Astilbe - Summer Color for the Shade

Shady garden spaces need something special to “draw you in” – to add texture, interest, dimension and lightness.  Astilbe will definitely fill these requirements with their tall, willowy flower plumes, above deep green, ferny foliage.  By using several different varieties of Astilbe, you can create wonderful color for months in your shady garden.

Planting compatible shade-loving plants with Astilbe allows you to create an amazing array of texture and color in the shade.  Use Pulmonaria, Dicentra, Hosta, Ligularia, and Heuchera (Coral Bells) as nearby garden companions. The various colors and textures will be absolutely lovely together! The foliage of Hosta, Heuchera, and ferns will nicely complement Astilbe when not in bloom. And, of course, the later blooming Anemone japonica will look nice as a backdrop with Astilbe foliage into the fall.

Astilbe prefer light shade and require a moist, well-drained soil that is high in organic matter. Feed them twice a year with Holly-tone.  Once planted and fed, these hardy perennials require little care except occasional watering as you would your other perennials.

Some wonderful cultivars you can find at Viette’s:

Astilbe arendsii ‘Fanal’ - dark red, 26” tall
Astilbe arendsii ‘Sister Theresa’ - salmon-pink, 24” tall
Astilbe arendsii ‘Snowdrift’ - white, 26” tall
Astilbe chinensis ‘Visions’ - purple-red, 14” tall
Astilbe chinensis ‘Visions in Pink’ - deep pink, 24” tall
Astilbe japonica ‘Rheinland’ - rose-pink, 24” tall
Astilbe japonica ‘Deutschland’ - white, 26’ tall
Astilbe simplicifolia ‘Pink Lightning’ - bright pink, 16” tall