Oh Rhapsdy, thankyou so much for that link! That garden is wonderful. They certainly have the knack for creating a wonderful scene and the green thumb to complete it. I could move in there right now! LOL. Cheers, Dee.

I can't think of any ornamental grass which will fit your description of needs. Almost all of the tall ones need to be cut back to the ground every spring, and do not regain their mature height until sometime in mid-late summer. I also cannot think of any other sort of perennial which will grow from small pot size to privacy height in it's first year. Most of them take at least 3 years to reach mature height, in good growing conditions. Shrubs take even longer. Climbing roses need something to climb on. If zoning permits it, you could build a trellis of appropriate height, and install fast-growing flowering vines like Morning Glory. The trellis would provide a bit of privacy until the vines fill in every year.

If you take a look at photos I have posted on Cottage Garden-gallery (see "Things are starting to fill in") you will understand that I know from what I speak (my whole garden is a slope). When we bought this property many years ago, it was covered with maple trees which provided slightly less than total darkness under which nothing would grow (except weeds). I tackled this mess one area at a time. As my knowlege grew--so did the number and size of the beds. Try to do only what you can reasonably do well at the moment. You will have the time, however limited , to monitor your beds and watch for problems, happy accidents (like a volunteer seedling having planted itself). You will also learn if the plant choices you have made like the home you have provided them. This alone could save you a lot of frustration, time and financial investment. Having tried landscape fabric-difficult to keep in place,mulch tends to slide off (particularly in a hard rain). I prefer to use the 'lasagna method'. Lay down 8 layers of wet newspaper overlapping edges so weeds can't find a way through and cover with several inches of mulch (I find shredded bark works best because it will knit together and prevent sliding. Many local landfills provide this to the community at little to no cost.). Leave to overwinter. This method will not only help to control the weed problem, but will also add beneficial elements to the quality of the clay soil. Ask your friends and relatives if they would help you by saving their old newspapers for you (you will need quite a bit). I don't know the ages of your little ones, but if they are anything like my two kids were at toddler stage and up, there is nothing they would like more than helping mom and dad. Especially if it involves the opportunity to "play" in the water and get soaking wet outside. You could try this project on a hot summer day In the spring you can plant. What plants will depend on your light conditions. I hope this is helpful.

I'm looking for some input on what kind of wild grass to plant in the woodland behind our home. I want something that can serve as a ground-cover and food source for the local wildlife. I'd like to find a plant that will grow up to at least 24" in height and can easily be spread over the forest floor without a great deal of preparation work involved with the soil... if such a thing exists!! The amount of area I want to cover is only about 1 acre and the land is wooded but not heavily. The plant will need to be somewhat shade tolerant but will receive a fair amount of sunlight at various times of the day.