This spring, I added two red-hot pokers, Kniphofia hirsuta ‘Fire Dance’, to the red and gold border. They were blooming when I purchased them, and I wasn’t expecting anything more from them this year. I was very pleased, therefore, when both plants threw up a few more pokers for the fall season. The flowers of Fire Dance are more traditionally coloured than those of Shining Sceptre, and the scapes are much shorter. While those of Shining Sceptre reached 5 feet, Fire Dance is a good plant for a rock garden or the front of the border, standing only about 20 inches tall.
Across the yard from Fire Dance is Ice Dance, a sedge. Sedges are similar to grasses, forming clumps of foliage. They mostly prefer moist, shady conditions, but will tolerate some sun. About a foot tall, Carex morrowii ‘Ice Dance’ has attractive green leaf blades trimmed with white and makes a good foil for hostas. It is rated as a slow spreader. I have just a couple of clumps used as specimens, but you can mass Ice Dance to form a tidy ground cover.
Willow House Chronicles 
It is nice you got a second bloom. I started some from seed this spring (from a seed exchange). About 3-4 of them have survived. The problem is that they will no doubt have hybridized and I don’t know what I will get. It might be tall, it might be short. It might be orange, it might be yellow. I already have one, also started from seed many years ago. It gets 5 feet tall. I am hoping for something big and tough I could put in my “wild garden” to be.
Both plants look interesting.
Alain, should be interesting to see what you get from your seeds. A little garden adventure.
Furry, thanks. They’re very different plants but I thought their related names were funny.
Have reread your ‘Shining Sceptre’ entry. Last week I bought some ‘Yellow Hammer’ kniphofia, whose tag forecasts a height of thirty-two to forty inches, somewhere in between your beauties.
You’ve probably said elsewhere, but what is the lovely paint-dipped grass standing behind the ‘Fire Dance’?
Dandy, It’s Japanese Blood Grass (Imperatata cylindrica ‘Rubra’). I’m waiting to see how it does this winter. I hope it proves hardy. If not, it is almost worth growing as an annual, it’s so nice. I’m not familiar with Yellow Hammer but it sounds nice. Hope it does well for you.
These are wonderful plants.
Love the middle picture!