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CALAMAGOSTIS KARL FOERSTER
GardenerSuze
Posts: 5,692
in Plants
If you have read any of my past posts you will know how much I love this grass.
Today in the warmth of the sun it is shimmering with the heat. I first of all grew it over twenty years ago as a specimen plant in a sunny border.
In late February early March it is cut down to the ground and within a few weeks it starts to grow. As spring progresses it continues to get taller and it's fresh leaves makes a foil for spring bulbs and early flowering perennials.
Now that we are in June it is reaching it's untimate height of 1.5m. It is undemanding no watering required once settled. In a long border it can be staggered front to back or along a border. One plant to the very front others placed at different intervals and depths.Creating drama and holding the border scheme together.
As the garden progresses into Autumn the whole plant becomes straw coloured , unlike many other grasses it holds it flowers and stands through the winter coping with winter winds and creates a home for insects.
Just one plant is a good start as they can be split as they start to grow in the spring. Never whilst dormant and be generous when dividing.
Great for a mixed border with plants like Verbena Bonariensis and all the late daisies.Happy in most soils it can also look good repeated with a wall as a back drop as it is shallow rooted or as a screen to divide a border. In a very wet winter it may struggle but I have never lost it in all these years
This is written for a lady I spoke to today but I hope it may also to others who are wondering what to plant for future extremes of weather.
Today in the warmth of the sun it is shimmering with the heat. I first of all grew it over twenty years ago as a specimen plant in a sunny border.
In late February early March it is cut down to the ground and within a few weeks it starts to grow. As spring progresses it continues to get taller and it's fresh leaves makes a foil for spring bulbs and early flowering perennials.
Now that we are in June it is reaching it's untimate height of 1.5m. It is undemanding no watering required once settled. In a long border it can be staggered front to back or along a border. One plant to the very front others placed at different intervals and depths.Creating drama and holding the border scheme together.
As the garden progresses into Autumn the whole plant becomes straw coloured , unlike many other grasses it holds it flowers and stands through the winter coping with winter winds and creates a home for insects.
Just one plant is a good start as they can be split as they start to grow in the spring. Never whilst dormant and be generous when dividing.
Great for a mixed border with plants like Verbena Bonariensis and all the late daisies.Happy in most soils it can also look good repeated with a wall as a back drop as it is shallow rooted or as a screen to divide a border. In a very wet winter it may struggle but I have never lost it in all these years
This is written for a lady I spoke to today but I hope it may also to others who are wondering what to plant for future extremes of weather.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
2
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When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
Even after the huge amount of snow we had just before Christmas they were still bolt-upright until I cut them all back in March.
The sound of the leaves rustling in the summer breeze is lovely.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
@punkdoc Any plant that adds another layer to a winter garden is always special.
@Pete.8 Like so many plants they are becoming more and more expensive. However it only takes a couple of seasons to create a 'stand' of three as you know.
If you have concerns about colour clashes in your borders this is the way to break things up. The green is calming.
A mixed border of different grasses never seems to work for me it always needs a different leaf shape/texture to work well.
C Karl Foerster is the exception a stand alone grass. For something slightly shorter there is C Overdam has the same attributes but has good varigation early in the season with a slight tinge of pink a good starting point for a new border maybe?
Stipa does look great at this time of year but I wonder how it fares through the winter as good Wintrest is a key function of ornamental grasses for me too
I have two Stipa gigantea, one is S gigantea Gold Fontaene which is supposed to grow taller but not with me. I have one near the front lounge window that creates a veil, I have repeated it by planting the other to be viewed from the patio door.
Both grasses are lovely Calamagrostis can be planted in groups the Stipa is a stand alone plant that hates a wet winter soil.
@Plantminded Thankyou for your photos they show what an amazing plant it is with such a long season of interest. In your first photo surrounded by plants of very different leaf shape and texture it quietly takes centre stage. It's presence is still there in the snow.