Shade gardens can pose a challenge in that they can be hard to brighten up once the spring ephemerals have passed. One plant that is very useful for this is goatsbeard. A native of damp mountainous woodlands, goatsbeard is found all across the Northern Hemisphere. Its creamy white plumes in late May into early June are a welcome addition along with the astilbes, which they somewhat resemble.
While native goatsbeard can be too big for suburban gardens at five to six feet tall, there are two smaller versions perfect for tight spaces.