Pampas grass is the big, architectural one: a fountain of slender blades that pushes up feathery white plumes in late summer, reaching 6 to 10 feet at maturity. The plumes hold through fall and into winter, and birds work the clumps for cover.

Plant it in full sun with room to spread 6 to 8 feet, and it handles drought, deer, and poor soil once established. Cut the whole clump back to about a foot in late winter before new growth starts, and wear long sleeves, since the blade edges are sharp.