Name: Ligularia dentata ‘Britt-Marie Crawford’

USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9

Size: 3 to 4 feet tall and wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; consistently moist soil

Here is a plant with large glossy, dark chocolate-red leaves that hold their color all summer. The tops of the leaves are purple, too, unlike the older cultivars of L. dentata. It was originally found in Scotland by Britt-Marie Crawford in a patch of ‘Othello’ (Ligularia dentata ‘Othello’, Zones 3–9). Its bright, golden-orange flowers on dark stems create beautiful contrast in summer. This plant will grow in partial shade, or in full sun in our northern climate, but it appreciates a bit of afternoon shade. A rich soil will help it reach its full potential.

2. Umbrella Plant

Name: Darmera peltata

Zones: 5 to 9

Size: 2 to 4 feet tall, 3 to 5 feet wide

Conditions: Full to partial shade; consistently moist soil

This northwestern U.S. native starts the season sending up its flowers before the leaves. The flowers present an odd sort of beauty, stiff bare stems holding light pink flowers. Then comes the fantastic foliage. The glossy, large leaves, 8 to 12 inches across, are cupped, so the upright ones hold water. Sited in moist soil, this will grow into a large plant. Though it usually is grown in shade, the best-looking umbrella plant I ever saw was in full sun, surrounded by white stones—the soil under it must have been great. The seeds of umbrella plant are smaller than a grain of salt. If you are trying to collect seeds and miss them in the pod, you can usually find them in the leaves below.

3. Yellow Wax-Bells

Name: Kirengeshoma palmata

Zones: 5 to 8

Size: 3 to 4 feet tall, 4 feet wide

Conditions: Full to partial shade; rich soil high in organic matter

This Japanese native has an upright growth habit; large, maplelike leaves; and wonderful fall flowers. The leaves make a nice shape echo when it is planted under maple trees. We’ve seen this plant used well in large masses, but it usually is grown as a specimen for the shade. It does well with a slightly protected site. In our New Hampshire garden, yellow wax-bells bloom in September and October. The nodding flowers are bell-shaped, and the petals are very thick, waxy, and come out in a sort of whorl. After the petals drop, the fruit puts on a show of its own. Sometimes called “the Stephen King fruit”, it has three weird horns coming from it, giving it a horror-show feel, but not too scary.

4. ‘Bronze Form’ Rodgersia

Name: Rodgersia podophylla ‘Bronze Form’

Zones: 4 to 8

Size: 3 to 4 feet tall, 3 to 5 feet wide

Conditions: Full to partial shade; rich, moist soil

We have grown Rodgersia podophylla for years. There are many species of Rodgersia; they can be hard to tell apart, and they will interbreed. A few years ago, we got the cultivar ‘Bronze Form’. What a beauty. In spring, when the foliage is emerging, it is a rich purple. As the season progresses, the huge (over 1 foot across) deeply palmate leaves have a tropical feel. They green out a bit but hold their distinct purple hue. This plant can fill large spaces, but it is not invasive, just mounding. Like many bold-leaved plants, it needs a lot of moisture. This species is from Korea and the Island of Hanshu in Japan. The summer flowers are astilbe-like panicles that hover attractively over the foliage.