Shade (and sun)  gardeners – stop.  Do you want a plant that MAKES the back of the border?   Try Ligularia.   Large ltriangular eaves with showy yellow flowers.  Definitely makes an impact in the perennial garden.  It is a ‘moisture loving’ plant.   Especially good for wetter spots and behind a water features and does well in part sun part shade.

One of the most popular varieties of Ligularia is ‘The Rocket’.  Reaching a height of 2′ or more – it’s decorative foliage will tower over your other plants.   It will blossom in mid to late summer.  Drawbacks – the slugs like Ligularia so you should watch for them..  My Ligularia haven’t shown slug damage this season – but I have also applied an application of “Sluggo”  around my hosta and other perennials.

A smaller variety is ‘Bottle Rocket’ and another with darker purple/green foliage is Britt Marie Crawford.   I have three in my hosta gardens – one in the center with hosta all around, one on the edge of a hosta garden with hydrangeas and the other is on the edge of a berm with rudbeckia, a Blue Beech and of course – more hosta.