Astilbes are my go-to plant for shady areas. They are idiot-proof except for one thing…they need to be watered regularly.
Last year the growing season started a month early. By August most of my perennials were already done for the season. I didn’t putter around in the garden as much as I usually do (which would explain the scary, 2-foot weeds I discovered in October) and as a result, I neglected some of my perennials.
August and September were very dry and by the time I remembered to water my astilbes, some of them had already turned brown and dwindled away. It will be interesting (or perhaps horrifying) to see how many of them reappear once all the snow melts this spring.
If I suffer any casualties you can be sure I’ll replace them. Other than impatiens, there’s no better plant for bringing some zing to a shade or part-shade garden.
One of my favorite reds is ‘Fanal’. It grows 20 to 24 inches:
If you need to lighten a shady area, you can’t go wrong with white-plumed ‘Bridal Veil’. At 30 inches it sways carelessly in the breeze at the back of the flower border:
My all-time favorite astilbe is the flashy, hot-pink ‘Elizabeth Van Veen’. It grows 28 inches tall:
