Fanal Astilbes - Part Shade - July 2022

Two years ago (June 2020), I planted a dozen Fanal Astilbes in the (then) small bed along our south fence line in an area that was visible from both the patio and our kitchen windows.  They were in the plan and that was the *approximate* spot for them (at the time).  Why do I say 'at the time'?  Because when I planted these the bed was only about five feet from the fenceline.  

That all changed in Spring/Summer of 2021 when I laid out and had a crew dig all new beds that reached far into the yard with a curvilinear shape.  Once the new edge of the border was created, I dug up all of these Fanal Astilbe plants and moved them out, closer to the border.  I planted twelve in 2020 and transplanted all twelve in 2021.  Today?  All twelve are still here.  

I moved them to be a little bit of a serpentine row that you can see below.  (You'll also note that the three Butterscotch Amsonia that I planted last Spring are also back.)

These could use a little bit of love in terms of 'companions' tucked in and around them, can't they? Some carex plugs planted here and there?  A brunnera or two tucked in around this snake-like row of Astilbes?  Those are two of the companions that Walters recommends.  There's also something to be said for planting some alternative color astilbes here?  Like a couple pops of white tufts of these shade flowers?

One other thing that I just learned - Astilbes (like most other perennials) can be divided.  When the clumps get big (or too big), we can dig them up and divide them for what I like to call 'free plants'.  Maybe that's something I should put on my 2023 to-do list?  Divide Astilbes.