Four New Fanal Astilbes Via Division - November 2023

Astilbes.  They're awesome.  Hard to keep and grow - normally.  But, I've had some luck with Fanal Astilbes in my shade garden. They were the VERY FIRST plant I put in - according to plan.   I've moved them a few times, but for the most part....just left them alone.   With four growing seasons under their belt (planted in 2020, so 2020, '21, '22 and now '23), I thought I could take a shot at Fall Dividing some of them.

I decided to pick the largest four Fanal Astilbes to dig up and divide.  Two on one end, two on the other.  Below are a few 'before' photos:

I made room for the four new Astilbes on the other side of the yard - and removed some hostas. 

Each of the four plants was dug up, split in two.  Half went to the new spot.  

The other half went back in the original hole.  Below are a few 'after' photos showing the ones that have been cut-down in size:

I ended up with four new Fanal Astilbes on the north border:

Like I've done in the past, dividing just a few plants is a hedge against killing the whole colony.

Next year, I'll divide the other eight that haven't been touched yet.

I'm posting this in November 2023, but I did this dividing and transplanting in mid-October 2023.

My 2023 Fall Planting List - so far - includes a number of new and divided plants.  

Now up to 68 new plants.  And 20 new via division.  88 total for 2023 #FallPlanting.  30 of them are groundcover plants.  Eight sedums.

• Five divided Everillo Sedges - Carex Everillo - from one sedge with Center rot in the backyard.
• A Sempervivum ‘Hopewell’ - a succulent-looking Chicks and Hens planted down by the sidewalk - IB2DWs. 
• Two Sedum spurium 'Voodoo' - IB2DWs - to attempt to outcompete the Creeping Jenny.
• Split three Elijah Blue Fescue clumps into six - IB2DWs along the driveway.
• A single Burgundy Glow Ajuga along the driveway IB2DWs.  Lots of groundcover IB2DWs, this Fall.
• Eight Ajuga 'Chocolate Chip' planted - five in the island bed.  Three along south front porch bed border. 
• A Cardoon - IB2DWs - that I'm not sure is going to make it.  I'm going to mulch it in VERY heavily this Winter. 
• Two Silver Mound Artemisias planted IB2DWs - close to the current planted bed. 
• A dwarf, fern-like shrub:  Matcha Ball Ash Leaf Spirea planted in the front porch bed. 
• Three Pentsemon 'Midnight Masquerade' dark foliage perennials planted in the new/extended IB2DWs bed.  
• Two Stachys monieri 'Hummelo' plants, in the front yard by the Sweetspire. 
• Three Greenlee Moor Grasses - Sesleria Greenlee Hybrid in front of the Sweetspire shrubs in front.
• A dwarf conifer: Baby Blue Spruce - planted IB2DWs extended down by the sidewalk.
• Two John Creech Sedums - planted by the Little Henry Sweetspires.  Hoping to cover and outcompete the weeds that creep up in this border. 
• Three Ruby Muhlygrasses - Planted at the end of the boardwalk in back.
• A #1 Bird's Nest Spruce planted IB2DWs by the Nepeta Cat's Pajamas, near the driveway.
• A ball-and-burlap Weeping Norway Spruce in the middle of the established IB2DWs bed.
• A second Norway Weeping Spruce Tree - IB2DWs in the new 'Conifer Garden'.  
• A narrow, upright conifer tree - Montrose Charm White Spruce in the 'Conifer Garden' IB2DWs.
• The 2nd Baby Blue Spruce tree planted IB2DWs in the new 'Conifer Garden' closer to the Bald Cypress. 
• A 3rd Baby Blue Spruce tree planted in back by the Lindens - viewable from the Kitchen.
• I'm calling it a tree (not a shrub) - a Royal Purple Smoke Tree planted IB2Dws.
• A true dwarf - Golden Mop False Cypress - planted IB2DWs in the Conifer Garden.
• One of Two Blue Star Junipers - Planted in back stoop north bed with Spring Grove Ginkgo.
• The second Blue Star Juniper that is planted by the Disneyland Roses on the south side.
• The second (new) Bird's Nest Spruce planted in the new Conifer Garden IB2DWs.
• Three small Green Velvet Boxwoods planted in between the espalier'd Dogwoods along the garage.
• Three small Japanese 'Soft Touch' Holly shrubs planted back by the Weeping Nootka Cypress bed.
• Three new (five total) Allium Serendipity via Division - planted IB2DWs and in the new Conifer Garden
• Two new All Gold Hakonechloa Japanese Forest Grasses via division from IB2DWs to back border. 
• A 2nd Burgundy Glow Ajuga - planted by the screened porch door - via a Fairy Garden.
• Three Variegated Sedums. One in Front Porch Bed, two down by sidewalk IB2DWs. 
• Five new Autumn Ferns by 2nd Oak Tree as Hosta replacements.
• Two new plain Hostas via division and transplanting closer to the fence and back of property.
• Five more Ajuga 'Chocolate Chip' - IB2DWs and in back by the new Baby Blue Spruce.
• A pair of compact - May Night Salvias - planted in the new conifer garden - IB2DWs extended.
• A single Pow Wow Wild Berry Coneflower planted IB2Dws. 
• A pair of Agastache 'Blue Fortune' planted in the original IB2DWs bed where I get plenty of sun.
• Three new Ghost Ferns via division - one planted on the Boardwalk, two others in the colony.
• Three divisions from Seslaria Autumnalis from the front porch bed to the Tree Swing ring.