Name: Tiarella cordifolia ‘Spring Symphony’ (aka foamflower)
Type of Plant: A perennial plant for shade and part shade, hardy in zones 3 – 9.
Why I love this: Among the dozens of Tiarella varieties that are available, this remains my favorite. The plants stay in tidy clumps so don’t take any work keeping them from overwhelming the garden. The foliage remains attractive after flowering, and the period of bloom is at least two months long, sometimes even longer. This the perfect plant to pair with hosta as the foliage will contrast and the early flowering of the Tiarella will add color and interest to the spring and early summer garden.
A Word to the Wise: Because these plants don’t spread you’ll want to plant them in groups of five or more in order to make a good show and to provide enough ground-coverage to keep weeds at bay. Plant them about a foot apart in puddles of several plants.
In milder winters this foamflower will be semi-evergreen and the leaves turn a burgundy color. After the flowering stops, deadhead this plant by shearing the old flower stems off. Sometimes this even stimulates new blossoms!
The white ‘Spring Symphony’ flowers are brushed with pink, and are quite long lasting for an early season perennial.
The delicate foliage and flowers of this Tiarella contrast nicely with the heavier leaves of hosta.
