(Michaelmas Daisy, New York Aster, White Swan New York Aster)

New York aster ‘White Swan’ adds elegance to the garden with numerous, shimmering white daisies touched with tints of palest lilac-pink. The pastel-hued flowers are complemented by bright green, lance-shaped foliage, and are highly attractive to butterflies and other small, pollinating insects. The seeds that follow provide a source of food for seed-eating birds such as goldfinches.

Although quite adaptable, this perennial performs best in full sun and moderately fertile, well-drained, evenly...

(New York Aster)

Asters in the Island Series bear masses of pink, lavender, or violet daisy-flowers in late summer and fall on dense, compact, mildew-resistant plants. The yellow-eyed, semi-double blossoms are complemented by green, lance-shaped foliage. The series included four cultivars as of fall 2011: 'Barbados', 'Bermuda', 'Samoa', and 'Tonga'. All cultivated New York asters are selections or hybrids of Aster novi-belgii, a vigorous, bushy, clump-forming perennial from moist fields and thickets...

(Asteriscus, Gold Coin Mediterranean Beach Daisy, Mediterranean Beach Daisy)

This is an ideal dry-climate perennial. The parent species, Mediterranean Beach Daisy, is native to coastal bluffs of North Africa and the arid eastern Mediterranean where there is little rainfall but the maritime influence keeps the air moist. This makes ‘Gold Coin’ particularly suitable for water conservation in dry coastal regions. This low, spreading perennial produces dense clumps of gray-green leaves that are slightly fuzzy.

Through the midsummer when little is in bloom, ‘Gold Coin’ flowers...

(Astilbe, ColorFlash™ False Spirea, False Spirea)

There’s no need to wait for ColorFlash™ to bloom because this fabulous cultivar offers vivid foliage all season long. Hybridized in Europe and introduced by Anthony Tesselaar International, ColorFlash™ false spirea is a regal choice for partially shady sites. While other hybrids offer only variation in flower color, this outstanding performer has leaves in brilliant hues of crisp green, purple-red and burgundy. In fall they turn the vivid sunset shades of gold, orange and red.

This herbaceous...

(Astilbe, ColorFlash™ False Spirea, False Spirea)

Brighten up any dull shade garden with the season-long vivid lime green foliage color of ColorFlash™ Lime false spirea. Hybridized in Europe and introduced by Anthony Tesselaar International, this reliable perennial is unique because it offers a double whammy of colorful foliage and flowers.

In late spring through early summer plants put forth tall, upright plumes of fluffy pink flowers. Happy specimens may produce five to nine stalks per plant when only a year old. Like many hybrid Astilbe,...

(Bonn False Spirea, Hybrid Japanese Astilbe, Japanese False Spirea)

Hybrid Japanese astilbes are striking herbaceous perennials for shade. In the spring, plants put forth clumps of feathery compound leaves of dark green. By early to midsummer beautiful, tall, feathery plumes appear. The cultivar 'Bonn' is a vigorous selection that produces dense rose-pink plumes. Flowers turn brown after blooming, so it looks best to cut them back once they are spent.

Most astilbes prefer partial shade and fertile soil with average drainage but can tolerate sunnier sites if well...

(Bremen False Spirea, Hybrid Japanese Astilbe, Japanese False Spirea)

Hybrid Japanese astilbes are striking herbaceous perennials for shade. In the spring, plants put forth clumps of feathery compound leaves of dark green. By early to midsummer beautiful, tall, feathery plumes appear. The cultivar 'Bremen' is a compact selection that produces many dense rosy-pink plumes. Flowers turn brown after blooming, so it looks best to cut them back once they are spent.

Most astilbes prefer partial shade and fertile soil with average drainage but can tolerate sunnier sites...

(Hybrid Japanese Astilbe, Japanese False Spirea, Köln False Spirea)

Hybrid Japanese astilbes are striking herbaceous perennials for shade. In the spring, plants put forth clumps of feathery compound leaves of dark green. By early to midsummer beautiful, tall, feathery plumes appear. The cultivar 'Cologne' produces dense plumes of bright carmine-rose. Flowers turn brown after blooming, so it looks best to cut them back once they are spent.

Most astilbes prefer partial shade and fertile soil with average drainage but can tolerate sunnier sites if well irrigated....

(Deutschland False Spirea, Hybrid Japanese Astilbe, Japanese False Spirea)

Hybrid Japanese astilbes are striking herbaceous perennials for shade. In the spring, plants put forth clumps of feathery compound leaves of dark green. Typically their tall, feathery plume-like flower clusters appear in early to midsummer, but the cultivar 'Deutschland' produces white pyramidal plumes a little earlier than others. Flowers turn brown after blooming, so it looks best to cut them back once they are spent.

Most astilbe prefer partial shade and fertile soil with average drainage...

(Hybrid Japanese Astilbe, Japanese False Spirea, Koblenz Astilbe)

Hybrid Japanese astilbes are desirable herbaceous perennials for shade. In the spring, plants put forth clumps of feathery compound leaves of dark green. Typically their tall, feathery plume-like flower clusters appear in early to midsummer, but some cultivars may bloom earlier. There are many cultivars that differ in height, flower density and color. Blooms come in shades of red, pink, rose or white and turn brown after blooming, so it looks best to cut them back once they are spent.

Most astilbes...