Ornamental grasses, not too tall?

[TheElementsSong]

The front garden is sort of southeast facing and consists mainly of a 2.5x2.5m bed. Soil is decent, neither too clayey nor sandy. We planted a "border" of Festuca glauca and within the bed, we have a slightly cottagey selection of (mostly) perennials, e.g. spring bulbs, catmint, geraniums, Verbena bonariensis. It looks nice in the spring/summer but I think it could do with a neutral "filler" of more ornamental grasses which would also provide interest in the winter when the perennials have died back.

But there are so many ornamental grasses available, I can't decide which would be best! I was initially going to get Stipa tenuissima as it's familiar to me, we had some in our old garden. But thought it might be a little boring-looking throughout the year. Some of the others I fancied seem to be a bit on the too-tall side like Miscanthus. Others have nice airy flowers but the foliage looks too low or dull.

So what are the most favoured ornamental grasses amongst MN gardeners?

My favourite is Festuca Glauca - blue grass. It's not too tall and has colour all year round. Little seedlings do spread, but not too invasive. I pot up any I don't need and give them away. It looks beautiful next to white and pink dianthus.

Thanks JT I love blue grass too! I was looking for something a bit taller (up to 1m maximum) that could visually fill the spaces between perennials of similar height, blue grass would be too short whilst something like Stipa gigantea is too tall.

Amelanthene Lessoniana the pheasant tail grass is lovely. I have mine planted with Cornus Midwinter fire and Acer Sango Kaku. The fiery reds and orange last from late november to April. I perhaps add a black grass too to give it some ooomph

Agree with astrantia about Anemanthele and would add Miscanthus Morning Light and Pennisetum Hameln as two more favourites. (Anemanthele often still sold under its old name Stipa Arundinacea). if you could stretch to 1.2m Pennisetum macrourum is a cracker

Crocus have a sale on at the moment

Crocus have a sale on at the moment

Ooh! I've been Googling images of Anemanthele and it looks like just the thing, thanks

Time to get the credit card out!

Deschampsia cespitosa.

While have grass experts attention. Does anyone know the name of a grass which is quite stiff, bright green, with little tufts coming out of its blades?

Anemanthele not one of the grasses on sale at Crocus so I might go for Deschampsia or Stipa tenuissima.

astrantia do you think you might be describing a restio?

I have just looked at that but I don't think that's it. This has very short fanlike spurs coming out of it

Astrantia The only other things I can think of are Chasmanthium latifolium (Spanish Oats) which has sort of flattened fan-like seed heads, or Carex grayii, which has sort of knobbly seed heads in the leaf joints.

Elements sorry to hijack your thread

Right, put the kettle on. I am going for a walk to take a photo because it is in a garden nearby. Then we will try and decide over a cuppa

This

No problem Trethew

That picture looks a bit like chives astrantia But seriously - could it be Festuca gautieri?

I think it might be some kind of Juncus

Ah yes, that's a soft rush (Juncus effusus). Get rid of it. It will seed everywhere. Sometimes pops up from peat based compost. It has a nice cousin which is twisty and curly though

That Is it. Thanks for the warning, I don't own it I was thinking of buying it.

Apologies for hijacking your thread,@theelementssong