Gloria Purpurea Bare Root Astilbes Update - Six Weeks to First Flowers - June 2021

Just yesterday, I shared a photo showing a six-week update on some bare root hostas that we picked up at Costco this Spring.  On that same shopping trip, we bought some bare root Astilbe plants - these Gloria Purpurea purple varieties that I planted underneath the larger Chanticleer Pear Tree in our backyard.   I arranged them around the trunk of the tree and hoped for the best.  

Here, below, is how they look now - with (by my count) four bare root plantings up with green leaves and the two on the right side showing off their first flowers.  The package said there were six, but I'm not sure if I planted them in five groups or six.  I believe there should be one - that hasn't come up - to the left of the tree trunk.

Seeing them packed in with a hosta in front and a hosta in back makes me realize that there is too much going on in this little area and I'm thinking that I need to remove both of those hostas and transplant them somewhere else to allow for these Astilbes to be seen and thrive. 

So, for now, let's call this 4/6 for bare root Astibles.  And 7/8 for the hostas.  With the bag of these bare root plants costing about the same price as just one 1# nursery stock container.  They *are* small in this first growing season, but I'm thinking they'll put on some size if they make it through the Summer.  So, good value overall....And...pretty good bang for the buck.