Tricyrtis 'Gilt Edge'

Tricyrtis 'Gilt Edge' looks so exotic, with its combination of big, creamy-edged leaves and exquisite spotted pink blooms, that nobody need know it's a cinch to grow. Tricyrtis 'Gilt Edge' is a shade- and moisture-loving toad lily, ready to flower for weeks during the dull late summer to early fall season when the garden is at one of those awkward "in between" stages.

Tricyrtis 'Gilt Edge' is showier than most formosa toad lilies, with long, elegant leaves the size of dollar bills, jaggedly edged in a creamy yellow that varies leaf by leaf. Vigorous and attractive all season, it doesn't "brown out" toward the end of summer, as some toad lilies will, but stays as fresh and clean as though the leaves were newly unfurled. The blooms may remind you of orchids. Just an inch across, they stand out brilliantly, their deep pink petals merrily spotted in deep purple. Expect them to keep coming for several weeks, offering a terrific color show in the garden.

Plant Tricyrtis 'Gilt Edge' in the shade garden, giving it more sun in the North than in the South. It will colonize readily if you allow it room, so clear a wide area and get ready to watch this toad lily make itself at home. A good companion to ferns and hostas, it reaches 20 to 24 inches tall and up to 30 inches wide in evenly moist (not boggy or wet) soil. If you're planting more than one, space them about 2 feet apart to give them room to spread. Hardy in Zones 4-8.