Bargain!

One of the best things about gardening in the heat of the summer is plant sales. Unlike the spring (and early fall to a lesser extent) the nurseries and garden centers around here become almost empty in the middle of summer. Much fewer visitors, smaller staff, some empty tables. Only those who really love plants (or do plants for a living) are shopping -- which I love.

Therefore surprise sales and pretty healthy plants on clearance. I've found some great bargains in the middle of summer over the years! That's what happened at the orange big box store when I went to pick up some mosquito dunks the other day: I found these.

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Not the bamboo of course, but the grasses:

Big pots of Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' (aka 'Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass). These are labeled as "8 in" pots but they seem bigger than that. Maybe 2gal or 3gal?

Anyway, the price was unbeatable:

They had about ten of them but I only took five.

Wish I could actually plant them next to the bamboo because that combo looks amazing, but unfortunately it's concrete there. Plus full shade for most of the day.

Just have to figure out where these should go now... I think they'll all go together but not sure yet. Maybe I should have gotten six for two plantings of three?


I planted two of these about 15 years ago, both in non-ideal sites. The one didn't get enough sun and died years ago, and the other didn't get enough water I think - it's still alive but just barely, so spindly.

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