Ornamental grasses need care that the prairie would provide
in nature. Grazing animals, storms and fires return the nutrients
to the soil for new generations of grass. The village discourages
bringing in bison or setting fires to do the job, so we turn the
dead grass into mulch and mix manure into the ground instead.

It's interesting to see how much earlier the exotic lawn grass species
turn green by comparison. Many of the ornamental grasses come from
warmer climates than our Northern Illinois, and so must wait for longer
days before sending up new shoots.