table of contents
- Bamboos
- Chinese reed
- Pampas grass
- Pipe grasses
- Riding grass
- Sedges
- More privacy protection grasses
- frequently asked Questions
To with grasses and Ornamental grasses To get a privacy screen in buckets, these should grow tight and, depending on the height of the bucket, at least one meter. The most popular and beautiful specimens are listed below.
In a nutshell
- winter, summer and evergreen grasses available
- often no reliable privacy protection in winter
- almost all specimens need protection from the cold despite winter hardiness
Bamboos
Umbrella bamboo (Fargesia rufa)
- Growth: very dense and wide; upright
- Height: between 200 and 300 centimeters
- Flowering: very rare; then the plant dies
- Location: partially shaded; tolerates sun, slightly acidic, well-drained, nutrient-rich and humus-rich soil
- Special features: evergreen; hardy; fast growing; Use at least 40 liter buckets
Zigzag bamboo "Spectabilis" (Phyllostachys aureosulcata "Spectabilis")
- Growth: compact; tight; upright
- Height: between 250 and 300 centimeters
- Flowering: very rare; then the plant dies
- Location: partial shade, tolerates sun; permeable soil rich in nutrients and humus
- Special features: evergreen; hardy; lemon yellow foliage; Use at least 40 liter (conical) buckets
Chinese reed
Malepartus (Miscanthus sinensis "Malepartus")
- Growth: dense; upright flowers; overhanging leaves
- Height: between 180 and 200 centimeters
- Blossom: changing reddish to silvery-white; August to October
- Location: sun; sandy and humus-rich soil; pH value: 5.5 to 7.5
- Special features: reddish stalks; yellow autumn color, fully grown from the third year
Elephant grass / jumbo grass (Miscanthus x giganteus)
- Growth: spreading; upright; slightly overhanging
- Height: between 300 and 400 centimeters
- Flower: red; October
- Location: sunny to partially shaded; Substrate fresh to moderately moist, sandy to loamy; pH value: neutral
- Special features: hardy; lime tolerant; Autumn color; only suitable for large buckets
Large fountain (Miscanthus sinensis "Large fountain")
- Growth: dense; arched inclined; erect flower stems; very broad
- Height: between 180 and 250 centimeters
- Flower: silvery-white; August to October
- Location: sunny; Fresh to moderately moist soil, sandy to loamy
- Special features: very vigorous; deciduous; no runnings
Porcupine grass / zebra reed "Strictus" (Miscanthus sinensis "Strictus")
- Growth: dense; upright; slim shape
- Height: between 130 and 150 centimeters
- Flower: brown; September to October; only in warm, sheltered locations
- Location: sunny; normal substrate with moderate moisture
- Special features: striated green-yellow foliage; ideal for "hedge design" in pots
Pampas grass
American pampas grass / silver grass (Cortaderia selloana)
- Growth: curved; upright
- Height: between 90 and 250 centimeters
- Flower: silvery-white; September to October
- Location: sunny; fresh, well-drained, nutrient-rich soil
- Special features: hardy; needs wide tubs
Pampas grass "Citaro" (Cortaderia selloana "Citaro")
- Growth: tight; upright flower stems
- Height: between 200 and 250 centimeters
- Flower: white-yellow; August to November
- Location: sunny; fresh, well-drained, nutrient-rich soil
- Special features: impressive appearance; hardy
Tip: Tall ornamental grasses such as pampas grass and bamboo are almost all hardy, but they usually need protection from the cold. To do this, simply tie the leaves loosely together in a bundle.
Pampas grass "Rosea" (Cortaderia selloana "Rosea")
- Habit: curved foliage; expansive
- Height: between 80 and 180 centimeters
- Flower: pink; September to October
- Location: sunny; fresh, well-drained, very nutrient-rich soil
- Special features: gray-green foliage color; hardy
Pampas grass "White Feather" (Cortaderia selloana "White Feather")
- Growth: curved; upright flower stems
- Height: between 90 and 250 centimeters
- Flower: silver-white; September to October
- Location: sun; fresh, humus and nutrient-rich substrate
- Special features: hardy with protection against the cold; silky frond stilt reed / Spanish reed (Arundo donax)
"Mother" of the pile tubes (Arundo donax)
- Growth: rhizome-forming; curved foliage; upright stems
- Height: between 300 and 400 centimeters
- Flower: delicate white; July to August; rarely blooms during hot summer months
- Location: sun; fresh, well-drained soil rich in nutrients and humus
- Special features: high space requirements between two and three meters, hardy
Tip: The roots of the pile tube grow enormously. Use a root barrier when planting in tubs, because otherwise the rhizomes will press so hard against the tub walls that they will break quickly.
Pile pipe "Variegata" (Arundo donax "Variegata")
- Habit: upright and curved foliage
- Height: between 200 and 300 centimeters
- Flower: brown; July to August; rarely blooms during hot summer months
- Location: sun; fresh, well-drained, nutrient-rich soil
- Special features: needs a large bucket; gray-green foliage with longitudinal stripes; is more sensitive to frost than other varieties
Pipe grasses
Tall pipe grass "Windspiel" (Molinia arundinacea "Windspiel")
- Growth: tight, upright flower stems
- Height: between 60 and 250 centimeters
- Flower: yellow-brownish; August to October
- Location: sun to partial shade; fresh, moist, well-drained and nutrient-rich soil
- Special features: golden-yellow autumn color; hardy
Pipe pipe grass (Molinia arundinacea)
- Growth: like grass; minimally curved foliage; upright flower stems
- Height: between 90 and 250 centimeters
- Flower: yellow-brownish; July to September
- Location: sun to partial shade; fresh to moist and nutrient-rich soil
- Special features: attractive autumn color; hardy; relatively narrow growth width
Giant pipe grass "Transparent" (Molinia arundinacea "Transparent")
- Growth: like grass; slightly curved foliage; upright flower stems
- Height: between 50 and 200 centimeters
- Flower: yellow-brownish; August to September
- Location: sun to partial shade; fresh to moist, permeable and nutrient-rich soil
- Special features: golden-yellow autumn color; hardy
Riding grass
Garden riding grass "Karl Foerster" (Calamagrostis x acutiflora "Karl Foerster")
- Growth: upright; clumping; tight
- Height: between 80 and 120 centimeters
- Flower: yellow, red; June to August
- Location: sun to partial shade; Sandy to loamy soil, moderately dry to fresh; pH value: neutral
- Special features: hardy
Riding grass "England" (Calamagrostis x acutiflora "England")
- Growth: bushy; tightly upright flower stalks, dense foliage
- Height: between 100 and 150 centimeters
- Flower: yellow-brownish; June to July
- Location: sun to partial shade; moderately dry to moist, loamy-sandy and nutrient-rich soil
- Special features: hardy
Riding grass "Overdam" (Calamagrostis x acutiflora "Overdam")
- Growth: bushy; taut-upright
- Height: between 80 and 130 centimeters
- Flower: yellow-brownish; July to August
- Location: sun to partial shade; moderately dry to fresh, nutrient-rich soil
- Special features: foliage has white vertical stripes; well hardy; very decorative in winter
Tip: Due to the stature heights up to a maximum of 150 centimeters, the riding grasses offer ideal privacy protection in low-lying places, such as sandpit or paddling pool.
Sedges
Cyprus grass sedge (Carex pseudocyperus)
- Growth: curved; tight; strong growing
- Height: between 50 and 100 centimeters
- Flower: green; June to July
- Location: sun to partial shade; nutrient-rich moist soil
- Special features: hardy; deciduous; lime intolerant
Palm frond sedge (Carex muskingumensis)
- Habit: slightly curved, upright, grass-like, dense clumps
- Height: between 60 and 80 centimeters
- Flower: brown; July to August
- Location: sun to partial shade; nutrient-rich moist soil
- Special features: hardy; red-brown autumn colors; deciduous; ideal for planting balcony boxes
Note: Although the minimum height of one meter for a privacy screen is not given here, so you should still know that the palm frond sedge is ideal as a privacy screen for larger window boxes suitable.
Giant forest sedge (Carex pendula)
- Growth: bushy; slightly bent; very close; strong growing
- Height: between 40 and 120 centimeters
- Flower: green-brownish; June to July
- Location: partial shade to shade; fresh, moist, loamy soil; like calcareous
- Special features: hardy; evergreen
More privacy protection grasses
Feather bristle grass / Pennisetum (Pennisetum alopecuroides var. viridescens)
- Growth: upright; Overhanging foliage
- Height: between 60 and 120 centimeters
- Flower: black-brown; August to October
- Location: sun; sandy-loamy, humus and nutrient-rich soil
- Special features: yellow autumn color; deciduous; hardy
Fluff feather grass (Stipa pennata)
- Growth: upright; slightly bent
- Height: between 25 and 100 centimeters
- Flower: silver-white; June to July
- Location: sun; moderately dry, well drained soil
- Special features: evergreen; Wrap the bucket with fleece in winter; undemanding; ideal for tall buckets
Nest blue grass (Sesleria nitida)
- Growth: forming nests; declining stems and leaves
- Height: between 50 and 80 centimeters
- Flower: light green; Early April to late May
- Location: sun to partial shade; moderately dry, humus-rich substrate
- Special features: very decorative due to filigree stalks; slightly sensitive to frost; very popular bucket grass
Switchgrass "Northwind" (Panicum virgatum "Northwind")
- Growth: stiffly upright; declining stems and leaves
- Height: between 120 and 140 centimeters
- Flower: brown; July to September
- Location: sun; well drained, sandy-loamy soil
- Special features: yellow autumn color; easy-care; robust; hardy; blue-green foliage color; summer green
Forest bluegrass (Poa chaixii)
- Growth: arching inclined; upright stems
- Height: between 80 and 100 centimeters
- Flower: yellow-green; June to August
- Location: sun to partial shade; Low-lime, humus and nutrient-rich soil
- Special features: evergreen
Forest Zwenke (Brachypodium sylvaticum)
- Growth: slightly curved; upright flower stems
- Height: between 40 and 130 centimeters
- Flower: green; June to October
- Location: partial shade; sandy-loamy, well-drained soil
- Special features: deciduous; hardy
frequently asked Questions
Because they lack the protection against the cold through thick layers of earth. The cold penetrates faster and easier through the walls of the tub. In addition, ground frost rises unfiltered through the bottom of the tub. This means that the cold quickly reaches the roots, which can subsequently freeze.
That depends on whether you can keep the necessary planting distance between the grasses and whether the bucket is accordingly large enough.
If you want to create a kind of privacy screen with grass in buckets, you should choose buckets with straight walls that you can place next to each other without gaps. It is best to place broad-growing grasses in the tubs, where the stalks grow into the neighboring grasses - just like a hedge. It is important that you adapt the size of the tubs to the space required by the grass. If the stalks get in each other's way too much, you can cut / correct them as you wish.