Interesting discussion going on about Astilbes...I have the Arendsii type, planted about 10 years ago under a pear tree. Over the years it has naturalized all over the garden, it has seeded itself in the full sun, shade, semi-shade, even the cracks between my pavers on the patio! I water my entire garden about once a week during drought periods, but this season has been somewhat rainy, so I haven't watered much at all. So, I guess it depends on which type of Astilbe you plant, because I planted a different type in semi-shade a few years ago, and the thing died the first season!! Go figure! LOL. Every garden is different (soils, climate, sunlight, etc.), which makes gardening somewhat of a challenge to see what will survive and thrive. You just have to try things yourself because you just never know! Plants will surprise you all the time...which is what I find so amazing about gardening.

Susan, your spot sounds ideal for growing johnny jump ups in the winter. I love those things. While searching for impatient varieties, I found one I've never heard of--Balsam. It's an old fashioned, upright, re-seeding variety that has rose-like blooms. I've read it attracts hummingbirds and bees too. It was supposedly THE Impatient before the hybrids took over in the 50's. I'm going to give it a shot, though I've never seen it growing before. I'm also trying something called "browallia americana." I have some mondo under the palms now. It's about the only thing that's doing well. But will rainlilies bloom in such shade? Bromelliad people: I have some pineapples in pots. Do those count?? Thanks again, Bill

I just had time to check out your "Inferno Strip Garden," and I think you're going to like what you get! I absolutely LOVE Artemisia versicolor 'Seafoam'--it's the only Artemisia I grow right now. I've never seen mine bloom since I keep pinching it to keep it round and bushy, but Artemisia flowers are usually pretty ugly, so you may want to cut it back when it starts to bloom. And I'm absolutely certain you'll love the Callirhoe. Give it as much room as you can. It dies back to the center of the plant over winter, but it will spread out 3 or 4 feet in every direction over the growing season. It's great next to a wall or anywhere you may have for it to drape down over---or just spread out on the ground if not. I'd add some Russian sage (Perovskia) to the area--P. 'Longin' is the most upright one, and my favorite. It would go well with the others and blooms pretty long in mid-late summer. Also, to add a couple bright spots of yellow, consider some Achillea 'Moonshine' (bright yellow), or A. 'Anthea' (soft yellow). They, too, bloom for quite a while and you can leave the flowers dry on the plants for winter interest for as long as they look good. I checked out G. saundersii too, and it looks great. They're kind of pricey, but I just might have to try one! If Alcea rosea 'Nigra' is the hollyhock you're looking at, I'd be glad to send you some seed for a SASE. They're a beautiful dark, dark, dark red, and they're real pretty up close, but since they're so-o-o dark, they really don't show up much from a distance. Last fall I planted some other mixed colors near them for more of a display from the distance. They're getting close to blooming and I am anxiously waiting to see what colors they'll be. (The black ones are blooming already!) Still, in my opinion, they are not especially xeric---certainly not as much as perovskia, agastache, some of the penstemons, and artemisia. I could also send some Aquilegia chrysantha seed (a Colorado native). It's a VERY fragrant yellow columbine that comes true from seed. It will reseed easily in the garden and if you have room to let a large patch grow it will actually scent the whole area. Again, it's not considered especially xeric, but once it's well established I don't think it would need a lot of water. I don't think you'd be happy at all with creeping phlox planted in the cracks in your walk, and I think it would be far more difficult to try to grow in such a situation. If you decide to try some, I recommend putting it out in one of the main garden areas. Also, while it doesn't like to stay wet all the time, I've never know it to be considered xeric. If you do decide to grow some, I recommend you look for Phlox douglasii rather than the more standard P. subulata. It's a much more compact growing plant that requires less care. If you do get P. s., to stay looking good over the years it will need to be cut back severely--1/2 or more--after it blooms each year. Otherwise the individual stems can get long and really ratty looking after a couple years. If you let it grow without cutting it back until it gets ratty, it's very hard to cut it back far enough to get it looking good again without killing it. Salvia 'May Night' ('Mainacht') is a really good choice and I bet you'd love it. If you cut it back promptly when the first flowers start looking "tired," it will easily bloom a second time, and, depending on the summer, might bloom a third time if cut back promptly after the second bloom. Don't worry too much about what's going to look good with what when you're planning your garden! Remember that perennials bloom at different times, so they won't all be blooming at the same time. That's one of the wonderful things about a perennial garden---it's constantly changing. Pick whatever you like best. If you decide you don't like it next to something, you can always move it. That's also part of perennial gardening! Tulips and daffodils (and crocus, hyacinths and any of the other spring blooming bulbs) will be blooming when your perennials are just starting to come up. Also check out the ornamental grasses. They're wonderful for adding movement to the garden and the foliage and seedheads are usually left on all winter for winter interest. One of my favorites is Panicum 'Heavy Metal' (switch grass). It has steel blue foliage with delicate, airy seed heads. I also love the miscanthuses (sp???) (maiden grass) which come in heights from 3' to 6' or more and have beautiful arching foliage with tassel-like seedheads that look Egyptian to me! Just one more thing for you to consider! Happy gardening, Skybird P.S. If you'd like the seed, email me privately via GW and I'll send you my address.

Unfortunately, plants don't read the websites :-) And they don't simply stop growing once they hit the tagged 10 year or "mature" size, either. Given decent soil conditions and adequate water, these guys just keep growing - I see massive ones frequently in client gardens. But they grow quite slowly so one would be able to keep size in check rather easily. It just seems a rather overscale plant choice for a 3' wide area.