A wonderfully impressive grass with its evergreen base clump of 60cm (24in) high leaves topped, in summer, with an array of flowering spikes, which turn from silvery green to gold and reach 2.5m (8ft).

A neat, compact, perennial grass, this has lots of close-packed, stiff, thread-like stems forming a strongly horizontal shape. In summer, plants are covered with masses of elegant pale feathery seed-heads which are held a little above the foliage. These can be cut and dried when first opened for use in winter arrangements indoors. Alternatively they make a useful winter food source for finches and other seed-eating birds.

This grass is incredibly tactile with soft plumes which sway in the wind. Great for sensory gardens and for prairie planting styles.