Fountain grass in containers

July 11, 2009 by Sherry

I grow Purple Fountain Grass in containers every year. This summer I paired it with white alyssum in a large container on my back deck. It has grown huge this year! It is so big that it is higher than the table I have it sitting next to. The fountain grass is in bloom right now, with large reddish-purple tassels (photo at left). I am very pleased with this simple combination. Click photos to view larger.

Fountain grass and alyssum

Fountain grass in a container

Posted in Flowers, Garden, Photos, Plants, yard | Tagged alyssum, container gardening, fountain grass, Gardening, plant combinations | 15 Comments

15 Responses

on July 14, 2009 at 2:09 pm | Reply LA723

I love this! Looks great!
on July 17, 2009 at 12:41 am | Reply Sherry

Thank you, LA723!
on July 20, 2009 at 5:29 pm | Reply Quietpaths

I’ve always wanted to know what this was called; I see it now and then in small clumps around here… great idea.
- on July 21, 2009 at 9:42 pm | Reply Sherry
  
  Quietpaths, the grass is getting taller every day! I love it in containers. I wish it grew wild here. Thanks for your visits.
on September 24, 2009 at 7:25 pm | Reply Jud

We have 4 clumps of this in our front flowerbed, and it is breathtaking!!
- on September 25, 2009 at 8:08 pm | Reply Sherry
  
  Hi Jud, I agree, I love to grow it in my flower beds too. I have some large clumps of it between some roses and love it! The one I have in the container is larger though, it is -huge- right now.
  
  Thanks for visiting,
  Sherry
on September 27, 2009 at 3:00 pm | Reply Jennifer

Hey Sherry,

I live in GA and planted fountain grass in pots this year that were beautiful. I don’t think there is a way to keep it, right? I just need to replace every year?
Jennfier
- on September 27, 2009 at 7:54 pm | Reply Sherry
  
  Hi Jennifer,
  
  I tried to overwinter it last year. Had it in a container and then transplanted it into the ground in the fall, but it didn’t come back at all. I wonder if it would survive if it were planted in the ground and then cut back after frost, and then maybe pile a big layer of leaves over it..? I think I’ll try that this year and see if it will come back. I wish it would, they really are beautiful.
  
  -Sherry
on October 1, 2009 at 10:55 pm | Reply Fountain Grass Plumes « Sherry’s Place

[...] I love this purple Fountain Grass. It has done well this year in my flower beds and also in containers. The deep purple and green foliage and dark reddish blooms of this plant look nice all summer, and [...]
on May 15, 2010 at 3:46 pm | Reply connie wedding

Wow! You have a beautiful deck, and I love the Purple Fountain Grass with the white Alyssum. Your deck makes me want to sit down with a cold glass of iced tea and wait for the burgers and hot dogs to be done on the grill! LOL! Great job!
- on May 18, 2010 at 9:55 pm | Reply Sherry
  
  Thank you Connie, I appreciate your comments! That deck is nice to sit on, -after- the sun goes down. It’s far too hot in the heat of the day. The fountain grass did really well back there and got even bigger in the container than the ones I had in my Rose beds.
  
  Thanks for visiting,
  Sherry
on June 15, 2010 at 10:20 am | Reply minervasgardenwriter

This is lovely–thank you for sharing the photos! I like to use ornamental grasses in containers as well–they work great in hot spots around the house. I was given a beautiful yellow ornamental grass of an unknown variety that I place in turquoise pots with red edged sedums and black mondo grass, and it is an easy container to take care of–no deadheading–that looks great for months on end.

Athena from Minerva’s Garden
http://www.minervasgarden.com
- on June 16, 2010 at 1:20 am | Reply Sherry
  
  Thank you, Athena. I do love using grasses in containers. I have this same Purple Fountain Grass in a container right now, mixed with white polka dot plant. It does take the heat well on my hot back deck.
  
  Your combination containers sound absolutely gorgeous!
on May 18, 2012 at 2:42 pm | Reply Lynne George

I have two very large pots on the patio that I have been looking for just the right thing to put in them and the red fountain grass caught my eye, and I thought, yeahhhhhhhhhhh that’s it. They look fabulous. I love it.
- on May 22, 2012 at 11:44 pm | Reply Sherry
  
  Hi Lynne,
  I’m sure your pots will be beautiful. I love growing fountain grass in containers.
  
  -Sherry