I also like the Pink Muhly in bloom or out. Agaves and grass is one of the best combinations you can put together. I'm mixing Lophantha Agaves with Mexican Feather Grass and Parryi Agave with Lindheimerri Muhly and Deergrass. Another good one is Desert Spoon. I have two I am mixing in with grasses and agaves. Cactus make a nice different texture in the mix and I am liking the contrast. Low water so its a winner. About the other post on the M. Dumosa I remembered it was zone 8. I don't have room for it anyway so I can live without it. I really think the reason yours works so well is the wide vista effect contrasting with the dark trunks of the trees. You would never achieve that with just a few plants. Keep adding them, its inspiring.

I am a local small-time grower in Sopchoppy, FL. I have just recently started growing native grasses for local landscapers, and pink muhly is my most plentiful. If you find yourself up this way, I currently have about 2000 1-gallon muhly grass if you are interested. I could part with them for about $2.75 each. FYI, if you go to a nursery it will probably be about $6.00 each. Otherwise, here is how I started mine from seed. I go around in late fall-early winter and collect seeds from specimens used in local landscaping. As with most grasses, you must wait until the inflorescensce turns brown and fall off easily. Muhly Grass seed is naturally dispersed by wind. Thus you will know the seed is ready to collect when you can run your hand up the stem and pull off the inflorescense with little effort (in N. Florida, anytime after Thanksgiving). If it does not slide off easily it is not ready. You can collect several hundred-thousand seeds in about a 1/2 hour. I have the best success getting it to germinate in the winter. I think it must need cold temps. It is virtually impossible to separate the chaf from the seed so don't waste your time. Give the chaf and seeds a little drying time, put it in a bag. Wad the bag up with your hands. The seeds and chaf with fall out to the bottom. Remember, the shorter the time between seed harvest and sowing, the better germination rate you will get. Fill up a plug tray with a mixture of 1/2 vermiculite 1/2 peat moss (pre-mixed), no soil!. Pick out a portion of seed/chaff about the size of a nickel and plant it in each cell covering it with about 1/4' of moss-vermic mix. Keep it wet, full sun, and wait about 2-4 weeks. Each cell will yield 1 plant which will fill up a 1 gallon container in about 3 months. It won't flower until the second year though. Let me know if you are interested (850)962-9861 in buying some and spread the word. Here is a link that might be useful: Blackwater Ornamental Grasses

I'm in zone 7 Oklahoma where it stays hot from late May through October. Mine are only just now kicking in with blooms that are still forming and opening. They are the latest to bloom of all my grasses along with the 'Flamingo' muhly that is sold by High Country Gardens. I imagine gardengal is right, they really do need a long hot period. M. riverchonni is another type that blooms pink, mine bloomed in mid August and the blooms are now wheat colored. High Country Gardens sells these if you need a type that is more suited to a shorter season. They also carry M. 'Flamingo'. I have read there is a Texas ecotype of the Gulf Muhly and also a Florida type, the Texas is supposed to be hardier, maybe it would bloom for you reliably? I am not sure how a person tells which is which when buying them however as I never see them distinguish one from another.

I have about 6 of this and they are very hardy - I even accidentally sprayed one once with round up and it still lived so I doubt yours is dead. They are beautiful in the fall. I have people pull in off the street and ask what the name of the plant is. They also spread by seeds everywhere. I give away lots of them each year. I have one (the largest) that is struggling a bit to come back this year because my neighbors cat has decided to lay in the center of it every nite and use it for his bed......