Perennials for Shade
Brighten Shady Spots with a Shade Perennial Garden
Think a dark, shady corner of your yard can’t be lively or beautiful? Think again! A shade perennial garden can transform dull, dim spaces into vibrant areas full of color, texture and life.
Understanding Shade
Many perennials thrive with as little as four hours of sunlight per day and some plants, like ferns, need even less. But sunlight isn’t the only factor to consider when designing your shade garden.
- Time of day matters: Two hours of intense afternoon sun can be harsher than six hours of gentle morning sun. Afternoon sun is stronger, causing faster moisture loss from the soil, which can stress shade-loving plants.
- Type of shade:
- Full shade: Little direct sunlight but lots of ambient light. Think north-facing walls or heavily wooded areas. Plants like Hostas, Lilies of the Valley and Bleeding Hearts thrive here.
- Moderate or part shade: About four hours of sunlight per day; some plants, like Columbine, do well in part shade.
- Light shade/part sun: Minimum four hours of sun, but the plant will flourish with more light.
Popular Shade Perennials
A well-planned shade garden can include a variety of textures, colors and bloom times. Here are some tried-and-true options:
Full Shade / Deep Shade Plants:
- Aconitum – Monkshood
- Aegopodium – Goutweed
- Ajuga – Bugleweed
- Anemone – Windflower
- Aruncus – Goatsbeard
- Astilbe – False Spirea
- Bergenia – Japanese Sedge
- Ceratostigma – Plumbago or Leadwort
- Cimicifuga – Bugbane or Snakeroot
- Convallaria – Lily of the Valley
- Dicentra – Bleeding Heart
- Digitalis – Foxglove
- Divaricata Epimedium – Barrenwort
- Ferns
- Filipendula – Meadow-Sweet or Dropwort
- Galium – Sweet Woodruff
- Helleborus – Christmas or Lenten Rose
- Hemerocallis – Daylily
- Heuchera – Coral Bells
- Heucherella
- Hosta – Plantain Lily
- Houttuynia
- Kirengeshoma
- Lamium – Dead Nettle or White Nancy
- Liriope – Lilyturf
- Lobelia – Cardinal Flower
- Lupinus – Lupine
- Myosotis – Forget-Me-Nots
- Phlox – Stolonifera
Part Shade Plants:
- Alchemilla – Lady’s Mantle
- Brunnera – False Forget-Me-Not
- Ligularia
- Phlox divaricata
- Phlox stolonifera
- Physostegia – False Dragon Head
- Polemonium – Jacob’s Ladder
- Pulmonaria – Lungwort
- Tradescantia – Spiderwort
Tips for a Thriving Shade Garden
- Soil Preparation: Mix a generous amount of Bumper Crop or other organic material into your soil.
- Mulching: Apply about three inches of mulch, but be careful not to cover the crowns of your perennials. Mulch helps retain moisture and keeps roots cool.
- Choose the Right Plant for the Right Spot: Even shade-loving perennials have preferences for soil, moisture and light levels. Observing your garden’s conditions ensures success.
- Routine Care: Remove dead foliage, divide crowded plants and check for pests or diseases regularly.
A barren, shady corner doesn’t have to be boring. With a shade perennial garden, you can turn even the dimmest areas of your property into a lush, colorful retreat. Choose the right plants, prepare your soil and enjoy a garden that thrives in the shade!