Even shaded areas can be colorful If you are looking to incorporate color, beauty and low maintenance into areas of your yard that may be shaded, I hope you consider Astilbe, a perennial from the Saxifragaceae family that flourishes in shady areas and/or containers. Typically described as “a beautiful, showy flower atop glossy, fern-like foliage,” they can add color and texture to places where full-sun flowers fail to thrive. Astilbes are native to mountain ravines and woodlands, blooming mid-spring to late summer in zones 4-8. (For zoning questions Jeff Lowenfels Read More …