Fast-spreading running grasses are excellent groundcovers, reducing dust and erosion. Tall grasses can be used to divide the garden into sections or provide a backdrop to borders. They can also be used as hedges or windbreakers. They are undemanding, thriving in salty, alkaline, or acid soil, sun or shade. Insects and diseases are seldom a problem, and deer do not seem to bother them.
Grasses develop beautiful seed heads in the fall.
In the spring new shoots emerge through the dried remnants of last year's growth. In manicured gardens, it is recommended to cut the grass back to keep the area tidy. Planting spring bulbs will hide the cut-back foliage. Many grasses require thinning or dividing to keep them looking their best. Older clumps may flop or grow too large for the area, or they may die out in the center.