That's definitely an empty space, alright, and this looks like a great idea for what to do with it. I've considered something similar on a smaller scale and am happy to have seen that picture of an established grass hedge; have never seen anything like that before.

It can be done - but even if plants are left uncut for the winter they're an uncertain bet to hold up till spring (heavy snow, ice or wind can cause crushing and splaying of the dead stalks). You'd also want a sturdy power tool to facilitate cutting down stalks in spring (think chainsaw), as well as gloves and long sleeves to wear during the operation (it's less of a problem when they're dried out, but those grass leaves are often sharp and can cause the Death Of A Thousand Paper Cuts). Miscanthus should really be divided and replanted for best vitality and appearance every five years or so, and I don't want to think about the effort required in doing that for a decent-sized hedge.
If you want separation from your neighbor, are you willing to settle for a plant that'll provide good separation/privacy for maybe half the year or a little more?

My basic objection to using grasses as fencing or hedging is that it looks even more unnatural than when you make use of evergreens for the same purpose. Ornamental grasses to me are at their best when they're used in an informal way and allowed to display their wild and graceful characteristics. There's a photo of a mature Miscanthus 'Variegatus' partially draped over a formal hedge in Allan Lacy's The Garden In Autumn and it's a stunning contrast.

As an alternative to evergreens, I'd think about a mixed deciduous hedge - maybe one with berries and colored stems (including one or more of the ornamental Cornus?). It'd provide variety for you and the wildlife.

One of the most valuable and striking things I've learned by hanging out in this forum is that you NEVER want to plant all of one thing. Not only can it be difficult to make look natural (think a row of toy soldiers), but if a disease ever comes to town you're totally out of luck.

I remember when the grasshoppers were so bad here in the midwest back in the 1970's that they ate every single blade of grass, the cows had to eat hay in the summer, and the grasshoppers actually ate the paint off our house. Not exactly a plague of locusts or Dutch Elm Disease, but you never want to put all your eggs in one basket either.

Pretty conflicting opinions I guess. I am not really looking for a real hedge to separate myself from my neighbour. Honestly I could care less for that spot. Just thought of doing something different and this grass idea striked me.

Is Gracillimus a good choice for the location I showed? How about something as a second line of defense? A row in front after the grass? Pitch me some ideas folks. I just dont want to do the tired old thing everyone does in my community. Almost cookie cutter designs...

I think a big, deep mixed border that incorporates grasses along with other shrubs and perennials would look fabulous there. You could have several grass varieties of various heights and textures, mingled in among red twig dogwoods, berry bushes (as mentioned above...), phormium and small trees... the possibilites are endless. Have a look at some books in the library on grasses in the landscape and mixed borders for inspiration.

As Eric mentioned, one of the problems w/ M. 'Gracillimus' is that it tends to fall apart early. If you want to use a similar grass, choose M. 'Goliath'. It holds together pretty well.

I agree also that a hedge of grasses means alot of maintenance in the Spring to cut them and dispose of the cuttings.

I favor the idea of a mixed hedge. Evergreens in the back (leatherleaf Viburnum, hollies, etc) with shorter flowering decidous shrubs in front (spireas, quinces, grasses). I have a similar hedge and not only does it provide adequate screening from the "neighbor from hell," but the flowering shrubs really pop against the evergreen background, and the birds love it. We get alot of compliments on it.

Folks,

The only gripe Ive heard so far is the maintenance. I am willing to take that challenge as I am madly in love with the Grass form Hedge. Meanwhile I got a gift of 10 butterfly mixed color bushes. Do you think I can create a row below the grass hedge row and mix these bushes with something else? That area is full sun always.

Please provide me with some good plants that will look nice with Gracillimus in the background. You can view the pic link of my current setting. Thanks again and I apologize for being so stubborn. I guess I am just so fascinated with this idea.

Have you seen "The Color Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses" by Rick Darke? It has a lot of nice photos and lots of info about ornamental grasses. There are lots of different miscanthus varieties, Darke says Gracillimus is one of the older ones and though beautiful, tends to flop. If you don't want to mix in shrubs with your grass hedge, you could mix Gracillimus (or another type of miscanthus) with different kinds of ornamental grasses, like feather reed grass (calamagrostis) or switch grass (panicum) for contrast in form and different flowering times. I've also found these two kinds of grasses easier to divide than miscanthus.

Do you know what kind of butterfly bushes you have? In my zone, most butterfly bushes get taller than Gracillimus. Some plants I like in front of ornamental grasses are any daisy type flower [like purple coneflowers (echinacea), black eyed susans (rudbeckia), coreopsis, asters], catmints (nepeta)and calamints, Russian sage (perovskia), liatris, sedums, gaura, salvias and veronicas, daylilies and small spireas. These flowers are easy to care for and a lot of them attract butterflies too.

Juliet

Shrub type conifers look stunning with ornamental grasses and they keep the design from falling apart in early spring when the grasses are absent. Dwarf falsecypress, spruce, pine, fir, etc - would suggest types with interesting growth habit instead of "meatball" types such as globe arborvitae, yew.

Do you mean a row of dwarf verieties of connifers and then follow it with Grass in foreground? Or is the other way?

"Messcanthus" starts to break up and scatter blades over the garden long before spring arrives.