11 Low-Growing Ornamental Grasses Ideal for Garden Borders

Low-growing ornamental grasses are an excellent choice for many areas of the garden. Typically drought—and heat-tolerant, many of these do an excellent job of being low-maintenance landscape elements, even in the heat of summer. Pest and disease-resistant, if you want something that will stand up to the elements, these are the plants to do it. 

If you want to add linear texture to your beds, ornamental grasses create this look, with many of them blooming for a season. There are evergreen varieties and others with stunning fall foliage. Many also bloom, adding color and feeding pollinators. 

When it comes to building borders in the garden, some ornamental grasses can be overwhelmingly large. These stately specimens belong in the mid and background, where you can view them properly. There are, however, some wonderful dwarf and short specimens that make wonderful borders. Let’s take a look at some top picks for low-growing ornamental grasses in the landscape!

Japanese Blood Grass ‘Red Baron’

	botanical name Imperata cylindrica ‘Red Baron’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 12”-18”
	hardiness zones 5-9

Japanese blood grass is a colorful and bold addition to your garden paths. It’s a robust plant that rarely grows taller than 18″, but it grows lovely and bushy over time, and spreads well, so give it a bit of space to do so. If you live in the Southeast, skip this as it can be invasive in your region. It prefers moist soil, but is drought-tolerant once established. 

‘Red Baron’ is a flashy cultivar with bright green leaves that shift to scarlet about halfway up in the summer. As fall approaches, small flower spikes appear with panicles of silvery-white flowers. Then the red deepens to burgundy in the autumn garden before entering dormancy. 

Dwarf Fountain Grass ‘Hameln’

	botanical name Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12”-30”
	hardiness zones 5-9

I love fountain grass for its fluffy, airy texture and vibe. It instantly transforms a space, lending a prairie feel. The full-sized varieties can be a bit much for the border, but there are some lovely dwarf cultivars to choose from that would be perfect. 

‘Hameln’ is a compact variety that can technically reach three feet tall, but typically stays closer to half of that. The soft green blades grow in a dense clump, and tall, fluffy seed heads appear for summer. In the fall, the foliage turns rusty brown, and then blonde for winter. The flowers are nice for use in dried arrangements. 

Fountain Grass ‘Little Bunny’

	botanical name Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Little Bunny’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1’-2’
	hardiness zones 5-9

Fountain grasses are nice for four seasons if you leave their foliage to dry in winter. They tend to be quite drought-tolerant and handle a lot of sunlight, as well. They tolerate partial shade, but they will bloom much better with full exposure. 

‘Little Bunny’ is another dwarf variety and this one typically stays shorter than two feet. The foliage starts out light green and deepens for summer. They change to gold in the fall before a wheaten color for the winter. Near the end of the summer, fluffy flower heads bloom in a contrasting cream color.  

Blue Fescue ‘Elijah Blue’

	botanical name Fescue glauca ‘Elijah Blue’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 12”
	hardiness zones 4-11

Blue fescue is great for waterwise gardens and those that commonly experience drought. It’s tough and sturdy, and once established, it needs little attention to look great. Blue types are the most heat—and drought-tolerant. It’s a short-lived perennial evergreen that lasts about two to four years. 

‘Elijah Blue’ is the bluest of the blue fescue grasses. It’s on the shorter side, growing to only one foot. The blades are narrow and a cool mint blue shade. The flowers rise considerably taller than the grass, and some prefer to remove them. However, they do add a striking contrast, as they are wheaten-colored. 

Sedge ‘Everillo’

	botanical name Carex oshimensis ‘Everillo’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12”-18”
	hardiness zones 5-9

Another evergreen grass, sedges are great for borders and beds. They are more tolerant of shade than many grasses and prefer moisture. Deer won’t bother them, and they are easy to care for. If you have soil with poor drainage, this one should work well for you.

‘Everillo’ is a colorful cultivar with bright, lime-green foliage that turns gold in the fall and then back to green. At about one foot to 18″, this is a lovely, compact grass. It flowers, but the blooms are inconspicuous, and most don’t plant it for that reason. 

Japanese Forest Grass ‘Sunflare’

	botanical name Hakonechloa macra ‘HABsf1007’
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 12”-18”
	hardiness zones 5-9

Japanese forest grass is another low-growing ornamental grass that prefers moist soil. It typically grows well in partial shade, but it will tolerate nearly full shade in hot climates. It performs best in places with cool summers. Easy to propagate by division, this is a fun plant to add to your borders.

‘Sunflare’ is one for the gardener who wants something flashy and fun. The foliage is predominantly bright yellow. There is deep red shading on some tips, but not all. It has an interesting and beautiful texture and is fun for your borders or container arrangements. 

Ruby Muhly ‘Undaunted’

	botanical name Muhlenbergia reverchonii ‘PUND01S’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 15”-18”
	hardiness zones 5-10

Muhly grass can be a bit tall for the border, but it can work beautifully in the right landscape. At about two and a half feet tall, it’s the tallest on our list. The extra-fine texture of the foliage makes this one stand apart. It’s delicate and beautiful, with arching stems during its blooming season. 

‘Undaunted’ is a compact variety known for having some of the darkest red flowers. Muhly typically produces these sprays of tiny blooms in late summer and early fall. The sun shining through them is a magical sight. It’s also more cold-tolerant than other cultivars, so it’s great for gardeners living farther north. 

Black Mondo Grass

	botanical name Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6”-8”
	hardiness zones 6-11

Mondo grasses come in different heights, with some as short as six inches and others a bit taller. They are easy to care for and evergreen. They perform well as a ground cover and are surprisingly resistant to foot traffic. They will grow in partial shade and prefer moist soil.

‘Nigrescens’ is a black variety that is perfect for the goth garden or to add drama to any space. It’s a winner of the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society which only reaches six to eight inches tall. It also produces pretty pink flowers that turn into deep purple berries.

Sedge ‘Cappuccino’

	botanical name Carex tenuiculmis ‘Cappuccino’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12”-15”
	hardiness zones 6-9

Sedges like that moist soil and are tolerant of shade, particularly in hot climates. These woodland grasses have thin, straplike foliage and are drought-tolerant once established. They also come in a wide array of colors. 

‘Cappuccino’ is a stunning evergreen with gorgeous reddish-bronze foliage. It adds a ton of drama and texture to your borders. Mounds reach about one foot tall and then weep toward the ground, creating an attractive, broad mound. 

Golden Sweet Flag ‘Ogon’

	botanical name Acorus gramineus ‘Ogon’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 8”-12”
	hardiness zones 5-9

Golden sweet flag is a graceful and beautiful ornamental grass that is low-growing and excellent for your borders. It’s happy in wet soil, so it’s suitable for poor drainage and near ponds and streams. Over time, it is mat-forming, but not invasive. It’s easy to care for and has few enemies. 

‘Ogon’ is semi-evergreen with attractive variegated leaves in yellow with green striping. The leaves are aromatic when crushed, and stay green all year in mild climates. It is 6″-12″ tall and makes an excellent border for any bed or path. 

Liriope ‘Big Blue’

	botanical name Liriope muscari ‘Big Blue’
	sun requirements Full sun to full shade
	height 12”-15”
	hardiness zones 5-10

I’ve saved this one for last because it’s my first choice and the cultivar that decorates my borders. Liriope is wonderful and tough. It stands up to traffic, and my chickens leave it alone entirely, which is rare. It grows well in partial to nearly full shade here in hot zone 9.

‘Big Blue’ has deep blue-green leaves that are substantial and straplike. It gets about a foot tall and then the flowers rise above the grass on tall stems. The flowers on this grass are a focal point, as while not in bloom, it’s attractive, but it’s truly beautiful when the blue-violet flowers bloom.