I just snapped this photo of the South African Asparagus fern, Asparagus virgatus, in the garden. This is one of my favorite hardy foliage plants. Not only does it provide a nice foil for bolder foliage, but it grows in sun or light shade, and doesn’t go dormant until mid-January. The white flowers are tiny, but you can enjoy the late fall red berries without a hand lens. Did I mention this is what the florists sell as filler for cut flower arrangements? Now you can grow your own…this is just one great multi-purpose plant. I don’t know anyone growing this outdoors in a colder zone, but it didn’t miss a blink at 5 degrees F. last winter.