Brighten a Shady Spot Collection
Perennial
- We no longer offer this collection. You can purchase the plants individually if you wish.
- This collection brightens up your shaded garden with brilliant blooms and vibrant foliage.
- Beautiful and easy to care for plants, perfect for beginners and experts alike!
The collection includes one of each of the following plants: - 'Bowles Golden' Sedge
- Red Astilbe
- 'Stained Glass' Hosta
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Details
Sun exposure: Shade (<4 hours sun), Part Sun (4-6 hours sun)
Height x width: varies from 15-36", depending on plant
Flower color: varies depending on the plant
Foliage color: Green
Season of Interest: Summer-Fall
How to Grow
Light: Shade to part-sun
Water: Average. Water regularly until established.
Fertilizing: Astilbe is a heavy feeder that requires lots of nutrients. Fertilize early in the spring to produce healthy flowers with a 5-10-5 fertilizer blend. After it has bloomed, apply an additional handful of fertilizer around the plant’s base. For the other two plants, fertilizing is generally unnecessary but can be applied in spring if needed.
Winterizing: No special care is needed. Allow foliage to remain standing in winter to improve winter survival. Mulch if desired.
Maintenance & Pruning: 'Bowles Golden' sedge- trim the foliage to the ground in early spring in areas where it does not grow as an evergreen. 'Stained Glass' hosta- groom plants by removing yellow or dead leaves and cut flower spikes back as they finish blooming in summer. Astilbe-No deadheading is required unless you don’t like the appearance of spent blooms. If left on, they provide winter interest to the garden. Divide the roots of the plant in early spring or late fall when the plant is dormant.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.