Ornamental Grass – Privacy Wall

Q: I want to use ornamental grass in pots to provide privacy around our deck. What might you suggest?

A: I could easily see using fountain grass, Pennisetum (several species) or maiden grass, Miscanthus sinensis (several varieties) in eighteen-inch wide pots around the deck. For a color contrast, consider ‘Fireworks’ fountain grass. It has a burgundy midvein flanked by hot pink margins on each leaf. Although it can’t survive winter here, this annual grass is easy to find at garden centers each spring.