Stipa tenuissima

Stipa tenuissima in PB Garden.

Stipa tenuissima is the botanical name of a grass that has been lately used all over San Diego County for its elegant appearance, drought tolerance and easy manageability. It is a neat, compact, perennial grass from Mexico. It has lots of close-packed, stiff, thread-like stems about 60cm (2ft) tall. In summer, plants are covered with masses of elegant pale feathery seed-heads which are held a little above the foliage. These can be cut and dried when first opened for use in winter arrangements indoors. Alternatively they make a useful winter food source for finches and other seed-eating birds.
It can be invasive if seeds are not collected before maturity, but this is the only negative factor I can think of...