Hi bee...I grow ornamental grasses from seed. In the past 2 years, using winter sowing techniques, I grew these:

Anthoxanthum odoratum.. Sweet Vernal Grass
Briza maxima.. Annual Quaking Grass
Briza media.. Quaking Grass
Carex grayi.. Gray's Sedge
Carex muskingumensis.. Palm Sedge
Chasmanthium latifolium.. Northern Sea Oats
Cortaderia selloana.. Pampas Grass
Deschampsia cespitosa.. Tufted Hairgrass
Eragrostis spectabilis.. Purple Love Grass
Festuca gigantea.. Giant Fescue
Festuca glauca.. Blue Fescue
Festuca mairei.. Maire's Fescue
Festuca scoparia.. syn. Festuca gautieri Bearskin Fescue
Hystrix patula.. Bottlebrush Grass
Lagurus ovatus.. Bunny Tails - Annual
Luzula nivea.. Snowy Woodrush
Luzula sylvatica.. Greater Woodrush
Miscanthus sinensis.. 'New Hybrids' Maiden Grass, Eulalia Grass..
Nassella tenuissima.. Mexican Feather Grass
Panicum virgatum.. Switch Grass
Pennisetum alopecuroides.. Fountain Grass
Pennisetum alopecuroides.. 'Moudry' Black Seeded Fountain Grass
Sesleria caerulea.. Blue Moor Grass
Setaria faberi.. Giant Foxtail - Annual
Stipa capillata.. Feather Grass
Tridens flavus.. Purple Top

Most of them were started as small clumps, using anywhere up to a dozen seeds in a 1.5" square, 3" deep paper plant band. A few were grown in larger containers, up to 1/2 gallon OJ cartons. This year, I'm growing larger clumps, using 3" and 4" square plant bands, and cut-off 1-gallon water jugs.

Most species grasses are very easy to grow from seed. The problems are variegated and unusually colored named cultivars. Frequently, they won't come true from seed. I suggest you list the seeds you're considering, and let us comment.

It's very simple to transplant and divide most ornamental grasses. The techniques are identical to any clumping perennial

The require very little care. They are generally not picky about soil quality, and, once established, tend to be very drought tolerant. Maintenance seldom involves more than an annual haircut, at about this time of year, for deciduous varieties, and less frequent trimming for evergreens. In your zone, you'll have very little problem with invasiveness and self-seeding, due to your shorter growing season.

My best advice for growing them from seed is to sow them on the surface, just patted into contact with moist soil. Cool season grasses like Festuca will germinate in cooler conditions than warm season grasses like Miscanthus and Pennisetum.

Donn you have excellent patience and seemingly have mastered the satisfaction of growing ornamental grass from seed. I would agree that growing grass from seed is very possible. I have started ornamental grass from seed on a warming mat in a seed tray, not without frustrations. One year when sitting seedling grass outdoors to harden them off, the birds pulled out the shoots to build their nests in the Spring. (serious)

Additionally, i have started different size containers from small plugs of grass up to large burlap wrapped clumps. And while I've purchased a 4" pot of Ravennae grass 10 years ago that became 5 large stands of grass, I prefer to buy larger pots of grass. Beehappy_gardner, I would encourage you to plant some larger pots of ornamental grass for some quick bang for the buck. However, like Donn, I would suggest going for the thrill of growing some grasses from seed. The ones from seed will be much more meaningful.

Deep...I believe it about the birds. They do a pretty good job of cleaning dead foliage and bloom stalks out of mine, for the same architectural purposes.