Bigroot Geranium
One of the toughest plants that grow in the shade garden, bigroot geranium (Geranium macrorrhizum)
doesn't mind heat or drought. And, deer and rabbits typically pass it
by in search of tastier morsels. This shade plant puts on a spring show
with pink or white flowers; some varieties also offer outstanding fall coloration in their woodsy-scented foliage. Bigroot geranium is hardy in Zones 4-8 and grows 2 feet tall.
Toad Lily
Put on a fall show with shade plant toad lily (Tricyrtis).
This easy-to-grow perennial offers unique flowers that are often
compared to orchids. Many are spotted with shades of purple or blue.
Ajuga
This topnotch groundcover is grown mainly for its foliage, but also has pretty flowers. Ajuga
produces glossy, dark green leaves and springtime spikes of blue
flowers. Select varieties of this shade plant offer dark purple or
variegated foliage, or pink or white flowers. Ajuga grows best in Zones
3-9 and grows only 6 inches tall.
Old-Fashioned Bleeding Heart
There's little wonder why old-fashioned bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis)
is a favorite of plants that grow in shade. In late spring and early
summer, it produces pink or white heart-shaped flowers that hang from
elegant, arching stems. This top-notch shade plant is hardy in Zones 3-9
and grows up to 4 feet tall.
Hosta
Hostas are among the showiest and easy-to-grow
perennial plants that grow in shade. They also offer the most variety
of any of the multiple shade plants. Choose from miniatures that stay
only a couple of inches wide or giants that sprawl 6 feet across or
more. Look for leaves in shades of green, blue, white, chartreuse, and
gold, with many cultivars being variegated. Some hosta flowers are very
fragrant. Hostas are hardy in Zones 3-8.
Lungwort
A great plant with an unfortunate name, lungwort (Pulmonaria)
earned its moniker from the silvery, lung-shaped spots that dot the
foliage of these plants that grow in shade. The variegated foliage looks
great all season long, but is an especially nice accent to the clusters
of pink, white, or blue flowers in spring. Lungwort grows best in Zones
4-8 and reaches 1 foot tall.
Yellow Corydalis
This hard-working perennial plant that grows in shade takes the prize for being the longest bloomer in the sheltered garden.
Enjoy its clusters of yellow flowers from late spring all the way to
frost. It's not just the flowers that are beautiful; the gray-green
leaves of these shade plants are attractive as well. The plant grows
about 12 inches tall and is hardy in Zones 5-8.
Lamium
Starting in mid-spring, Lamium produces
clusters of pink or white flowers. This delightful groundcover can
rebloom off and on through the summer, creating months of color.
And even when its not blooming, the silver-infused foliage of these
shade plants brighten up shady corners. Lamium usually stays about 8
inches tall and grows best in Zones 4-8.
Epimedium
An under-used plant that grows in shade that deserves a lot more attention, Epimedium
has it all when it comes to shade plants. The groundcover blooms in
spring in shades of red, orange, yellow, pink, purple, or white; it
tolerates dry shade; and it's deer- and rabbit resistant. Some varieties
are evergreen in mild-winter areas; others offer good fall color. Most types grow best in Zones 5-9 and reach about 1 foot tall.
Brunnera
In spring, shade gardens sparkle with the sky-blue flowers of Brunnera.
When not in bloom, its large, robustly textured leaves continue to look
great -- especially if you grow a variegated type of these shade
plants. While the plant is often short-lived, it does tend to self-seed,
becoming a long-term presence in the garden.
Hellebore
Hellebore (Helleborus), also called Christmas
rose, is one of the earliest bloomers of plants that grow in shade.
Look for its burgundy, pink, cream, green, or white flowers in late
winter or early spring. Although it looks delicate, the Christmas rose
is quite sturdy once it gets established. And, it's deer- and
rabbit-resistant. Hellebore grows best in Zones 4-8 and grows 12 inches
tall.
Astilbe
Enjoy the feathery plumes of Astilbe in
early summer. This tough perennial blooms in shades of burgundy, red,
pink, lavender, and white. In addition to the attractive flowers, these
shade plants have finely cut foliage, which in many varieties is flushed
with bronze. Astilbe grows best in Zones 4-8 and can reach up to 4 feet
tall, depending on variety.
Japanese Painted Fern
It's tough to imagine lovelier shade plants than Japanese painted ferns (Athyrium niponicum var. pictum).
This beauty offers fronds liberally dappled with silver, burgundy, and
green. Plus, it's a low-growing, slow-spreading plant that grows in
shade. And, deer and rabbits usually leave it alone. It grows best in
Zones 5-8 and gets about 12 inches tall.
Wild Ginger
Hailing from the woodlands of North America, wild ginger (Asarum canadense) is one tough shade plant. It produces fuzzy, heart-shaped leaves that look great from spring to fall.
And, it's rarely bothered by deer and rabbits. This slow grower
eventually forms an impressive clump. It grows best in Zones 2-8 and
reaches 6 inches tall.
Japanese Forestgrass
Japanese forestgrass (Hakonechloa macra)
is a wonderful grass for plants that grow in shade. It offers a lovely
waterfall-like habit and variegated varieties have bight gold, yellow,
or white in the foliage. In fall, the leaves of these shade plants
usually pick up beautiful reddish tones. It grows best in Zones 5-9 and
grows a foot tall.
Lilyturf
Lilyturf (Liriope) is an easy-to-grow
favorite shade plant. Loved for its grassy foliage and spikes of blue or
white flowers in late summer, as well as its resistance to deer and
rabbits, lilyturf is practically a plant-it-and-forget garden resident. It grows best in Zones 5-10 and grows a foot tall.
Monkshood
Monkshood (Aconitum) is a noteworthy
plant that grows in shade because it blooms in late summer, when most
other shade bloomers have finished. Plus, it's deer- and
rabbit-resistant. Named for its drooping blue flowers that resemble the
hood on a monk's robe, this lovely shade plant is an easy, under-used
plant. It grows best in Zones 3-7 and grows up to 6 feet tall.
Fern-Leaf Bleeding Heart
Fern-leaf bleeding heart (Dicentra eximia and D. formosa) look beautiful all season. These shade plants bloom on and off from spring to fall
(if they get enough moisture during hot, dry periods), producing
delicate clusters of pink, red, or white flowers. Even when not in
bloom, though, their tidy mounds of blue-green, ferny foliage looks
great. They grow best in Zones 4-8 and grow up to 2 feet tall.
