR |
Pennisetum purpureum | 15 | NR |
Carex bicknellii | 16 | NR |
Carex appalachica | 17 | NR |
Acorus gramineus 'Ogon' | 18 | NR |
Pennisetum setaceum 'Sky Rocket' | 19 | NR |
Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' | 20 | NR |
Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum' | 21 | NR |
Pennisetum alopecuroides | 22 | NR |
Pennisetum setaceum 'Fireworks' | 23 | NR |
Hakonechloa macra | 24 | NR |
Schizachyrium scoparium 'Jazz' | 25 | NR |
NR: No Ranking
We try very hard to source exactly what you’d like, but sometimes growers run out of plants! While this variety is a great deal at the price shown, we know that it has limited availability. If you want the plant even if it might be more expensive, or in a different size or quantity -- after you place your order, just send us a quick note at help@northshoreplantclub.com. Then, we’ll try to get you some version of this from one of our growers. And if we can’t get it from anywhere, of course, we’ll send a refund!
Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.
Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.
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Membership is free, but — since we rely on delivery and local pick-up — you have to live near one of our hubs (or be willing to drive to a site to pick them up). If you live farther away, and would like to help us bring the club to your neighbors, please email helpusgrow@northshoreplantclub.com.
To secure the best prices for club members and make sure we know the current plants available from each nursery, we take orders only a couple of times a month.
Shoot us an email at help@northshoreplantclub.com, and we'll be happy to talk about plants or let you know when it's time to buy them!