Plant Grasses in Charleston this Fall

Nothing says fall in Charleston quite like seeing the pink and white muhly grass plumes across town! The south is finally starting to experience some cooler fall temperatures and grasses are the star of the show in the garden this time of year. If your summer blooms have faded and you're ready to add fall interest to your space, here are three reasons you should add grasses to your garden this fall!

Add color and texture through multiple seasons

Grasses emerge in the spring and thrive all summer long, even through our heat! They show off into the fall, offering graceful texture and autumnal color with dancing plumes. Even come winter, many grasses provide seed heads and an interesting dried aesthetic against the bare landscape.

Attract birds and insects

Because grasses persist through the year, they are wonderful providers for birds, insects, and other small animals. From providing essential cover to food to nest building materials, grasses are beneficial for your local ecosystem. If you're hoping to invite local wildlife to your garden, adding grasses is a vital step.

Relax with low maintenance care

Grasses are generally easy going and need little help to thrive once established. Care requirements vary by species, but most ornamental grasses need moderate watering and very little, if any, fertilization. Additionally most grasses should only be cut back in the later winter to early spring, before new growth begins.

One of our favorite native additions to the garden, Muhlenbergia capillaris, or muhly grass is starting to bloom this month and will make the perfect addition to your sunny Charleston garden.