Astrantia

Astrantia, also known as great masterwort, are well-loved for their starburst flower heads and frilled leaves. Astrantia are excellent border flowers! Ranging from chartreuse and white to gentle coral to fire-engine red, these easygoing beauties bloom readily their first season and get bigger and better each year.

Hardy in zones 4 through 9, astrantias do exceptionally well in climates where the temperature dips below 70 degrees at night. These gorgeous, vigorous plants thrive in sun to partial shade, tolerate most soil types as long as adequate drainage is provided and require little care once established. Give your astrantia masterwort plants plenty of room to grow; most varieties should be planted from 12 to 15 inches apart, and they'll grow to heights of between 18 to 24 inches.

Native to prairies and mountain meadows as well as stream banks and forest clearings, these versatile perennials are well adapted to any number of landscape uses. They are a superb choice for filling in voids between shrubs and trees in the backyard; their dark green, palm like leaves have beautiful form and texture, and they produce masses of lovely flowers for months. They are splendid in naturalised areas and in woodland and cottage gardens, where they add sparkling colour and attract butterflies. They're ideal for the cutting garden, too, as their fanciful blooms and rich foliage look spectacular in both formal and informal floral arrangements. Astrantia flowers may also be dried and their beauty enjoyed long after the blooming season has ended. Make astrantias part of your garden scheme and enjoy beautiful blooms all summer and beyond.