The 8 Best Shade Perennials for Your Garden Creating a beautiful, interesting, textural shade garden can be challenging at best. Plus, for those who have an affection for flowering plants, this difficulty can be compounded as there are fewer flowering options that thrive in the shade. That's why Breck's carries an abundance of plants and flowers in a range of sizes, bloom times, colours and forms that deliver their unique brand of beauty to cool, shady spaces around the landscape or garden. Of course, some plants can easily tolerate some sun-”from dappled to direct-”which makes choosing your favourites a little simpler.
We've chosen some of our most popular shade perennials to highlight here. Some are suitable for part sun, while others require a fully darkened area in which to grow and thrive. We have selected some plants that flower readily, as well as some that do not bear blooms at all. Planted together, they can transform ho-hum gardens into beds that look as though they were designed by professional landscapers. We love to arrange low growers ahead of those varieties with some height, either with or without flowers, for a more dynamic horticultural display.
In fact, our test gardens include multifaceted showings of several shade loving varieties in a range of heights, foliage colours and flower shapes. They include those that grow in both part and full shade, as well as some that bloom in spring or summer, and those that do not bloom at all. For instance, we have beds that combine bleeding hearts with lily-of-the-valley for springtime fragrance and beauty. Others include foliage plants such as hostas alongside ferns or heuchera, as the blooms of hosta and heuchera are secondary to their striking foliage for which they are prized. For this article, we have selected eight of our favourite shade loving perennials to present. This is a diverse grouping that includes tall, shrublike varieties like dicentra and tricyrtis, spreading low growers like helleborus, hosta and heuchera, as well as woodland choices like astilbe, lily-of the-valley and ferns. We hope after reading this you will find these beautiful shady garden staples as lovely as we do and plant them generously in your landscape.
Hosta
Probably the most well-known (and well-loved) shade perennials on the market, Hostas come in an array of foliage colours, shapes and textures, from solid to variegated in hues of blue, yellow, green and even white. They make amazing displays along sun-dappled borders, flanking a shadowy entryway, or even in containers that can be moved around the property. Hosta range in size from the very small Mini Mouse varieties, to the huge, spreading clumps of Kingsize with leaves that reach almost 2 feet wide. Though most will happily tolerate some sun, White Feather Hosta requires full shade and brightens these dark areas with its bright white foliage. In summer, hosta plants produce tall scapes of lavender, yellow or white, bell-shaped flowers.
Astilbe
First introduced in Europe during the 19th century, this flowering shade perennial produces stately plumes of colour that resemble the blooms of the popular spirea bush. Astilbe is a favourite of gardeners, both professional and amateur, as well as a go-to for summertime floral arrangements. Still a must-have in American and Dutch gardens, they are very easy to grow and require little to no care or maintenance once they establish themselves in the landscape. Available in a variety of bloom colours as well as foliage hues, they make an excellent addition to darkened borders, foundation beds and along tree lines. The flower colours are vibrant during the growing season, and they dry beautifully to be used in indoor arrangements or décor. Tidy mounds of incised foliage add gorgeous colour and textural interest to any shadowed site.
Ferns
Woodland areas can be among the most difficult sites to enhance with perennial plants. They are often quite rugged in nature and offer little open soil space in which plants can take hold and thrive. But a planting of Ferns is the perfect way to add softness, rich colour and unique texture to these somewhat unwelcoming areas. Our selection of ferns includes varieties that perform well in full or part shade, dry or moist soils and come in a range of shades, shapes and sizes. True ferns are non-flowering, but we proudly present a few plants with fern-like foliage that bear beautiful, pure white or bright pink blooms.
Heuchera
Native to North America, herbaceous Heuchera are wonderful shade plants that have a very versatile constitution, usually tolerating sun or shade. Though they do bear tiny, delicate blooms on whisper-thin scapes, heuchera (also known as Coral Bells) is most often used as a foliage plant. Its vibrant colour palettes range from deep purple to bright pink or warm caramel-gold. These beautiful perennials do quite well in dappled border beds, as a woodland accent or in decorative pots. You may also choose varieties that bear mid-sized leaves and a moderate spread of 1 to 2 feet, or select one of the extra-large cultivars with huge foliage and spreads that reach up to an astonishing 4 feet wide.
Lily of the Valley
For a charming accent to springtime beds, consider a liberal planting of fragrant Lily of the Valley. Tiny, white, bell-shaped blooms dangle delicately amid rich green foliage. They spread nicely, quickly creating a sumptuous display under trees, tucked under shrubbery or along shadowy borders. Though they do tolerate up to full sun sites, they grow better and are more likely to thrive in part to full shade. Lily-of-the-Valley requires little to no care and is deer resistant. We love to layer these lovely little lilies ahead of taller shade perennials such as dicentra or tricyrtis. They are also suitable for forcing indoors. An all-around great little plant!
Toad Lilies
We love tricyrtis, also known as Toad Lilies, for their statuesque stems accented with emerald green foliage and tons of tiny, orchid like blooms that appear in the landscape from midsummer to the middle part of fall. The plants grow up to 3 feet tall and look great as a border accent behind hostas or heuchera. Plus, because they are late bloomers, their flowers appear just as other plants are losing their blooms to the heat. The tiny flowers come in a range of colours from bright purple and pink to lively white or sunny yellow. The one thing they have in common is the charming spots that adorn each small bloom. Though they thrive in shade, they can also grow nicely in dappled sunlight.
Bleeding Heart
Dicentra, or Bleeding Heart, is a traditional shade favourite that has been around for many decades-¦ and for good reason. Unique, heart shaped flowers dangle lovingly from graceful, arching sprays during the early weeks of spring. Modern cultivars of dicentra bear yellow, white or red flowers, as well as the classic pink blooms, and all variations give a dainty yet colourful look to shaded sites like dappled borders or shadowy beds. The cool green foliage covers tall, willowy plants that spread beautifully and naturalize readily. This habit makes Bleeding Heart a fantastic choice for a specimen planting in a darkened area of the landscape. Even after the flowers fade, the oakleaf shape of the foliage offers a great backdrop to later-blooming perennials.
Hellebores
For an a very early spring pop of colour and beauty, you can't go wrong with Hellebores. In milder areas of the U.S., hellebores will even bloom in winter! Also called Lenten Rose, these graceful evergreen plants bear single or double blooms in a wide array of colours during the very early days of spring. The plants often push up through snow to make themselves seen. We love them because no matter where they are planted, whether in shady sites or beneath deciduous trees where they receive more sunlight, the blooms appear healthy, full and bold. Plus, the rich foliage remains attractive throughout the entire year. Resistant to animal pests such as deer and rabbits, hellebores require no special care or extra maintenance. Check out Breck's exclusive Wow! ® Hellebore hybrids that are taller, stronger and up to twice the size of traditional hellebore blooms. Now that you have read about all eight of our favourite shade lovers, we are sure you have plenty of ideas on where you can display these delightful perennials. Remember that Breck's offers only big, healthy plants and bulbs that are fully backed by our No-Risk Guarantee. So, you can shop confidently, knowing we have your back.