Gorgeous, fast-growing, tough as nails, Anemanthele lessoniana or Stipa arundinacea (Pheasant's Tail Grass) is an elegant and impressive ornamental grass that has become a favorite of landscape designers and gardeners. Semi-evergreen, with an open growth habit, it exhibits arching, dark green, thread-like leaves, that sway gracefully in the slightest breeze. They turn into attractive shades of copper, gold, and bronze in fall and throughout winter, adding bristling color to the dull winter landscape. It is topped in summer with airy arching sprays of rosy flowers that hang down, almost kissing the ground, and move into a lovely bronze color in the fall. Drought and deer tolerant, it is pest-free, disease free and requires very little care, and provides year-round interest

Sparkling in the morning dew with its large arrow-like flower heads pointing towards the sky, Reed Grass (Calamagrostis brachytricha) is a majestic and distinct ornamental grass, highly valued for its erect feathery silvery gray flower plumes, slightly red tinged, and turning to gold then light tan as the seeds ripen in the fall and winter. A great favorite of many gardeners who are looking for decorative grasses, this is a slowly-spreading perennial grass which provides beautiful vertical lines.

Cortaderia selloana 'Pumila' is a compact Pampas Grass that is perfect for mid-sized gardens. Quite showy, this South American native features magnificent, dense tussocks of arching, narrow gray-green leaves that are gracefully topped from late summer to mid-winter by huge, silky, creamy-white plumes. Tough as nails and requiring very little care, this showy perennial, evergreen grass is among the most cold-hardy pampa grasses. Typically grows up to 4-6 feet tall (120-180 cm) and spreads 3-4 feet wide (90-120 cm)

One of the few ornamental grasses that grow well in moderately shady locations, Deschampsia cespitosa (Tufted Hair Grass) is a clump-forming, cool season, semi-evergreen grass forming a low and dense tussock of narrow, dark green leaves, up to 18 in. tall (45 cm). In early summer, elegant clouds of delicate feathery panicles of purplish-green to tawny flowers emerge on arching stems rising 3 ft. (90 cm) above the foliage. They sway gracefully in the slightest breeze and persist well into winter. Spectacular when backlit by the rising or setting sun!

A very showy and attractive Ornamental Grass, Hordeum jubatum, commonly known as Foxtail Barley, features clumps of arching leaves, with distinctive feathery flower spikes that are green flushed with pale pink or purple and fade to light tan as they mature. Bending downward as if nodding off to sleep, these long silky tufted flowers resemble the tails of red foxes. They are on display from late spring until midsummer and last well in fresh or dried arrangements.

Molinia caerulea subsp. arundinacea (Purple Moor Grass) is an exceptionally lovely and graceful ornamental grass. Tall, with an open growth habit, it exhibits arching thread-like leaves topped in summer with a haze of delicate flower spikes, that sway gracefully in the slightest breeze. Emerging green then fading to purplish-brown to finally mature to golden shades, they provide a long season of interest extending into the fall. Wet soil tolerant, it requires very little care, is deer resistant, and provides weeks of interest from summer to fall

One of the tallest switch grasses, Panicum virgatum 'Cloud Nine' forms an erect-stemmed and narrow clump of glaucous blue foliage in spring, which gets topped in mid to late summer with a profusion of finely-textured, airy golden flower panicles which hover over the foliage like an airy cloud. They persist well into fall before eventually turning beige, while the foliage turns a lovely dark golden shade in fall.

Native to Asia and Australia, Pennisetum alopecuroides (Fountain Grass) is among the most beautiful and graceful ornamental grasses with its cascading foliage that rustles in the wind. Requiring very little care and providing almost nonstop drama in the garden. This cold-hardy grass typically grows in 2-3 foot tall (60-90 cm) rounded mounds of dark green foliage turning golden yellow or beige in fall. The flowering season begins as early as early summer or as late as early fall when the foliage is topped with soft and fluffy, reddish purple to coppery tan bottlebrush-like flowers, resembling large foxtails, on arching stems. They make excellent cut flowers for fresh and dried arrangements.

Animating your plantings with its nodding, intense smoky rose-purple fuzzy flowers, Oriental Fountain Grass 'Karley Rose' (Pennisetum orientale) is among the most beautiful and graceful ornamental grasses. Its showy flower spikes rise high above the foliage, arching upward or outward, and cascading down the deep green foliage that rustles in the wind. Luckily, they can be admired over a long blooming season, which extends into fall. The attractive dark green foliage turns to a warm golden-tan color in fall and generally remains attractive well into the winter.

Requiring very little care and providing striking color as well as graceful movement in the garden or patio, Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum' has become a real favorite among gardeners. How not to resist the spectacular rich burgundy foliage, the exceptionally long arching crimson plumes or the outstanding contrast provided with the surrounding plants and flowers? Fast grower, it typically grows in 3-5 ft. tall (90-150 cm) and 2-4 ft. wide (60-120 cm) rounded mounds. They are topped with soft and fluffy, red-burgundy flower plumes on arching stems from mid-summer until frost. Drought tolerant and ignored by deer!

Extremely drought tolerant, Feathertop Grass (Pennisetum villosum) is among the most beautiful and graceful ornamental grasses with its large, fluffy, bright white flower plumes cascading down the light green foliage that rustles in the wind. While a perennial grass, it is tender and often grown as an annual. Self-seeder, it will multiply if you do not cut off the flowers before the seeds ripen in the fall

Stipa tenuissima (Mexican Feather Grass) is an exceptionally lovely and graceful ornamental grass that exhibits silvery-green thread-like leaves in late spring, that sway gracefully in the slightest breeze, delicately softening any landscape. All summer, it bears abundant feathery panicles, which are held a little above the foliage and can be used in dried arrangements. Native to the Americas, this perennial grass provides a fairly long-lasting display with its airy silky green leaves turning golden brown towards fall.