Miscanthus

Full sun gives the strongest stems and best autumn plumes.

Reasonably drought-tolerant once established, but doesn't like to dry out completely if good plumes are wanted.

Any moist but well-drained soil; tolerates a wide range including clay, provided it isn't waterlogged in winter.

Cut all top growth down to near ground level in late winter (February/March), before new shoots emerge. Leave the dead foliage and flower plumes standing right through autumn and winter for winter interest and wildlife shelter — this timing is the single most important rule for this genus.

One light feed as the new growth appears is plenty; an established clump on decent soil manages without. Overfed, the stems grow tall and soft and the whole clump splays open in autumn wind, which defeats the point of a grass grown for structure.

Divide in spring as growth restarts, not in autumn. The crown is dense and woody — a spade or a saw is the realistic tool — and each piece needs shoots and roots. Discard the dead centre of an old clump.