Colorful Shade Garden Bed with Chinese Ground Orchid

Every stem of Chinese ground orchid has 12 blooms that flower from mid- to late spring followed by green seedheads that age to brown as they mature.

Chinese ground orchid pops in spring with brunnera and astilbe

The tropical elegance of Chinese ground orchid (Bletilla striata) is sure to stand out in a mixed planting like this and bring early season interest to your garden. Try this colorful combo to brighten up your shady beds and borders.

Chinese ground orchid’s vibrant blooms and ‘Emerald Mist’ brunnera’s blue flowers and silvery foliage bring early-season excitement in this mixed planting. When the blooms fade by midsummer, both plants’ leaves persist until the first frost.

After the spring show, delicate feathery plumes of ‘Maggie Daley’ astilbe sustain the color through the summer in this enchanting shade garden trio.

Chinese ground orchid, astilbe and brunnera bring color and texture to a shady spot in this garden plan.

Meet the plants in this shade garden bed

A) Chinese ground orchid (Bletilla striata)
Pseudobulb; small, orchidlike pink-purple flowers from mid- to late spring; 12 to 18 in. tall, 6 to 12 in. wide; part shade; cold hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9

B) Astilbe (Astilbe chinensis ‘Maggie Daley’)
Perennial; pink-lavender plumes bloom in mid- to late summer; 24 to 28 in. tall, 16 to 20 in. wide; full sun to full shade; cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9

C) Brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla ‘Emerald Mist’)
Perennial; airy blue flowers bloom above variegated foliage in early to midspring; 12 to 15 in. tall and wide; full to part shade; cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8

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