Astilbes are rugged and beautiful shade lovers that throw long and colorful spikes above divided foliage in summer, a time when color in the shade garden is hard to come by. Use them in groups in the woodland border, or mass them to create a ground cover. Bloom varies by variety from mid-June to the end of August; with careful selection, the display can be sustained through most of summer. In evenly moist or wet soil, Astilbes are tough, pest-free, and handsome—everything a good garden plant should be.