Hameln is the compact fountain grass: a tidy, arching mound of fine green blades 1 to 2 feet tall, topped in late summer with creamy bottlebrush plumes that catch the low sun. Foliage and plumes fade to warm tan and hold up through much of the winter.

Give it full sun and just about any soil; it handles both drought and damp spells. Mass it along a walk, use it at bed corners, or mix it with sedums and coneflowers. Shear the clump down in late winter before new growth emerges.