Golden Japanese forest grass, the variety Aureola, forms a low cascading mound of gold-striped blades that flows like water over the edge of a path, wall, or container. It moves with every breeze and lights up shade the way few plants can.

In Birmingham it insists on shade with no more than gentle morning sun, plus even moisture in decent soil; think of it as a companion for hostas and ferns. It builds gradually into a fuller mound each year, and deer ignore it. Cut the old foliage down in late winter.