The best shade-loving plants include hostas, ferns, astilbes, and heucheras. These thrive in low light, adding lush foliage and vibrant blooms to shady garden spots.
Many gardens contain shaded areas where sun-loving plants won’t flourish. But don’t despair: plenty of shade-tolerant varieties exist that thrive under cover.
When selecting plants for shade, the key factor is understanding your existing shade type – there are different kinds available:
- Light shade means having shade for all or most of the day;
- Partial shade means plants receive sun for some of their days;
- Dappled shade results from the light filtering through overhead foliage.
Your soil condition in a shady spot must also be considered, as damp or dry soil conditions will determine which plants you can grow there since those suitable for dry shade differ significantly from those suited to damp shade conditions.
The 20 Best Shade-Loving Plants:
When selecting plants for shade areas, keep in mind that too much darkness can leave an otherwise serene space looking dull and dismal. Use dark green hues as background structure and texture instead to liven the space up with pale pastel colors such as white, cream, pale yellow, lilac, light mauve, and pale pink for maximum impact – or add variegated plants for splashes of cream, yellow and white that stand out more.
1. Stinking Iris/ Foetidissima Iris
Wood spurge and Iris foetidissima (Stinking Iris) thrive in full shade conditions beneath trees, featuring evergreen foliage with dull purple-green flowers that bloom throughout summer, before breaking open in autumn to reveal rows of orange-red seeds that remain well into winter – both plants receiving recognition by Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit (AGM).
Height x Spread: 75cm and 45cm
2. Wood Spurge
Wood spurge (Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae) is one of the loveliest varieties of spurge, boasting lime-green flowers on dark green leaves from late spring onwards. Perfect for dry shade environments like woodland borders or beneath trees; left unchecked it may become invasive; thus earning this variety an Award of Garden Merit from Royal Horticultural Society in recognition of this quality.
H x S: 70cm x 1m
3. Snowdrop
Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) bloom from December until February when daffodils first bloom, making an impressive statement at the end of wintertime and beginning daffodil season. Their heavy, moist soil environment ensures them plenty of food until finally being uprooted by their own volition or being awarded by Royal Horticultural Society with their esteemed Award of Garden Merit (AGM) status.
H x S: 15cm x 8cm
4. Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis)
Eranthis Hyemalis Is An Ideal Shade Plant Eranthis Hyemalis forms dense clumps which eventually blossom with masses of brilliant yellow blooms during January and February, preferring damp shade conditions in damp borders or woodland gardens and even receiving the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit from that organization!
H x S: 10cm x 5cm
5. Bellflower
Campanula lactiflora, commonly referred to as bellflower, thrives in shade. From summer through autumn this cultivar produces clusters of purple-blue bell-shaped blooms atop heart-shaped green leaves – ideal for planting at the back of borders and cottage garden planting schemes and drawing pollinators such as bees into your space! There’s a reason so many varieties of bellflower thrive – their blooms attract bees and other pollinators and they draw them towards its blooms which attract bees and pollinators species to attract pollinators such as bees as they draw them in through borders or cottage garden planting schemes while drawing pollinators interest to bring life and diversity into any space! It draws them in with its blooms drawing bees into gardens which gives way to endless variety; their flowers attract bees into gardens!
H x S: 80cm x 60cm
6. Foxglove
Digitalis purpurea) Foxglove Our native Digitalis purpurea thrives under both partial shade and direct sunlight conditions, boasting many cultivars with various flower colors and shapes, but most thrive under partial or direct sun conditions.
H x S: 1.5m x 45cm
7. Granny’s Bonnet
Granny’s Bonnet Aquilegia flabellata Aquilegia are charming cottage garden plants with bonnet-shaped blooms that thrive in partial shade conditions, like those produced by Aquilegia flabellata’s compact mound of waxy grey-green foliage and nodding blue blooms that flourish beneath. As recognition for this outstanding performance, The Royal Horticultural Society awarded Aquilegia flabellata an AGM.
H x S: 30cm x 15cm
8. Bleeding Heart
Bleeding Heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis), known by its scientific name Dicentra, has pink-red heart-shaped blooms with white tips that hang from arching flower stems from late spring through early summer, creating beautiful arched flower stalks. Growing well in light, damp shade conditions it looks beautiful in clusters among shrubs. In recognition of its worthiness the Royal Horticultural Society awarded it their Award of Garden Merit (AGM).
H x S: 60cm x 45cm
9. Lungwort Pulmonaria Angustifolia
Lungwort, Pulmonaria angustifolia Pulmonaria is commonly referred to by its mottled leaves that resemble lung-like tissue. Different varieties produce different leaf markings which come into full flower when newly emerging after flowering in mid-spring, making this groundcover plant especially useful in shady borders and groundcover applications. Their funnel-shaped flowers come in shades of blue violet pink purple red white.
H x S: 50cm x 50cm
10. Siberian Bugloss
Brunnera macrophylla is the perfect plant to add some shaded gardens. Boasting mid-green, heart-shaped leaves with forget-me-not-like blooms on tall stems, Brunnera makes a striking accent alongside other shade-tolerant varieties, especially woodland borders.
H x S: 45cm x 45cm
11. Lords-and-Ladies
Lords-and-Ladies or Arum maculatum is an attractive native woodland perennial which thrives under trees and shrubs, boasting attractive spring flowers as well as clusters of dark red berries that add visual interest.
H x S: 45cm x 45cm
12. Cranesbill Geraniums
Cranesbill Geranium phaeum Numerous species of cranesbill geranium thrive in shade environments. Dusky Cransbill Geranium phaeum stands out as particularly shade-tolerant and quickly forms a dense mat of deep green deeply lobed leaves with distinctive purple blotches near its center, from which nodding purple flowers with yellow centers bloom from late spring into early summer on tall stems.
H x S: 90cm x 50cm
13. Helleborus ‘Garden Red’
Winter bloomers of the cottage garden, hellebores are perennial favorites that thrive in dry shade conditions, producing large clusters of saucer-shaped flowers in white, pink, green, mauve, or smoky purple hues – including single red blooms like the one seen here from Helleborus ‘Garden Red’ (pictured here).
H x S: 30cm x 30cm
14. Gill Richardson
Astrantia major ‘Gill Richardson’ Astrantia perennials make excellent shade plants. They prefer moist soil conditions but will tolerate dry conditions as long as mulched regularly – Astrantia major ‘Gill Richardson’ in particular boasts large cherry red flowers!
H x S: 90cm x 25cm
15. Cyclamen Coum
Cyclamen coum is an elegant perennial that blooms from late winter into early spring with delicate silver-lined dark green leaves, producing vibrant blooms of white, pink and red flowers in shades ranging from late winter through spring. Perfect for partial shade areas near shrubs or trees or naturalizing in grass – Royal Horticultural Society awarded Cyclamen their Award of Garden Merit (AGM).
H x S: 8cm x 10cm
16. Astilbe ‘Ellie’
False goatsbeard Astilbe ‘Ellie’ is well known for its extravagant plumes of showy blooms over its lush fern-like foliage, adding height and color in any shady corner of any room.
H x S: 60cm x 45cm
17. Solomon’s Seal (Polgonatum x hybridum)
Solomon’s Seal (Polgonatum x hybridum), is an old cottage garden plant widely recognized for its graceful arching stems with paired oval leaves and delicate bell-shaped blooms that bloom late spring through early summer. Ideal for partially shaded borders and woodland planting schemes alike; especially attractive when combined with corydalis or bleeding heart for an eye-catching combination effect.
H x S: 1.25m x 30cm
18. Meconopsis ‘Slieve Donard’
Meconopsis baileyi (Himalayan Poppy), is known to produce exquisite bowl-shaped blue flowers with yellow centers from late spring until early summer. When grown en masse they create an unforgettable spectacle and do well when grown in moist neutral to acid soil located partially shaded environments; even receiving the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit (AGM).
H x S: 1.2m x 45cm
19. Heuchera Palace Purple
Heuchera Palace Purple’ is an attractive mound-forming plant perfect for light shade environments. There are various cultivars of Heuchera to choose from with unique colors and forms; some species prefer moist environments than others.
H x S: 50cm x 40cm
20. Ivy (Hedera Helix)
Our experience shows that English Ivy, an evergreen climber that thrives in shade conditions, is an easy choice to grow in shaded areas. Ivy can cover walls and be trained up or spread out along low walls while its evergreen qualities also make it perfect for covering pergola poles or providing a lush background for climbing roses and clematis vines. Boston Ivy may provide another alternative.
W x H: 10m