Your garden is rather small thus eliminating many fine grasses add in the fact that your garden is not getting the full day of sun makes the slim selection even more limited.

There are still some fine grasses to choose from like most Festuca which are smaller in height & width. They do require quite a bit of sun but the blue color of most of the Festuca is very eye catching.

If Festuca doesn't fill the bill then you might try looking a Panicum grasses. These do get anywhere from 3 -5' tall abut stay more narrow in width.

Panicum grasses do like to have a more shaded afternoon light so this might be the grass to ponder.

Hakonechloa macra is a very attractive grass with its yellow to yellow green leaves. Not overly large but a vibrant afternoon shade loving grass.

Needless to repeat but the best way to gather information would be to get a hold of the Ornamental Grass Encyclopedia by Rick Darke.

Worth the money and efforts to get this book. Pictures, great synopsis of many grasses.

I know I did not really give you a definite selection of grasses to choose from but what I like might not be what works for you. Again you do have a small plot to work with so research and have a go at it.

Jake

Helictotrichon (Blue oat grass) might be a good choice. I have it growing on the east side of my garage, under dry conditions, in a snowy climate, and it does great!

It is also a good height for a small bed like yours.

Deschampsia is of similar height, but likes some shade, so it may be an even better choice.

Both of the above bloom early and Helictotrichon is evergreen or should I say everblue.

Thank you both!

I'd suggest feather reed grass (calamagrostis). It is compact, can be in part shade and adapts to different soil types, including clay. It is a cool season grass, so starts growing and flowering earlier than alot of grasses. The variety "Karl Foerster" is 5-6 feet tall and upright. The smaller "Overdam" is about 3' tall and the leaves are striped with white. I've grown both varieties for years and they've been very easy to care for.

Juliet

I second the suggestions for "Karl Foerster" and Helictotrichon (Blue oat grass). To those, I would also add Northern Sea Oats and Miscanthus "Adagio" or "Little Kitten." All of these are fairly compact as far as grasses go. Karl Foerster and N. Sea Oats are more upright in form, while the others are more mounding clumps.

I should have mentioned earlier that Helictotrichon needs good drainage.

I obviously wasn't very sharp when I answered earlier, as I see that many good suggestions have been made that I should have thought of. Dawgie, I especially like the Northern Sea Oats (Chasmanthium) suggestion.

There are many varieties of the Carex that would work well there too.

Very true about blue oat grass, Helictotrichon. I planted some last summer and it seemed to be doing well. A very attractive grass, almost like a large version of Blue fescue. However, my blue oat grass apparently died over the fall or winter. Draining is not the greatest in my yard, with lots of heavy clay, and we had much rain.