Hi Brent, I've enjoyed growing blue fescue from WS...I was transplanting some of my older grasses today and I will be moving my fescue clumps this weekend. Blue fescue does start out as individual blades, from their base they will grow more blades to become a clump. Each blade seedling that you have now can become a clump on its own or you can put a few together and have a tighter, fuller clump. When I did blue fescue I took those seedings and put them into a holding bed for a few months, during that time they put up new blades. By mid summer I was able to transplant the small clumps into the garden without fearing they would get lost. Today they edge a rocky border and need dividing--the clumps are about three years old. they began to bloom in their second season. In spring they need a little shearing to trim off the tops of the blades that died back in the winter, but they are greening--bluing(?) up nicely already. I hope this helps, Trudi

"anitamo has suggested a few very good perennials to go with grasses but there are so many more that can be plugged in. It all comes down to the look you want and what is yours or whomever's garden style you are developing. As for "Karl Foerster" assuming it is Calamagrostis acutiflora "Karl Foerster", ours are now 3' wide and they are 6 yrs old. They need to be split badly. "Karl" is a very vertical grass, yes some have had "Karl" arch outward but I believe that is not normal for Calamagrostis acutiflora "Karl Foerster". Now if you are growing Molinia caerulea "Karl Foerster" then you will have and arching "Karl" that will get 3 - 5' wide as it arches and 7 high in flower. Now the planting of grasses is a debatable subject. It has been read and stated plant cool season grasses in the spring and fall while warm season grasses are to be planted in the summer. I on the other hand have planted grasses whenever I got them regardless if they were cool or warm season grasses or what season of the growing cycle it was at the time I planted them. As for planting location, "anitamo" is right in the ball park that I play in. Always give yourself at least 2 feet clearance from any structure, wall or building from a full grown plant. Plant grows 5 diameter then plant it 5 from the wall. Jake

Thanks! Lovely! I was there earlier this year on a broiling hot day and wished I had the stamina to cover more territory. There was a plant sale and I spent most of my time there.

First, it is not pampas grass - that will not grow in your area (only hardy to zone 7) and is also evergreen. The seed heads showing on yours would lead me to believe it is some sort of Miscanthus, although these typically grow in clumps rather than what looks to be a mass planting of individual plants. There is a possibility it is false pampas grass, Erianthus ravennae, but this is a very tall growing grass (8-10') and I just don't get that sense of scale from your photos. Regardless of the specific type, it is a deciduous grass and these need to be cut back annually. You can do so now if you wish to avoid the grass breaking off in winds or being crushed by heavy snows. However, many folks like the effect of the dried grass in winter and leave it in place, both for aesthetics and to feed birds. If you decide to leave it, in early spring, before any new growth begins, cut it back close to the ground - a couple of inches above soil level.