Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis)

One of the most popular of old-fashioned garden plants. Bleeding hearts are a bushy, upright mound of light green foliage, with a somewhat ferny appearance. Dangling white locket flowers are held on arching stems, and these are excellent for cutting. Performs best in a rich, moist soil with partial shade, or at least protection from hot afternoon sun.

After flowering, the plants should be sheared back to 6 inches tall, to rejuvenate the foliage. Even still, these often go completely dormant by midsummer, to return again the following spring.