Garden Spot - Celebrity Plant of the Month is Karl Foerster’s Feather Reed Grass - May 2009

Celebrity Plant of the Month is Calamagrostis x acuriflora 'Karl Foerster', or Karl Foerster’s Feather Reed Grass

Grasses add structure, architectural interest and texture to perennial gardens, as well as provide winter interest and a winter food source for birds. This stately ornamental grass is one of the earliest grasses to bloom. It is about 4’ to 5’ tall, stands upright and has slender, dark green blades. Green to pinkish flower panicles appear early in the summer, becoming attractive light brown seed heads later in the season. The plant requires full sun and moist soil with good drainage, but will tolerate a wide range of soil types. It remains tidy throughout the growing season and requires little maintenance. Cut it down to the ground in early spring.

Garden Tip of the Month: Choose the right plant for the right place in the garden

Perennials, annuals, and ornamental shrubs purchased at garden centers generally have care tags attached to their containers. If a tag reads “FULL SUN”, that plant must be placed in a garden spot which receives at least 6 hours of sun daily. Otherwise, it will not thrive-it may even die-and will bring disappointment instead of pleasure to the purchaser. Light requirements for outdoor plants are as follows:

FULL SUN - 6 hours or greater;

PARTIAL SUN - 3 to 6 hours

PARTIAL SHADE - 3 hours or less

Also, as the trees surrounding garden areas grow or if a tree in a garden area is removed, the amount of sunlight a garden receives will be altered as well. Sun perennials in a once full sun location may become leggy, less floriferous or even disappear, as extended tree branches gradually limit sunlight. Similarly, shade perennials, suddenly exposed to sunlight as a result of a downed tree, may exhibit scorched leaves or burn out completely. Relocating these plantings to more suitable locations will restore their vigor.