I like this grass in pairs or in three's, used to frame a large busy plant (cimicifuga), or to add vertical interest along a fence. Since it will tolerate part-shade it is very versatile. I have it on either end of a border; one side has Joe-pye weed, sedum, Russian sage and coneflowers. The other side has bee balm, daylilies, calamint and geraniums. I also have Korean feather reed grass on a berm with sedum, gaura and small shrubs (barberry and spirea).

I've been tempted by 'Fibre Optic Grass' (Scirpus cernuus) as well, but it's only hardy to zone 8, according to some sources, and I've just discovered that it's a bog plant. (I don't have a bog garden...yet!) Sources also say it reseeds freely, and there are several vendors for FOG seeds on the web. You might be interested in the thread below, Gil. It sounds like it can also be overwintered indoors. Fiber Optic grass companions thread: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/complants/msg0515342320655.html?4 I second Glen's vote for bulbous oat grass (Arrhenatherum elatius var. bulbosum 'Variegatum'). It's a beauty, and extremely well-behaved. It always causes me a little anxiety each spring because it starts growing just a little later than my other grasses. Some sources say it goes dormant in the summer but it stays around all season in my garden...with a little shade and adequate moisture. Another one that causes anxiety, because it's not supposed to be hardy in zone 3, is Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' (Golden Variegated Hakonechloa). Mine has not become a large clump because I don't have it in a great situation, but it comes back faithfully each year. I just remembered another website that's a great source of information about grasses (and other perennials) that are grown in a zone 3 (?) Regina garden. This is a great site to browse through. Here is a link that might be useful: Grasses and sedges in our garden

Hi Canyonview, How about Golden Variegated Hakone Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' for your shady area? I think that it does well in CA ? I know it is suppose to be good in zone 5, which I am. Mary z 5b KS Here is a link that might be useful: Hakone grass pictures

That looks like 'Karl Foerster', that's just what the flowers look like when they first come out...they get even fluffier (and are usually tinged with pink) when they are actively blooming, then they dry up, tighten, and you get the narrow, tight straw-colored dry blooms for the rest of the season.