Short answer
Trend lists differ from source to source, but several themes keep recurring in garden design discussions: naturalistic and meadow-style planting, smaller lawns, water-wise gardens, native and wildlife-friendly plants, comfortable outdoor living areas and lower-maintenance landscapes. Ornamental grasses fit many of these themes, which helps explain why they remain popular.
These are broad themes rather than measured statistics, and what works depends on your climate and local rules.
Naturalistic planting
Designers increasingly favor looser, prairie- or meadow-inspired plantings over rigid, clipped layouts. These combine grasses with flowering perennials such as coneflower, sedum and asters in drifts. The look is soft, moves in the breeze and changes through the seasons. Many follow a version of the 70/30 rule, with reliable structure plants such as grasses making up most of the bed. See perennials to plant with ornamental grasses.
Smaller lawns
Many homeowners are reducing the amount of mown lawn to cut watering, mowing and fertilizer. Alternatives include beds of grasses and perennials, ground covers, clover or mixed “tapestry” lawns. See how to replace a lawn with ornamental grasses.
Water-wise design
Drought-tolerant plants and mulched beds respond to water restrictions and higher costs in many areas. Many grasses, such as feather reed grass, little bluestem and switchgrass, tolerate dry spells once established. Group plants by their water needs and use drip irrigation where it helps. Where runoff is the issue, rain gardens planted with grasses are another common approach.
Native and wildlife-friendly planting
Gardeners are choosing native plants and leaving seed heads and stems standing for birds and insects. Native grasses such as little bluestem, switchgrass and pink muhly (in its range) are often used for this reason. Local native-plant societies and extension offices can recommend options for your area.
Outdoor rooms and structure
Patios, fire areas and pool zones are treated as extensions of the home, with planting used to frame, screen and soften them. Tall grasses and clumping bamboo are used for screening, and containers add flexibility. See tall grasses for privacy and grasses and bamboo around a pool.
Clean, modern lines
Alongside naturalistic gardens, restrained designs with repeated plants, gravel and hard edges remain popular. See modern and minimalist landscaping with ornamental grasses.
Where grasses fit
Grasses offer texture, movement and seasonal change, usually with modest care, so they appeal to people following several of these directions. For a full design framework, read landscaping with ornamental grasses. As always, avoid species that are invasive where you live and favor non-invasive clumping grasses.