That beige-ish color is very appealing to me too. Reminds me of a florist rose I often work with called 'Quicksand', a gorgeous rose. Another florist rose that is similar but with some warm gold toward the heart is called 'Mother of Pearl' and it is really striking too.
Lyn, I was thinking straw may be your best bet since it is lighter and stays fluffier. I like the look of it too, especially as it grays and darkens. I recall an article about using alfalfa hay as mulch but have never seen it sold. I need to check a feed store but I suspect it would be pricey.
