Large medium sized grasses

These options have manageable habits that bring shape 

When you think of ornamental grasses, the bigger the plant, the bigger the show, right? In the same way, many of us agree that the smallest grasses in the front of the garden attract the most attention because we can get close to admire their shape, texture and lush color. Being the middle child means you're likely to be overlooked, but that doesn't mean you're not still part of the family. 

Medium-sized grasses play an important role in bringing texture and shape to the middle of the bed. They are a great way to draw the eye upwards from the front of a border. The following are some of my favorite options for grasses that are manageable varieties of 2 to 3 feet tall and wide.

1. Peruvian feather grass (Stiba ichu)

It is a southern relative of Mexican feather grass, horsetail grass (Nassella tenuissima, zones 7-11). Bonus: It's tall and beautiful. Although relatively new to the garden center, Peruvian feather grass is hard to overlook. If you see this in flower, you will never forget it. The lime green leaves are thread thin and can reach 2 feet in length but only 1 foot in height. Silver flowers begin to appear in summer. How many flowers do you know as silver? Those fancy, 1-foot-tall blooms catch the slightest wind movement, so these plants are always swaying and add another layer of interest.

2. Yellow Ribbons’ fountain grass

'Hameln' fountain grass (P. alopecuroides 'Hameln', Zones 5-9) has long been a staple in the landscape industry for its uniform and profuse flowering on 24-inch stems. 'Yellow Ribbons' is a gold-leaf form of nearly the same size and vigor. It peaks with golden yellow foliage in early summer with 24-inch stems of the same color. As the season progresses, when the whole plant loses some of its golden color, the short but abundant bottlebrush-like flowers appear - but at this stage it brightens the garden even more with its chartreuse color.

3. 'Jazz' Small Bluestem

My favorite is the native species Little Bluestem, and one of its best attributes is its adaptability. In fact, it exists in 48 states. Apart from this, in the fall, the leaves have highlights in color, from silver to gray and green, pink, orange, purple, red and almost all shades. 

There are many excellent cultivars, but for the 2- to 3-foot-tall varieties, I am partial to the 2010-bred selection 'Jazz.' 'The Blues' (S. scoparium 'The) Naturally Occurring Game Blues', Zones 3–9), 'Jaws' has the same large silvery-blue foliage but is a foot shorter, which prevents it from floating in the garden - even in rich soil conditions. Detached 2-foot-tall plants bloom on nearly 3-foot stems in late summer. After cold nights, the stem color changes to smoky purple, then after freezing the color changes back to red, and finally to orange for winter.

4. Variegated purple moor grass

Purple moor grasses are growing in part due to the new perennial movement and the Dutch wave of garden design. You'd be hard-pressed to see an example of this type of landscape that doesn't use Molinia's drifts. Moor grasses are cool-season grasses, and the creamy yellow color variation of this species is one of the most eye-catching. 

While the leaves are yellow and green, the most exciting part of this plant is the curved yellow stems, which reflect the color in the colorful leaves. However, the inflorescence is typical purple, so when set against the stems and blades, a beautiful synergy occurs. As with all purple moor grasses, fall color sets at the end of the season, turning green orange to golden yellow.

5. Palm sedge (Carex muskingumensis)

Palm Sedge is definitely a shady character - but don't let that scare you. With adequate moisture, it grows most happily in full sun. It is rare to find a grass that grows equally well in both positions and allows gardeners to use this plant as a repeat element in many areas.

 Its bright green color and Y-shaped growth of its leaves give this plant interesting texture all season long. The common name refers to the shape, as it resembles a small palm tree. Clustered plants are erect, with leaves usually 2 feet tall and wide. In the beginning