What makes a garden great? Anyone who’s spent enough time caring for their own will likely have a unique answer, but across the board, everyone agrees that TLC (tender love and care – not the music group, although their tunes might be a good soundtrack for your pruning days) goes a long way. Flowers and trees are typically the focal points of most yards but experienced green thumbs see the benefit of planting ornamental grasses too.

Their aesthetic value is brightening up dark spots in your garden, or filling areas between flowers, but they have use far beyond that. For starters, people living in colder zones love the resilience of ornamental grasses, many of which still look beautiful throughout the fall and winter while many flowers and trees die off. “You can use them as a privacy screen, as a groundcover, or as an anchor for the eye,” Monrovia reminds us. Read on to uncover which ornamental grasses might be best for you, and tell if you’ve already planted some in the comments!

Feather Reed Grass

According to Better Homes and Garden, anyone hoping to add a vertical accent to their borders might find reed grass to be the perfect solution. In particular, ‘Karl Foerster’ feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora) comes highly recommended; it boasts tall, bright green leaves stemming from buff-colored plumes that keep themselves upright for most of the colder months. These ornamental grasses grow up to six feet tall with lots of sun and well-drained soil.

Shenandoah Switch Grass

One of the best things about planting a garden is the vibrant pops of color plants bring to your yard. Strategically placing flowers and colored ornamental grasses can help set your planters apart, especially the beautiful Shenandoah Switch Grass. In the springtime, green leaves emerge with red tips and over the following months, they turn darker until reaching a rich burgundy in the fall.

Fountain Grass

If adding an actual fountain to your yard isn’t possible, you can at least try growing some fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides) to mimic the look of water flowing in your garden. It’s an ideal way to add texture, color and contrast to any area, though it will grow best where there’s full sun and well-drained soil. Expect your fountain grass to grow up to five feet tall, although there are dwarf varieties like Cassian’s Choice.

Hakone Grass

Wondering what ornamental grasses you can grow in shady spots? Hakone (Hakonechloa macra)! This Japanese forest plant only reaches up to one foot tall, but its brightly colored foliage brings life to previously dark corners in your garden. Aureola or All Good are known to be the most vibrant but all will need well-drained soil and some sunshine to look their best.

Blue Oat Grass

Blue Oat Grass is one of the most low-maintenance options on our list, plus few can resist the steel-blue color the plant takes on in the summer before maturing to a golden wheat by the time fall rolls around. It has a medium height, reaching up to three feet tall, and its tidy mounded habit won’t leave you with extra work to do by taking over your garden.