(Ebony Spleenwort)

This tough little evergreen fern offers delightful beauty without the need for a specialized environment. Its wide adaptability is proven by its natural range which spans the warmer tropical regions of North America, Africa and the West Indies, and parts of the midwestern U.S.. It asks for porous gritty ground with plenty of humus to keep the roots in an oxygen rich medium. In the wild it’s found on rocky banks and the slopes of river canyons and in woodlands.

Ebony spleenwort was named for an...

(Hart's Tongue Fern)

This uniquely shaped fern was named centuries ago for the resemblance of its strap-shaped fronds to a deer’s tongue. It is native to Europe, preferring limestone seeps and other rocky well-drained forest conditions. Slightly different forms can be found across North America but today these small populations are endangered. It makes a beautiful rosette of upright, solid fronds that are bright green and wavy-edged, a strong contrast to to ferns with feathery fronds. Because ferns are primitive plants...

(Aster, Puff Aster)

Drifts of this fresh, snowy-white aster will breathe new life into the garden following the long, hot months of summer. Marketed under the name ‘Puff’, this patented hybrid was introduced by Yoder Brothers, Inc. and is notable for its abundant, long-lasting flowers, deep green foliage, and compact, uniform habit. The bright, yellow-centered daisies are borne profusely on low, well-branched, spreading plants in very early autumn, and are highly attractive to bees and butterflies.

Provide this...

(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,...

(Astilbe, Bressingham Beauty False Spirea, False Spirea)

The fine cultivar 'Bressingham Beauty' is a vigorous false spirea that produces bold plume-like pink flowers in late spring to midsummer. Asian in origin, it is a hardy clump-forming herbaceous perennial that is quite easy to grow given the correct growing conditions. It is a relatively tall selection with green and bronze compound leaves that contrast nicely with the tall pink plumes.

False spirea will tolerate full sun to partial shade and must be grown in evenly moist, well-drained soil. Its...

(Astilbe, Bumalda False Spirea, False Spirea)

Mid-sized and free-flowering, astilbe ‘Bumalda’ is an herbaceous perennial grown for its tolerance of shade, dependable bloom, plush spikes of flowers, and dark, dense ferny foliage. The spikes grow at the top of slender upright stems and have a branching habit that looks a bit like a Christmas tree. Tiny, closely packed, creamy-white flowers clothe the spikes, transforming them into billowing plumes that wave in the breeze. One plant may produce several stems, making a cloud of bloom high above...

(Astilbe, False Spirea, Grande False Spirea)

Tall-stemmed and offering flowers in either white, pink or deep rose in tone, 'Grande' is a stunning herbaceous perennial. Astilbe, or false spirea form fuzzy plumes of tiny flowers that appear in summer on slender stems, following the emergence of frondlike leaves that unfurl in spring. This selection is a hybrid favorite and lengthy bloomer that produces intense ivory, pink or rosy magenta plumes in late spring to midsummer. Dried flowerheads become brown and retain garden interest through winter....

(Chinese Astilbe, Chinese False Spirea, Milk and Honey False Spirea)

The Chinese astilbe 'Milk and Honey' is a woodland perennial grown for its tall stems topped by large plume-like panicles (clusters) of tiny flowers. This summer-blooming delight is creamy white when it first opens and ages to pale pink. Unlike other Chinese astilbe, it often blooms into late summer and tolerates more drought and sun than most. The soft flowers appear on sturdy slender stems above a clump of deep green ferny leaves that are lightly marbled with silver when they first emerge.

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(Chinese Dwarf Astilbe, Chinese False Spirea)

The diminutive dwarf Chinese astilbe is an herbaceous perennial that is native to the woodlands of China, Siberia and Korea. In the spring, it puts forth very low growing spreading clumps of divided leaves that are purple-red or dark green in color. In mid to late summer short feathery plumes of lavender or red-pink flowers appear.

Plant this easy to grow perennial in partial shade and fertile well-drained soil. Once established, it can tolerate limited drought. Dwarf Chinese astilbe should be...