As gardeners we attend workshops, meetings and design seminars that describe the interplay of mass, movement, color and form. Selecting a variety of each of these and the artful juxtaposition of them, gives our gardens a certain mood and allows each plant to shine in optimal fashion. One important point that is rarely discussed is the effect of light on our designs. Ornamental grasses are great garden subjects. They can be statuesque, colorful, drought tolerant and fairly low maintenance. I think one of their best features is how they play with light in the garden. This miscanthus 'Cosmopolitan', is great to look at from the front, but from the back at sunset, it simply sparkles! Those fronds capture sunlight and wave in the smallest breeze. I've seen no sign yet that it's an invasive seeder. During the terrible drought in the upstate this summer, this plant stood proudly with just about zero watering from a tired, hot gardener. I'll be adding another couple of these to my beds this year!