Heavy Metal is an astilbe with upright, cherry-red plumes in summer, standing 2 to 2.5 feet over a mound of dark, finely divided foliage. The saturated red reads from across the yard, and the plumes hold their form as they dry on the plant.

Give it moisture and it will grow anywhere from full shade to sun; the more light it gets, the more water it needs. Compost-rich, damp soil is ideal, and it tolerates wet spots. Deer and rabbits skip it, and the dried plumes can stand for fall texture.