Astilbe Arendsii 'Darwins Dream' | Perennial Bare Root Plant

A popular Astilbe with deep pink flowers in dense plumes that sit above shiny dark green foliage and green stalks with a profusion of densely packed tiny flowers produced in June, July and beyond. Reaching an overall height of 45cm this top variety of Astilbe is a ‘must have’ for your summer garden borders.

Astilbe plants are one of the easiest and long-lived perennials to grow and once planted and established in their ideal site will happily reappear every year with little maintenance.  They are also known a false spirea, false goats’ beard and meadowsweet.

For the best results plant Astilbe in a part sun/part shady position in fertile moist soil that will retain moisture and not dry out. Having enough moisture at the roots is very important to the well-being of Astilbe.

Ideal situations to plant Astilbe are in borders, containers and at the edge of ponds. Too much hot midday sun can cause the foliage to scorch and burn, so early morning or late afternoon sun exposure is perfect. 

By choosing different varieties of Astilbe you can have a long season of interest. The distinctive plumes of feathery looking flowers appear above stiff stalks aloft the airy foliage and will give colour and form to the summer border. No dead heading is required as the plumes flower once and gradually fade over several weeks.

For more information on bare roots please click here.

Please note the second picture is a 'general' bare root picture and all varieties will look different when they arrive. You will receive full planting instructions with delivery. 

See the tabs above or click these links for information on:  Advice, Delivery and Supplied As

Brand:  Brookside Nursery
Supplied as:  1 Bare Root
Habit:  Upright
Eventual Height:  45cm (18")
Position:  Sun or Partial Shade
Primary Flower Colour:  Pink
Plant Type:  Hardy Perennial
Flowering Period:  June - July
Botanical name:  Astilbe x arendsii

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Bare root perennials will benefit from a soak in a bucket of cold water for an hour before planting, to ensure that the roots are fully hydrated.

Dig a large enough hole to plant the whole root, without damaging it, and incorporate fresh compost with the soil to aid drainage.

Plant not too deeply but making sure the roots are covered with compost/soil mixture.  The crowns (the tops of the plants) should be 2/3cms below soil level.  If you can see a tiny amount of shoot or greenery make sure this is just above ground level.  Firm gently in, ensuring there are no air pockets under or around the roots and water the area well.  This should be all the moisture they need until you can see the plants are actively growing.

Place a cane or label in the ground next to your bare root perennial just before you cover the roots over so that you know where and what you have planted.

*Do not plant bare perennials if the ground is waterlogged or frozen. If you need to plant when a very cold spell of weather is forecast, cover the area with cardboard or plastic sheeting to keep the worst of the cold out.

Alternatively, a successful way to start off your bare root perennials is to plant up each bare root plant into a pot using fresh compost. Ensure that the pot is large enough for the roots to spread evenly in the pot. Plant not too deeply but making sure the roots are covered with compost. The crowns (the tops of the plants) should be 2/3cms below soil level. Water in well and place a label into each pot. Leave until early/mid-spring or once the weather is more clement, when they can be planted in their final flowering positions in the garden border.

The plants can be cut back in late autumn once they have flowered or you can keep the seedheads on as they look very pretty. Japanese anemones dislike their roots sitting in wet winter soil so ensure plenty of organic matter is incorporated to aid drainage.

Our bare root perennials are available for dispatch during the month of March. If you have also ordered plug plants for dispatch in March or April, we will send your bareroots during the same week. Smaller orders are dispatched via Royal Mail 24 , larger orders via Parcelforce 24

If you have ordered bareroot plants only (or other non-plug plant varieties), we will allocate your order to a week in March or April for dispatch. You wll recieve an email shortly after you order to confirm when you should expect these.