Fabulous at adding architectural height and late summer blooms to a shaded border, award-winning Actaea simplex 'James Compton' (Baneberry) is a striking, compact, bronze-leaved bugbane variety. Opening from pink buds in late summer to early fall, attractive, purple stemmed fluffy spires, packed with deliciously fragrant white flowers with a pink tinge, gracefully bob and sway in the breeze. They rise elegantly above a bronze, almost black, lacy foliage which provides excellent texture and color to the landscape throughout the growing season. This Baneberry is trouble-free and easy to care for.

Cultivated since the 19th century, award-winner Alchemilla mollis (Lady's Mantle) provides a lovely finish to a border or a path edge and blends beautifully with most perennials. This clump-forming perennial forms dense, leafy mounds of scallop-edged, toothed, densely hairy, light green leaves which nicely retain moisture beads after the rain.

A charming late spring or early summer bloomer, Anemone sylvestris (Snowdrop Anemone) is an ideal groundcover for partially shaded areas. Fragrant, cup-shaped, pure white flowers, 2 in. wide (5 cm), with a ring of prominent golden stamens, are borne singly on bare stems above a deeply, finely cut, dark green foliage. These lovely blossoms give way to white, woolly seed heads, providing additional ornamental value. Quite resilient, this Anemone spreads by running rhizomes to form an impressive carpet where its broad, bright faces are highly appealing. Rising up to 18 in. tall (55 cm) and spreading 12-18 in. (30-45 cm), this Anemone naturalizes well.

Resembling the delicate Astilbe, Aruncus dioicus (Goat's Beard) is a great-looking perennial with highly attractive feathery plumes of tiny, starry, creamy-white flowers that rise well above the dark green foliage. Blooming from early to mid-summer, it should be noted that the male plants (with many stamens per flower) feature more attractive blooms than the female plants (3 pistils per flower). Once the flowers are less prominent, the handsome billowing mounds of fernlike leaves take over, extending the visual appeal through fall.

Asarum europaeum (European Wild Ginger) is a slowly spreading ground cover that is primarily grown for its glossy, leathery, heart-shaped, dark green leaves (to 3 in across - 7 cm) which remain evergreen in mild winters. Small, bell-shaped flowers bloom in late spring to early summer but are usually unnoticed since covered by the dense foliage. Among the best foliage plants for shade. Grows 6 in. tall (14 cm) and spreads 8-12 in. (20-30 cm).

Noted for its vigor and superb elegance, Athyrium filix-femina (Lady Fern) is a lovely deciduous fern forming a large rosette of upright to arching, lacy, lance-shaped, fresh-green fronds. The stems are generally green but sometimes display a very interesting red hue. Fast-growing, this fern is easy to grow and perfect for filling gaps between shrubs or under trees.

Noted for its superb elegance, Athyrium niponicum var. pictum (Japanese Painted Fern) is a very pretty deciduous fern forming a large rosette of arching, strikingly refined, lance-shaped, bipinnate fronds. The fronds are soft blue-green with a silvery overlay accented by contrasting dark burgundy midribs. Slowly spreading, this Fern is easy to grow and one of the most rewarding ferns. Low maintenance, pest and disease free. Recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society

One of the most elegant of perennials, Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis) is a graceful herbaceous perennial boasting gracefully arching stems studded with lockets of pink flowers, whose hearts are no doubt bleeding, adorned with protruding white petals. They hang above the attractive foliage of soft green, divided leaves. Blooming for 4-6 weeks in late spring to early summer, it tends to decline or even disappear in mid-summer. However, if it is kept well-watered during the spring, dormancy may be delayed until late summer or early fall. Great for shaded borders or woodland gardens.

Galium odoratum (Sweet Woodruff) is a mat-forming perennial that creates a very attractive ground cover in moist, shady areas. It features small-petaled, scented white flowers in late spring and summer, elegantly rising above a lush carpet of fragrant, lance-shaped, soft emerald-green leaves in whorls. The aromatic intensity of the foliage increases when dried, thus dried leaves are popularly used in sachets or potpourris. Deer and rabbit resistant!

Very fragrant, adaptable, and beautiful, Geranium macrorrhizum 'Czakor' (Cranesbill) makes lovely, semi-evergreen groundcover in the garden. This hardy geranium creates a thick mat of fragrant, rounded, light green leaves, topped with abundant clusters of magenta flowers in late spring to early summer. The lush foliage takes on attractive purple tints in the fall, extending the season of interest for this plant. Grows up to 12-18 in. tall (30-45 cm) and 12-24 in. wide (30-60 cm).

Putting on a great show, Geranium sanguineum (Bloody Cranesbill) is an eye-catching spreading rhizomatous perennial with large, bright, magenta-pink cup-shaped flowers with dark veining, up to 1.5 in. wide (4 cm). Blooming sporadically from late spring to late summer, the elegant blooms rise atop a decorative mound of palmately lobed leaves divided into narrow lobes, that turn blood-red in fall and add attractive fall color to the landscape. This hardy Geranium is reliable, easy to grow and provides long-lasting color for any garden. One of the best choices for massed plantings.

Resembling long, feathery Ostrich plumes, Matteuccia struthiopteris (Ostrich Fern) is an elegant, upright to arching, deciduous fern with showy, finely dissected, fresh green sterile fronds. Emerging at the base of the plant in spring, they gracefully unfurl until they depreciate over summer and lose their leaflets later in the fall, as the plant goes dormant for the winter. They surround shorter, brownish fertile fronds which will persist into winter. Low maintenance, pest and disease free, Ostrich Fern is a great asset for the bog garden!

Handsome and fragrant, Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum' (Fragrant Solomon's Seal) is a rhizomatous, shade-loving perennial with slightly arching stems covered with sweetly scented, vase-shaped, creamy-white flowers tipped with green in late spring to early summer. Gracefully hanging from the leaf axils, they are followed in fall by attractive blue-black berries. Highly ornamental, the elegant foliage of bright green, elliptic leaves is splashed and streaked with creamy white and turns attractive shades of yellow in fall. Native to shaded slopes and woodland areas in temperate regions of Europe and Asia, Variegated Solomon’s Seal is a classic beauty for the shady woodland garden or the part-shade to full-shade border

Vigorous, Primula beesiana, commonly known as Candelabra Primrose, is a deciduous perennial with attractive whorls of deep-pink to purple flowers with a yellow heart. Each stem displays up to 6-8 whorls, spaced at intervals atop flat, basal rosettes of light green leaves. Native to the mountain meadows of China, this perennial thrives in damp, shady environments where it brings in late spring or early summer its brightly colored blossoms. Primroses are brilliant vehicles for adding color to the shade garden. A low maintenance plant that is also deer resistant. Easily grows up to 24 in. tall and across (60 cm)

Robust, Primula denticulata, commonly known as Drumstick Primula, is a very attractive perennial with dense, rounded flowerheads, packed with many flat flowers in shades of pale lilac, rich purple, blue, pink or white. Borne on sturdy, erect stems above rosettes of lance-shaped, wrinkly leaves, they are adorned with a delicate, golden eye. Grows in clumps, up to 8-12 in. (20-30 cm). Native to China and the Himalayas, this perennial thrives in damp, shady environments where it brings in early to late spring, its brightly colored blossoms. USDA Zones: 2-8.

Robust and vigorous, Primula japonica, commonly known as Japanese Primrose, is a deciduous perennial with attractive whorls of flowers in shades of white, soft to deep pink, purple or red. They are spaced at intervals along upright stems and rise above basal rosettes of lettuce-like, bright green leaves. Native to Japan, this perennial thrives in damp, shady environments where it brings its brightly colored blossoms in late spring to early summer. Plant in groups or drifts with hostas, ferns and iris in damp open woodlands, next to streams and ponds.

Fascinating with its unusual spires of tiny, pinkish-purple flowers, that are red at the top of the spike when in bud, Primula vialii (Orchid Primrose) is a striking perennial. Borne on stout stems above rosettes of spear-shaped, erect, light green leaves. Blooming in early to mid-summer, these rocket-shaped spikes are quite long-lasting and provide a spectacular effect when planted in groups. Grows up to 12-18 in. (30-45 cm). Native to moist mountain areas in China, this perennial thrives in damp, shady environments including bog gardens, near ponds, and streams. USDA Zones: 5-8.

Astilbes are fabulous plants for shady, moist conditions. Admired for their graceful, colorful flower plumes rising elegantly above mounds of fern-like foliage which remains attractive all season long, they light up your shade garden for weeks and add a dazzling splash of color in the landscape. Each plume consists of hundreds of densely packed tiny flowers, each opening in succession from late spring to late summer, providing a long season of bloom before turning progressively a rich caramel color.

Resembling Forget-Me-Nots, Brunnera macrophylla (Siberian Bugloss) are rhizomatous herbaceous perennials with large, ovate or heart-shaped basal leaves and pretty sprays of small bright blue flowers in spring. Although their clouds of bright blue flowers add cool and striking color to the landscape, Brunneras are mostly valued for their beautiful foliage which creates a lush carpet of deep green or variegated leaves.

Grown for its handsome and eye-catching foliage, Hakone Grass (Hakonechloa macra) is a long-lived, tough, ornamental grass that, unlike most grasses, loves moist shady conditions. Native to Japan, its foliage forms attractive, loose cascading mounds of gracefully arching, slender leaves that ripple in the slightest breeze. Ranging from solid green, to bright gold to creamy variegated throughout the spring and summer, the soft foliage changes to exquisite copper-orange shades in the fall as cooler weather sets in. Hakone Grass is invaluable for adding multiseason interest, color and texture to the shade garden.

Ridiculously easy-to-grow and long-lived, Hostas (Plantain Lilies) are shade-loving perennials that are highly prized by gardeners for their elegance and attractive foliage. Native to eastern Asia, these low-maintenance foliage plants are fabulous for shady areas and combine beautifully with other shade perennials. The world of Hostas is incredibly rich in terms of size, color, texture, leave shape. There are thousands of Hosta cultivars available reflecting their immense popularity with gardeners, and new varieties are legion. Growing from 6 inches to 3 feet tall (15-90 cm), the attractive foliage is topped in early-mid summer with taller funnel-shaped or flared flowers, in shades of white, lavender, or purple. Some flowers are even sweetly fragrant.

Late summer and early fall often represent a challenge to gardeners as summer-blooming plants begin to fade while fall bloomers have not quite reached their apex. Fall-blooming anemones, commonly called Japanese Anemones or Windflowers, are fabulous perennials, helping with this transition from one season to the next.