Written by Paige Vandiver
Whether you have a shady spot picked out in your backyard to plant your perfect garden oasis (where you will sip on iced tea while finishing your favorite book, of course), or just a bald north-facing bed that needs some love, we have you covered with some shade-loving perennials that are sure to bring some pizzazz to your space.
There are many plants to choose from, but we decided to show you a few that we are partial to that are great for both novice and very experienced gardeners. Ideally, you’ll want to choose a variety of different plants to give your garden some texture, some foliage, and some vivid blooms.
Hostas: The Shade-Loving Classic
Let’s start with a classic! Hostas are a fantastic choice for a shady garden and, depending on the type, is also a good option for ground cover. They range in color from yellow to blueish green and in mid-summer they produce cream-colored flowers on leggy stems.
Hostas are hardy plants that prefer full to partial shade. They are quite drought-tolerant, but they do like moist soil – especially during the hottest summer days. If you find your hostas have spread more than you’d like, you can dig some out by sections and share with your neighbors and friends.
Other perennials to bring out the green in your north-facing shade garden:
- Dryopteris erythrosora (Autumn fern)
- Hakonechloa (Japanese forest grass)
- Alchemilla (Lady’s mantle)
- Acorus gramineus (Japanese sweet flag)
Digitalis (Foxglove): Tall, Proud, and Colorful
If you are looking for a flowering perennial to brighten up your garden, look no further than Foxgloves! These towering plants are impressively tall and beautiful with their pastel colored flowers that are shaped like megaphones which seem to be shouting that they are the star of the show.
Foxgloves are originally biennials that take a year off and then bloom during the second year (and are worth the wait), but many varieties are now perennials. These flowers are toxic when ingested, so they may not be the best choice for a kid-friendly garden.
Heuchera – Coral Bells: What Hummingbirds Love
Coral Bells are a stunning addition to a shade garden if you are partial to impressive foliage and lovely, colorful blooms that add texture to your space. These hummingbird attractors are sure to add some “wow” to your shady spaces, especially when planted in groups so the small blooms become more showy.
You can count on coral bells to be reliable plants that don’t require too much care. They love partial shade but can also grow in full sun. It’s best to ensure you keep them watered when they are first planted, but they are pretty low-maintenance after that.
Other perennials that will give your shady places some pops of color:
- Dicentra (Bleeding Heart)
- Astilbe
- Mertensia virginica (Virginia bluebells)
- Hydrangea petiolaris
We’d love to know what kind of plants you decide to grow in your shade garden oasis! We’ve got a solid selection of shade-loving perennials to choose from and we have curb-side pickup so that you and your family stay safe while making this your best gardening year yet!
Check out our product list for ordering Curbside Pickup!
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