A red Astilbe with elegant, well-branched spikes, 'Fanal' was outstanding in our trials. We like it planted in front of Asiatic Lilies or early-flowering Oriental Lilies.

These rugged and beautiful shade lovers throw long and colorful spikes above divided foliage in summer, when color in the shade garden is hard to come by. Use them in groups in the woodland border, or mass them for ground cover. Bloom varies by variety from mid-June to the end of August; with careful selection, the display can be sustained through most of summer. In evenly moist or wet soil, Astilbes are tough, pest-free, and handsome -- everything a good garden plant should be. The only thing they cannot endure is drought. Astilbe blooms are useful for cutting if they are picked when half open.