It's really important to recognize the four seasons of interest that grasses provide. Never cut them back in fall, or you'll be missing the whole point.

Many grasses are drought tolerant, although that hasn't been much of an issue this year. Nonetheless, it helps them get through tough times. Among the toughest are blue fescue, blue oat grass and ponytail grass, sometimes called Mexican hair grass. The latter has thin chartreuse blades that bleach out to a tawny gold. Also popular are the taller grasses such as switch grass, maiden grass, reed grass and little bluestem. Each is beautiful and comes into its full glory in fall, when the seed heads are most prominent.

Although most grasses thrive best in a sunny position, some even prefer some shade (and more regular moisture), such as Japanese blood grass, mondo grass, lyme grass and lily turf (Liriope).

Ornamental grasses are usually grown in the ground, of course, but for balcony and rooftop gardeners, the grasses can certainly be grown in large pots. I grow several grasses on my patio because I enjoy their wonderful textures, upright vase shapes and their rustling noises in a breeze. Grasses are best combined with plants with contrasting shapes and textures, such as those with more rounded shapes and bigger leaves.

Other plants with grassy foliage that contribute to perennial borders include daylilies, iris and red hot pokers. Tender plants with grassy leaves are usually grown in pots so they can be over-wintered indoors in a sunny window or porch. These include spike dracaena, lily of the Nile (Agapanthus) New Zealand flax (Phormium), burgundy fountain grass and New Zealand lily (Libertia). All of these may live for many decades, growing bigger and better each year and gracing your patio each summer without spending an additional cent.