Grain formation during solidification of magnesium and Mg-Al alloys has been studied with a focus on grain refinement mechanisms, solute and particle effects. The variation in grain size with increased aluminium content in hypoeutectic Mg-Al alloys showed a continuous decrease in grain size up to 5 wt% Al, and a stabilisation at higher Al contents (above 5 wt%). Strontium additions to both low- and high-aluminium content magnesium alloys showed that Sr had a significant grain refining effect in low-aluminium containing alloys. However, strontium had a negligible effect on grain size in the Mg-9Al alloy. Additions of Zr, Si, or Ca to pure magnesium produced significant grain refinement, probably because these elements have high growth restriction effects during solidification. An attempt was made to identify the grain refinement effect of particles added directly to the melt that are considered to be powerful nucleants in Al based alloys (TiC) and in Mg based alloys (AlN, Al4C3). Most of these particles produced grain refinement, probably because of enhanced nucleation due to the small lattice disregistry between their crystal structures and that of magnesium. However, it is not clear whether the grain refining mechanism of the effective particles was catalysis of primary crystal nucleation or simply restriction of crystal growth during solidification.