When mulching, you have to cut more frequently to avoid cutting more than 1/2" at a time. If you wait too long, you can raise the deck and cut once, then cut again the next day. As a rule, if the tires get wet on the lawn, it's too wet to mulch. If bagging is not an option, you can discharge, then either bag it a couple days later or mulch it in. The deck must be kept clean and the blade maintained sharp. Someone else can chime in with the particulars, but you can raise one end or the other higher than the other end to also help mulching. No mower mulches perfectly under all conditions - you have to use your head and use the machine to it's best advantage.

Thank you both achnatherum and praireigirlz! A combination of a couple Overdams near the steps, and a border of the Hameln continuing down to the driveway I think will work very well here. I was a bit lost, but now I am found! LOL... honestly, thanks for the suggestions. I think the K Foersters are bit too tall for this spot, but I think I have another spot for a few of them. I do like the look of this grass, and I prefer grasses that have a chance of holding up under some snow over the winter. Lining that walkway with the Hamelns, with some annuals in a bed to widen the planting area should deter the postman (and others) from making paths through my lawn! I now envision about 5 Hamelns along the walkway, leading to two Overdams, the last of which would be planted alongside the first step of the porch off the railing, on a part of the garden bed that then runs under a picture window. That should (I hope) flow nicely into that garden bed which has the zebra grass along with other plantings. Thank you so much for the suggestions!

Helictotrichon sempervirens gets 2 feet tall and has upright blue foliage that stays real neat and is clumping. It will take part shade, if its not too much shade.

Well, if I'm honest with myself, it's not so much a wet bed (no, it is not near a pond or any water source) as it is poor drainage. Over the years since this house was build, the beds and land around it have sort of sunk, and the sidewalk has as well. But in a drought, this bed is not going to be wet (unless I water it). but when it gets water, it stays wet for a long time under the surface. Last year I was considering putting a rose in there, but I dug a hole and filled it with water...it had not drained 2 days later. Before it could fully drain, it rained. Then a week later it rained again...it looked terrible having a big water-filled hole so I finally filled it back in, never able to see it actually drain completely. Since then the bed has remained unplanted, except for the old Reeve's spireas planted treacherously close to the house (touching it) at the back of the bed. Last night it occured to me, those spireas are probably the termite's ticket into my house. *sigh* And so, over 1 year after moving into this house, I still have an embarrassingly ugly bed because I am frozen with indecision due to the problems there. That's why I was thinking about sticking some medium heigh grasses right there in the front, then maybe putting a row of stepping stoned behind them, so I can get back to the spireas and prune as needed (they need their post-flowering trim now).