Astilbe (Astilbe Chinensis)- Growing Astilbe seeds is a wonderful way to liven up shady areas with plumes of color. Astilbe Chinensis is the gardener's best friend for breaking up the monotony of various shades of green in the shady garden. Astilbe plants are strong, robust shade-lovers that produce extremely large pink plumes. They are quite tall plants, averaging around twelve to eighteen inches in total without flowers and with flowers they can grow as tall as 2 feet. Due to their graceful height they are often placed in areas of the garden that will use their height to advantage, such as a bordering plant or to line the side of a fence. Often known as Astilbe False Goat's Beard, this perennial is not a difficult plant to grow from flower seed as long as you know the soil, water, temperature, and sun requirements. For optimum growth, you should plant Astilbe in average soil in an area that gets good drainage. It's important that the soil has good drainage because excessively wet soil could cause the roots to rot away. These plants are not very resilient against excessive heat or sunlight, therefore the area that you plant your Astilbe in should ideally receive partial shade. Astilbe flower seeds are usually sown indoors in early spring and transplanted outside when the weather is warmer. Use a loose, soft soil mix, and plant the Astilbe seeds on the surface, pressing them into the soil. Make sure that the soil drains well and is able to keep the flower seeds moist, but not wet, at all times. For the best results, add in a little fertilizer that has a high concentration of nitrogen. Keep the Astilbe plants inside until the seedlings reach about 2 inches in height. Transplant after last frost.