Here are the botanical names for all the grasses. Acorus gramineus 'Tanimanoyuki' Arundo donax giant reed grass Calamagrostis arundinacea 'Karl Foerster' feather reed Carex morrowii âÂÂIce Danceâ Eragrostis spectabis purple lovegrass Erianthus ravennae Festuca cinerea 'Glauca' blue fescue Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra Red Baron' Japanese Blood Miscanthus sinensis 'Gracillimus' maiden Miscanthus sinensis 'Grosse Fountaine' Miscanthus sinensis 'Kleine Fountaine' Japanese Silver Miscanthus sinensis 'Purpurascens' flame Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus' zebra Panicum Virgatum grass switch Panicum Virgatum 'Heavy Metal' Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah' Pennisetum alopecuroides fountain Pennisetum alopecuroides ribbon Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln' Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Moudry' Black Fountain Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum' red fountain Sisyrinchium angustifolium blue eyed grass

Great Plains, here is that same photo with some IDs attached. It's amazing when I study it, how different it is now. This photo is probably the best it ever looked. In reality it was a re-seeding nightmare. Yarrow and blue fescue were taking over everything, and it just looked like a mess most of the time. The Karl Foester plants got sooo huge and even the once-per-year cutting back was a big chore. And there were zero shrubs to anchor the scene and provide some order. So I've kept the well-behaved grasses, added masses of coneflowers (most of which have planted themselves at this point), allowed well-behaved self-seeders (penstemon, blue flax, ratibida, some catananche), and added a lot of shrubs. I took out 100% of the yarrow and blue fescue because they can't seem to exist in moderation. I can imagine that you would have great luck with penstemon. I sure do love them in all their forms and colors. Before you get too excited about coneflowers (echinacea) beware that they drink a lot of water. More than I thought. But I still love them so they will stay, and in time they will be pushed out by the shrubs and there won't be quite so many. Are the photos you posted with the blue adobe house in the background your place? It's fantastic and so regionally appropriate! A garden in these parts must have ornamental grasses if you ask me!

Normal. I cut it back in late fall to the ground, and it comes back fresh every spring.

Last spring I planted some Undaunted Ruby Muhly Grass along with some Burgundy Bunny and Blond Ambition grama grass on a steep highly exposed slope. After a tough winter, the other two are in bad shape but the Undaunted grass looks terrific. It is about the same size as your oat grass so give it a look.