i don't think it is possible to keep mondo grass contained, which is why i tend to avoid it and other similar non-native invasive grasses a lot of plant shops like to sell. mondo grass is just another one of those non-native invasive plants that i don't really feel belongs in our domestic landscapes.

to be clear, are you sure you have mondo grass and not liriope muscari? a trip to Google Images will net pictures of each.

(rant time) mondo+ivy seems to be a chic thing to do with gardening, and i don't understand why. ivy, for one, is super invasive, i find it unattractive, it will kill and bring down a tree if you let it grow up them, and once it's rooted, your chances for removal are a serious battle. (/end rant time)

i have a couple of ideas to share:

first, Roundup, when mixed per the label, is absolutely superb at killing off Ivy (and adjacent plants, so be careful); i assume it would be good at nuking mondo grass also, but i've never tried it. i don't think roundup stays around long residually - but i would check in advance.

second, per a recent thread here, you may try manually removing "most" of the tops of the grass, then laying down a layer of manure/planting soil, then a layer newspapers over that covering entire area (7-10 sheets thick), wet the paper down really good and mulch over the area to try and kill it off over the next month or two with no work on your part.

third, and my personal favorite choice - i personally would use "mechanical removal", i.e. a flat-head shovel. it has worked well to get rid of that ever-persistent yard weed at my house some of us call "fescue" ;) in order to make larger beds, and i've found persistent mechanical removal was the only thing that allowed me to get rid of some incredibly nasty wisteria that some idiot living here prior decided to plant and let roam free (got rid of the kudzu also)

any combination of the above will probably work. i usually go for the roundup, let the stuff take a serious injury and start dying off, then remove it with a shovel.

for shovelling, i've found a quick and easy way to remove sod (which mondo grass forms). i start by first cutting a line around the entire area that is 2"-3" deep. next, i put a perpendicular slice that is the same approximate width as my flat shovel head, which creates an open-ended "sod square". i then insert the shovel down into my first cut a little over 2", tilt the shovel handle back towards me to wedge the sod square up, and when the head of the shovel is nearly perpendicular to the ground, i kick the head of the shovel forward using the supplied foot provisions. using this method, i can usually clear several square yards of grass per hour. FTR, i'm in my 30's (still young) and fit, but i don't work out - so it's not like i'm a little bag of muscles or anything.

just my 2¢

Thanks for all your suggestions, Satellitehead! I guess I will have to just accept that some digging will be required ;)

I think I will shovel out as much as I can and then cover with newspaper/mulch, hopefully that will do it.

I'm trying to avoid chemicals as much as possible. The ivy we cleared we pulled out by hand. My parents came over for a 6-week vacation from england and spent almost 2 weeks pulling out ivy for us! And then my husband and i spent several w/ends pulling out the rest. I think the mondo is trying to fill the void left by the ivy -- while I am trying to fill it with flowering shrubs.

Yes, I think it is mondo and not liriope, having looked at the pics.

We have some fairly big beds of mondo that we are just going to leave for now, I just want to keep it contained there and get rid of all the stragglers and smaller areas. Maybe next year we will clear all of the mondo and the remaining ivy beds.

I'm ranting with you on the mondo/ivy thing. Although, our previous owner didnt think it was chic, he just didnt care about the house (inside or out) and let both grow over everything else.

Thanks so much for your help.

Or you could let me come dig some up - I need lots of grasses in my yard! hehehehehe!

Oh, please do! Take lots, that would be wonderful. Do you want some ivy too?!

WE haave filled in our swimming pool(whew. I'm glad of that) and have planted three crepe myrtles in the space. The last few years we had Knockout rosos and other things planted there, and got thoroughly sick of the look. The landscaper used river rock as groound cover. Hated that, too. I was wondering how dwarf mondo grass would be.Think the green look would be great. Plan to place my ornamental pots throughout the space. Would the mondo be fine? It would be contained by the cool-deck which we left in place.