CALAMAGROSTIS acutiflora stricta - Feather Reed Grass: Handsome flower heads, June, turning straw-colored, lasting into winter. Good vertical effect. 5 ft.

CALAMAGROSTIS brachytricha: Handsome soft fluffy pale almost-pink plumes, late summer.

3 ft. CAREX: Sedges, Most prefer shade and moist soil.

• conica 'Variegata'.: White margins on leaves. Compact. Evergreen. Sun or light shade. 6 in. Choice

• morrowii 'Variegata': Similar to C. comica but a bit larger. Handsome in shade, tolerates quite dry soil.

• muskingumensis: The light bright "spring green" leaves are held horizontally, giving a hamboo-like appearance. Vigorous but not invasive. 2 ft. Native, Tolerates poorly drained soil.

• nigra: A grassy ground cover for shade. Blue-grey foliage. Tolerates quite dry soil. 9 in.

CHASMANTHIUM latifolium - Wild Oats: Dancing seed heads formed in summer last all winter. Good soil, prefers part shade. 3 ft. Native.

HAKONECHLOA macra: Soft clumps in that lovely light spring green. Rich moist well-drained soil, part shade for best growth. 2 ft.

HELICTOTRICHON sempervirens 'Sapphire' - Blue Oat Grass: Handsome stiff blue-grey foliage. Improved form with more blue color, thicker leaves. Sun, well-drained soil. Drought tolerant. 2 ft.

+ LUZULA nivea - Snowy Woodrush: Small dark green spiky leaves edged with downy white hairs. Evergreen. Shade. 8 in.

MISCANTHUS floridulus: A giant grass, B-12 ft. tall. Broad leaves. No staking (save old stems for garden stakes). Sun. Splendid texture and stature. Highly recommended.

MISCANTHUS sinensis: Easy. Ordinary well-drained soil. Sun. Purple flower plumes, late summer to fall, turn silver. foliage fades to pale gold, lasting all winter. Cut to ground by mid-April or before new foliage appears in spring. Most kinds stand up well in winter. Older clumps of broad-leaved cvs may need staking, especially if weak growth has been encouraged by excess water, fertilizer or inadequate sun. Narrow-leafed cvs seldom need staking and are the best choice for windy sites.

• 'Arabesque': Compact, 4-5 ft. August bloom 'Bluttenwander': A big grass with bluish foliage.

• Cabaret': Broad leaves, variegated green/white. VERY showy, fast growing. May or may not be hardy further north. Well worth a try. 6 ft.

• 'Gracillimus': Narrow upright foliage, very graceful. 6 ft. Blooms early October. A tough reliable plant, highly recommended, but may be caught mid-bloom by an early winter.

• 'Graziella': Tall flower stalks, Aug-Sept, well above the foliage. Striking red fall color. 5-6 ft.

• 'Malepartus'-. Robust August-f lowering cv, holding plumes well above foliage. Good fall color. 5-7 ft.

• 'Morning Light': Similar to 'Gracillimus', with even finer variegated foliage giving a pastel grey-green effect. 4-5 ft.

• 'Puenktchen' - Little Dot Grass: Crosswise yellow stripes like 'Zebrinus', but narrow leaves. 5-7 feet.

• purpurascens - Flame Grass: Magenta plumes, late summer, turn bright silken white. Bright red- orange leaves in fall. Sun. 4 ft. Grows quickly. Less drought tolerant than most.

• 'Sarabande': Very fine silvery foliage. Earlier blooming than 'Gracillimus'. Good with greys. Strong grower. 4-5 ft.

• 'Silver Feather': Compared to 'Gracillimus', foliage is broader and plant form is vase-shaped, forming a wide clump. Blooms in August. 7 ft. Expect to stake or divide older clumps.

• 'Strictus': Striking crosswise yellow stripes on the leaves. Strong upright growth. Blooms in September. 6 ft.

• 'Variegatus': Arching leaves with creamy white lengthwise stripes. 5 ft. Tolerates some shade. May require staking, especially in shade, but this one is not hard to stake.

• 'Zebrinus': Similar to 'Strictus', but more open and vase-shaped, Yellow stripes appear somewhat later. Broad leaves, expect to stake older plants.

MOLINIA caerulea 'Skyracer': Open arching plumes rise high above the 3 ft. fountain of foliage. A see-through plant. Blooms July-August. 7-8 ft. Spectacular. Also the similar 'Windspeil', 6 ft.

MOLINIA caerulea 'Variegate': Low neat mound of softly flopping green and cream striped leaves above which floats the delicate purple inflorescence in summer. Choice specimen or edging plant. Tolerates part shade. Nice with hosta.

PANICUM virgatum 'Heavy Metal': Metallic blue-grey, tall, upright, standing up well to winter weather - excellent color and texture to use with grey in the garden. 4-5 ft. Also 'Cloud Nine', bold and blue, 6 ft., and various red-tinged panicums, including Botstrahlbusch' and +'Squaw'. All are GREAT native grasses. Full sun, tolerant of wet or dry soil.

PENNISETUM alopecuroides 'Hameln' - Fountain Grass: Arching mound of slender leaves with showy bottle-brush flower clusters, late summer. 1-2 ft. Also the dwarf 'Littl Bunny', only 11 in.

PHALARIS arundinacea picta - Ribbon Grass: Beautiful green and white striped leaves. Sun or part shade. 2-5 ft. Very showy, but invasive. Control by removing outer shoots each spring. Also 'Feecey's Variety', with a touch of pink to new growth.

SCHIZACHYRILIM scoparium 'The Blues'- Little Bluestem: Native for massing and naturalizing on poor dry soils. Very blue in summer, intense burgundy in winter. 3 ft.

SORGHASTRUM nutans 'Sioux Blue': Soft arching bright blue-grey foliage above which showy panicles of yellow flowers dance on tall stems in late summer. Handsome in masses or as specimen. 3-5 ft. Native.

SPODIOPOGON sibiricus: Handsome bamboo appearance, with horizontal leaf blades on vertical stems. Sun. 3-5 ft. Very nice. Tolerates some shade.

SPOROBOLUS heterolepis - Prairie Dropseed: Upright arching clumps. Dry soil, full sun. 2-3 ft. Native.