I got beautiful plants last year from www.waltersgardens.com.
The prices is excellent, however you must buy 20 or 25 of a kind. This year I'll see how the bloom does.

Does anyone have advice about handling the blossoms? I've read to cut into hot water. That's a lot of work that I'd rather not do.

Thanks,
RobRoy

I like the look of the astilbes too. I just bought one so far because I wasn't sure if it was time to plant them. It seems to be doing just great and it took some frost already. I guess it is safe to plant more of them now. Wow. I hope they don't have to be cut into hot water. Now that would be a pain to do. I already decided no poppies because I don't want to sear them as I cut. Well I really don't like them that much either. I do like the astilbes though. They might be worth the extra bother. Shirley

I love astilbes, and up until this year, only had a few in my own gardens, but I have started some from seed, and they are doing well, and also ordered 25 bare root from Vanhoff and Blokker, they are the ostrich plume variety. I'll have to tell you how they turned out after this season.
Cheryl

I live on a small island in Buzzards Bay, Ma. I planted astilbe (white, red and pink) years ago in a sunny garden and they did just fine. I made a woodland garden about 2 years ago and just put my shovel in a few clumps to dig out some pieces. All do equally well in sun and partial shade here. This year I am going to move some to an additional woodland garden which gets a little deeper shade in some spots. I think (hope?) they will be even better in partial to full shade. And, they don't mind having me chopping off pieces, they spread out quite well.

I'm growing some astibles in my cutting garden and 3 out of 4 are coming up nicely the 4th has yet to be seen by me or the sun i'm going to dig it up and see what the problem is if it doesnt show itself. HOpefully is will be a nice cut flower.

Thanks for the comments. However, I'm up to my eyeballs in the chaos of planting everything else so they will be on the "to do" list for next year.

Steve