Flowers A-Z: Alyssum & Astilbe

Sweet Alyssum: I fell in love with alyssum when I wandered my mom's garden beds in California, way back when I was just a little thing. In fact, alyssum might be the flower that finally got me gardening many years later in Georgia.

Alyssum plants are tender, a delicate annual, though they are very easy to grow. They are often used as a border plant and also make for gorgeous, sweet smelling goodness in a rock garden. I like them in containers too, as they will drape a bit over the edge and they're just so sweetly pretty. I rarely see the plants at local nurseries, but they are very easy to grow from seed and they are part of my annual gardening plan each year.

They are small plants, growing between six to nine inches tall. Carpet of Snow, the white variety, is the most common, but I've got purple and pink varieties this year that I hope will provide pretty color bordering my perennials this summer.

Alyssum - A Purple Variety

Alyssum like full or partial sun and they tolerate dry soil, though you shouldn't let them get too dry, as I've noticed mine get leggy if I let them get too thirsty. They're fairly bug and disease hardy, though they cannot handle frost. They'll bloom through the frost, then it's time to remove them.

Feathery, Fluffy Astilbe: Gorgeous feathery fronds of pink, red, white and purple top leaves that bring ferns to mind. The pink variety makes me think of the sweetness and fluff of cotton candy. These sweet blooms don't mind full shade, but you'll get better flowering if they get some sun. I use them to border the back of a semi-shady bed at my home and they always make me smile.

You want to start out with established plants. That's right, the seedling queen says not to try these guys from seed. I've had no success. Though the flowers themselves appear narrow, the foliage is too pretty to crowd, so give them a little room, say 18-36 inches.

Feathery Fronds of Astilbe

These tall, sweeping beauties like to be near water, but they don't want to stand in it. They're great around a bog or pond, but be careful the roots don't end up in the water. And keep 'em covered! As they grow the root crown likes to rise, so you'll need to apply soil to keep 'em grounded, not just mulch.

The flowers and leaves dry well, on and off the plant. And for those of you gardeners with limited time on your hands, deadheading doesn't extend the blooming season. So if you like the look of the dried blooms, they aren't inhibiting growth.

Bugs do occasionally attack these feathery friends of the shade garden, but no more so than most hardy perennials. Battle the bugs as you normally do, no specific measures have to be taken to keep your astilbe safe.