Shade Loving Perennials

Here is a list of some shade loving perennials with their common name, zone, height and width, as well as a brief description. Many of these perennials do best in partial shade but some do well in full shade. Some perennials in this list also do great in dry shade, as well as on slopes and in acidic soil. Others do well in wet, boggy areas. Make sure you read labels and know where you intend to plant before you purchase. This is not an extensive list but should give you a good place to start.

Astilbe

Zone 4

H:35" x W:23"

Full/Part Shade

Medium green ferny foliage; attractive all season; pink flower spikes in summer. Can be left to stand in winter snow for interest.

Jack Frost - Siberian Bugloss

Zone 3

H:17" x W:17"

Full/Part Shade

Heart shaped, silver frosted green leaves; attractive until freeze - up. Wiry stems of small,sky blue flowers in spring. 

Hot Lips - Turtlehead

Zone 4

H:23" x W:17"

Full Sun/Part Shade

Bronze flushed, shiny green leaves. Spikes of rose pink flowers in late summer.


New Hampshire Purple Cranesbill

Zone 4

H:17" x W:23"

Full Sun/Part Shade

Spreading mats of finely cut leaves turn crimson in fall. Bright magenta leaves in summer. Lovely flowers.

Aspen Gold Hosta

Zone 3

H:17" x W:35"

Full/Part Shade

Puckered, bright gold leaves; spikes of pale lavender - white flowers in mid summer.

Miss Manners - Obedient Plant

Zone 3

H:29" x W:23"

Full Sun/Part Shade

Clump forming green leaves; tall, wand - like spikes of white flowers in late summer. Attracts butterflies and other pollinators.

Coral Bells

Zone 3

H: 18" x W:18"

Part Shade

Many varieties. Bright chartreuse, variegated green or dark purple. Beautiful ruffled foliage with sprays of delicate flowers in summer. Great for containers.

Brunnera

Zone 3

H: 24" x W: 18"

Part Shade

Amazing foliage for shade gardens. Frosted heart shaped leaves; some varieties bloom delicate, light blue flowers that resemble forget - me - nots.

Monkshood

Zone 3

H: 36 - 60" x W: 24"

Part Shade

Beautiful perennial; resembles delphinium. Dark blue, purple, pink or white flowers on tall, sturdy stalks. Poisonous to people and animals if ingested. Great for back of border or against fences. Easy to transplant and harvest seeds.


Ligularia - the Rocket

Zone 3

H: 36 - 60" X W: 24 - 36"

Part Shade

Interesting large, jagged leaves with thick stalks of small yellow flowers that shoot out from centre, along stem. Does well in moist, boggy areas.

Maidenhair Fern

Zone 3

H: 24" x W: 24"

Full/Part Shade

Low growing, fine textured fern. Great to lighten darker spots in garden and soften hard edges. Easy to use as container plant and then put back in ground before winter.Needs some protection from harsh winds.

Bugbane

Zone 3

H: 36 -48" x W: 24"

Part Shade

Dark purple lacy foliage with stalks of light, baby pink, tiny flowers which bees love. Great for middle to back of border.

Lilly of the Valley

Zone 3

H: 6" x W: 12"

Full/Part Shade - Dry Shade

An aggressive spreader. Great woodland perennial; groundcover; perfect for dry, shady areas. Lovely scented white, dainty, bell shaped blooms hanging from delicate stems. Large, green, spear shaped leaves. Perfect for woodland gardens and in acidic soil.

Annabelle Hydrangea

Zone 3 - 4

H: 36 - 48" x W: 48 - 60"

Part Shade

Chartreuse leaves; enormous white blossoms. Blooms from mid - late summer until end of fall. May require staking. Needs some sun and enough moisture to bloom. Dry flower heads can be left on during winter.

Joe Pye Weed

Zone 3

H: 8' x W: 36"

Part Shade

Tall perennial.Blooms late summer with large puff of frothy pink flowers. Attracts bees and butterflies. Likes wet boggy areas but not deep shade.

Creeping Jenny

Zone 3

H: 2" x W: 24"+

Part Shade

Perennial Groundcover; great for retaining moisture in shade gardens. Spreads easily; green variety blooms yellow blossoms in early summer. Golden variety contrasts well with other plant foliage; brings light to dark spaces; good for eroding soil issues.

Bergenia

Zone 3

H: 25" x w: 24"+

Part Shade/Dry Shade

Large, glossy, evergreen foliage; Large stalks with beautiful flowers in spring. No cutting back in fall or spring required as leaves are evergreen. However, it can be tidied by cutting off tattered leaves which will regrow. Prefers poor quality soil and dry, shaded areas.

Lady's Mantle

Zone 3

H: 18" x W: 18"

Part Shade

Beautiful ruffled leaves emerge in spring, followed by sprays of yellow flowers in midsummer. Flowers are good for bouquets. Great plant for brightening up dark areas in the garden and softening hard edges.

Lungwort

Zone 4

H: 11" x W: 11"

Full/Part Shade

Mounding, silver spotted, white edged, mint green leaves. Clusters of purple/pink bells held above foliage in cluster; blooms in spring.


Purple Emperors Stonecrop

Zone 3

H: 11" x W: 17"

Full Sun/Part Shade

Compact branching form with burgundy foliage; pink flower heads bloom in late summer.Can be left to stand in snow for added winter interest.

Degroot's Spire Cedar

Zone 4

H: 9ft. x W:19"

Full Sun/Part Shade

Narrow columnar form with evergreen sprays of dark, fern shaped foliage. Adds great structure and interest to garden all year. Also great for providing shelter and habitat for wild life.

Ostrich Fern

Zone 3

H: 36" x W: 12"

Full/Part Shade

Lush, full, feathery fronds of green foliage. Will spread; can easily be transplanted. Looks best in spring and early summer. Cut back in fall.

Bugleweed

Zone 3

H: 2" x W: 24"+

Full/Part Shade

Great ground cover; not picky about soil. Purple foliage, blooms short sprays of blueish, purple flowers that attract bees. Shallow roots make it easy to divide. Easy to maintain, does well under spruce trees.

Sweet Woodruff

Zone 3

H: 8" x W: 24"+

Full/Part Shade

Woodland perennial ground cover. Delicate, shiny green, star shaped foliage. TIny, white, fragrant flowers in spring. Spreads to fill spaces but allows for other plants to grow through it. Easy to transplant. 

Snow and Sapphires - Jacobs Ladder

Zone 3

H: 23" x W: 11"

Full Sun/Part Shade

Clump forming, dark green leaflets edged in white. Airy, branching spikes of rich, violet blue flowers in spring.

Bleeding Heart

Zone 3

H: 1 - 3ft. x W: 2 - 3ft.

Part Shade

Beautiful woodland perennial does well in acidic and neutral soil types; moist, well drained. Reaches it's maximum size in about 60 days; toxic to people and pets so take care where planting. Blooms in springtime with heart shaped flowers hanging from arched, delicate stems; blooms in pink, white or red. 

I hope this brief list gives you a good idea of some shade loving perennials that you can use in your shade garden. All gardens can be beautiful and lush, even those that are in more shaded areas. Once you get to know some of these perennials a bit better, you will begin to get a feel for where and how to place them in your garden. Shade gardens can be a lovely, relaxing oasis of peace and tranquility for you and for the surrounding wild life. If you have some shady spots in your yard, you're lucky! What a treat it will be to create something lush and full of color and life! Join me on my future posts where we'll learn about garden design and even take a tour of some of my favorite gardens in the area. Until then, Happy gardening!