Astilbe is an excellent plant for any garden, town or country, big or small, but it seems to be most at home in a country garden because it is such a natural plant.

Even though the garden forms are highly bred, hybrids of several species, they have retained their natural beauty and offer colour and soft texture in summer and even into early autumn. The astilbe is from America and Asia. The astilbe species from which the garden forms were selected appear in mountainous areas of their native range, often in damp, rocky places, in ravines and by streamsides.

They have a natural affinity with slightly damp, or at least moist ground, and this makes them perfect for Irish gardens. But they also hold on to their wildflower looks and fit into semi-wild areas at the margin of a country garden where the boundary meets the fields. The beauty of astilbes is that they need no maintenance, once established. They are very competitive and well able to hold their ground against weeds. The plants form a dense layer of foliage that, more or less, shuts out all the light reaching soil level and therefore weeds find it very difficult to get a toe-hold.

More than most plants, astilbe offers some element of decoration for most of the year. It starts off quite early in spring by pushing up the unfolding leaves. These are generally reddish-bronze in colour, except for some white-flowered kinds that are apple-green. The leaves are followed by flower spikes, the flowers gauzy and soft. Later the leaf colour darkens and take on reddish hues, and the flower spikes eventually fade to shades of brown, but are still very decorative for the winter border.

Whatever about the almost year-long decorative value of astilbe, it is the flowering period that is most impressive. This occurs for most ordinary kinds in July, with some kinds flowering a bit earlier and others running into late summer and early autumn.

The great thing about the flowers is the candyfloss softness and colour they bring, and a sort of atmospheric lightness is created. There are many named kinds, some much more widely grown than others.

Federsee has pink flowers, a strong grower of medium size and late flowering. Rheinland has pink flowers in summer on a medium-size plant. Fanal is a favourite, with deep red flowers over green leaves, about medium size. About the same size, Irrlicht has white flowers over green leaves and flowers early. Deutschland is a white, early-flowering kind, about 50cm.

Bressingham Beauty is taller, with bronze leaves and bright-pink flowers. Venus is tall too with bright pink flowers over green leaves in early summer. Purpurlanze is a selection of a Chinese species, much bigger, over waist-high, with intense, bright purple-red flowers in late summer. Sprite, by contrast, is small with feathery soft-pink flowers.

Some kinds spread more than others and these are the best for ground cover, but none are a nuisance. Most make a nice clump that expands slowly, not aggressively. Another quality of this outstanding plant is that it is hardy in winter. All kinds like soil that holds moisture and does not become too dry, but they can withstand periods of dry weather quite well if mulched in winter.

Give them full sunshine for best flowering, although they will take some light shade. If the soil is not too wet, daffodils can be inter-planted and the new astilbe foliage hides the withering daffodil leaves.

Cover blueberries

Blueberries have been added to the list of fruits grown in home gardens in recent years. They are easy to grow if the soil is acidic, but must have the soil made acid or be grown in tubs if the soil is limey. While they grow well and like the damp climate, they are avidly eaten by birds. It is almost always essential to place some form of netting over them before they begin to show colour.

Birds attack them as soon as the berries show colour, which the berries will be doing shortly. Any form of netting will do to keep out birds and this is not difficult to set up as the bushes are not very big and can be kept to a manageable size by pruning in winter.

Fruit, veg & herbs

Sow seeds of radish, chard, white turnip, Chinese greens and lettuce. Spring cabbage should be sown now too for planting out next month. April is a good variety. It has been a bad year of weeds, with so many showers. If there are areas of ground empty, sow a crop of green manure.

Trees, shrubs & roses

After a dry early summer, rain has boosted young trees and shrubs, but some might still need an occasional heavy watering, and some liquid feeding would be worthwhile if the plant has been slow to take off. Early-flowering shrub roses and ramblers that have now finished could be pruned.

Lawn

Lawn edges should be trimmed neat around beds and borders. There has been plenty of moisture and lawn grasses have been growing well, even with some cool weather. It is unlikely that lawns need feeding but if the grass has not responded to rain, a nitrogen feed could be applied.

Flowers

Bedding plants in pots and baskets are also now in need of regular watering and feeding. Feed every two weeks or so to keep the plants going. Because the roots have now filled the pots, watering has become more critical than before. Sow seeds of perennial flowers such as lupins and foxgloves.

Greenhouse &

house plants

Take cuttings of geraniums, fuchsias and other tender plants in early August to overwinter for next year. Continue to train and side-shoot tomatoes and cucumbers, and pick the fruit as it ripens. Continue to regularly water and feed greenhouse plants.