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Even a shady lawn deserves to look lush
Perennials bring lasting colour and joy to gardens, but if your outdoor space doesn’t get much sun, it can be frustrating when plants fail to thrive. The good news? Plenty of shade-loving perennials are perfectly happy without full-day sunlight.
Whether you’re looking to fill a bare patch of ground underneath trees or add greenery to the north side of your house, knowing what to plant in the shade can be a game-changer, and shade-loving perennials are the perfect solution to fill these spaces. Many still boast the vibrant colours, intriguing textures, and fragrant blooms of their sun-loving counterparts, too.
Read on for our recommendations of the 30 best perennials to grow in the shade.
Blooming from late spring to early summer, this hybrid bloom is a mix between the Serbian and Adriatic bellflower varieties. Growing wide, but short (under a foot), this plant is traditionally used as a floral filler or groundcover throughout garden beds. Be sure to provide plenty of water, especially throughout the summer heatwaves.
Soil: Does well in normal to clay and sandy soils.
Boasting vibrant shades of pink and orange, this striking tri-colour willow plant (Salix integra 'Hakuro-nishiki') grows dense and quickly. Ideal as a colourful alternative to traditional evergreen privacy planting, this willow variety thrives in partial shade, growing up to 10 feet tall and wide.
Soil: Well-draining.
This wild pink plant will brighten any garden's shady spot. Blooming throughout the summer season, this plant thrives well into autumn temperatures. Plant this with your early spring bloomers to keep colour lasting all season long.
Soil: Well-draining soil rich with organic nutrients.
The violet liriope flower blooms well into late summer, especially when planted in the shade. The striped greenery adds lushness and plenty of cover to any bare patches, while the spike-like flowers attract friendly pollinators.
Soil: Moist soil in an area safe from flooding or pooling.
Dense and fragrant, this large geranium plant flowers vibrantly and is largely used as a pop of colour in ground cover. This plant is drought-tolerant, doing just as well in dry conditions as it does in the shade. Expect a bloom time of late spring to summer.
Soil: Well-draining, slightly dry/sandy.
While these perennials do well in the sun, they can also thrive in partial shade. Foxgloves produce eye-catching flowers in shades of pink, purple, white, and yellow that bloom in late spring to mid-summer. You'll often find them in cool, moist climates and along borders of gardens and wooded areas. Keep in mind that, while they’re beautiful and unique, they’re also highly toxic if ingested.
Soil: Moist but well-draining.
Comprised of delicate pale purple flowers, woodland phlox is another shade plant that can endure a bit of sun, too. Often grown as a ground cover, this plant creates a beautiful mat of blooms on the ground in mid-to-late spring. It's attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds.
Soil: Moist but well-draining.
Trillium plants produce things in threes — three large leaves, three-petaled flowers, and three sepals. Hence the name, which is derived from the Latin term for 'triple'. These plants thrive in shade and partial sun, though they can tolerate fully shaded areas. They’re beautiful in woodland gardens, but be warned that they are a favourite of deer and rabbits.
Soil: Moist but well-draining.
This pretty, low-growing shade plant (also known as hardy geranium) has a lovely, spicy mint scent. Its delicate flowers bloom in a range of colours, from purple and pink to white and blue. Bonus: It attracts butterflies and other pollinators.
Soil: Moist but well-draining.
Think of the toad lily as a shade-loving orchid — its unique, spotted flowers bloom in shades of white, purple, and pink. The toad lily will bloom in late summer to autumn, and it does best in fully shaded areas.
Soil: Moist but well-draining.
One look at this chartreuse plant and you’ll know why it’s called creeping Jenny. In the late spring, you can find little yellow flowers popping up from its stems that add even more colour to your garden. Just be aware that Jenny creeps quickly!
Soil: Moist but well-draining.
Vinca minor — which goes by a few names, including periwinkle or creeping myrtle — is a charming flowering plant that covers the ground. The dark green leaves are a beautiful contrast to its delicate purple petals, which appear in late spring and thrive in full shade.
Soil: Moist but well-draining.
The bell-shaped flowers of the Lily of the Valley are an iconic, traditional choice for bridal bouquets. The beautiful spring-flowering blooms produce a very strong floral scent, and are quick to spread, which is ideal if you adore the plant. If you want it in restricted areas, try between pavers or somewhere it can be easily contained.
Soil: Moist but well-draining.
Bletilla, also known as a hardy orchid, is a sturdy flowering plant that loves moisture. From late spring to early summer, expect to find the purple blooms opening up against their lance-shaped leaves. These shade perennials will tolerate mild morning sun and do best in temperate climates.
Soil: Moist but well-draining.
Beware: This shade-loving plant, with large and lush green leaves, looks beautiful under mature trees and in cool spots in your garden. Beware though: slugs and snails are particularly attracted to hostas. That being said, hostas are totally worth the effort, as they also attract hummingbirds with their tiny spikes of flowers, which bloom in mid-summer.
Soil: Moist but well-draining.
A bleeding heart is a shade plant that takes several years to show its stuff, so be patient, and you’ll be greatly rewarded with the striking blooms. Give the plant a lot of shade with some morning sun for the best results. The flowers can pop out in pure white, red, or pink, and typically appear in late spring.
Soil: Moist but well-draining.
Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra) is often referred to as 'Stripe It Rich', thanks to the white and golden stripes on its long leaves. This perennial lights up shady corners of your garden and produces delicate little flowers in the late summer, though they seldom show themselves from under the leaves.
Soil: Moist but well-draining.
Foam flower (Tiarella cordifolia) boasts beautiful pale pink spikes that appear in late spring against the plant’s heart-shaped leaves. The most intriguing part about this perennial is that when planted en masse, they resemble foam from a distance!
Soil: Moist but well-draining.
Lamium, or spotted dead nettle, is a low-maintenance and beautiful shade plant that boasts silvery green foliage and pale pink flowers. An excellent ground cover, Lamium tolerates the sun but does better in mostly shaded spots. The flowers can bloom in pink, white, or purple and will come alive in late spring to early summer.
Soil: Moist but well-draining.
Astilbe produces feathery flowers in shades of white and pink. They begin to bloom in late spring and continue throughout the summer, absolutely lighting up your shaded garden with vivid colours all through the season.
Soil: Moist but well-draining.
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