When our nursery started growing ornamental grasses in the early sixties, fellow-nurserymen thought I was crazy. The popularity of ornamental grasses gained momentum in the early 80's when Wolfgang Oehme and Jim van Sweden, two Washington D.C. landscape architects, began using grasses with perennials and shrubs in public gardens and spaces in the D.C. area. Kurt Bluemel, a nurseryman and designer from Maryland, now considered by many as the guru of the ornamental grass world, also promoted the use of grasses. Ornamental grasses are an amazing group of plants. Besides the features mentioned earlier, they are quite utilitarian and trouble free.
Most grasses are clump growers, but some have a spreading habit.
It is important to select varieties which will suit the purpose you have in mind. Back to Proceedings Index or Current Services Index Grasses don't require much maintenance, but neither are they maintenance-free. Most need to have the old foliage pruned in the early spring. Grasses are relatively pest and disease free, and don't need much fertilizer. In fact, fertilizer high in nitrogen causes excess growth and weak stems so the usual neat habit is lost as the plants become floppy and unsightly.