Shade Gardening: Favorite Astilbe?, 1 by snapple45

snapple45 wrote:
Sun damage on hostas is different from nematode damage. You can learn to differentiate it with just a little practice. Left unchecked it kills the plant so if your hostas are returning every year and enlarging you don't have nematodes. I too have August Moon and Francis Williams. I have less light damage on the August Moon than Francis Williams. Francis Williams is notorius for leaf damage.

If you all are interested in plants with black foliage there is a new book coming out in September - "Black Plants" by Paul Bonine (paperback $14.95 - cheaper pre ordered on Amazon).
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Black-Plants/Paul-Bonine/e/...
It looks mighty interesting. I have a new partial shade bed in the planning state for next year. Part of the bed will have Black Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus 'nigrescens') coming up through Scotch Moss ( Sagina subulata 'aurea'). For behind the Black Mondo Grass I'm looking for a silver or bright chartreuse leaved plant. Turning out to be a toughy. I know this isn't native species gardening but what the heck. Ornanmental horticulture isn't all that bad. Here's my favorite garden spot this year.