Skip to main content

Low maintenance perennials for shade gardens

Levels of shadow



Light requirements for shade tolerant plants distinguish between full and partial shade. Full shade doesn't mean the plant doesn't get sunlight, which translates to four hours of full sunlight, mostly in the morning or late afternoon. Part shade is a location that receives four to six hours of full sun per day, and relief from intense afternoon sunlight from a nearby tree or structure that blocks the sun.


A third less frequently used term to describe the amount of shade is filtered or filtered sun, in which sunlight filters through the branches and leaves of deciduous trees. This shade condition is usually found in forest areas.


1. Solomon's Seal



Solomon's seal is a beautiful showy flower, best for those with patience—they can take years to reach flowering stage. However, once they bloom, they have delicate white or pink flowers that eventually drop into berries that extend the time they produce visual interest. Leaves turn yellow in autumn.


2. Foxglove


Tall, profuse stems filled with tubular, speckled flowers give the fox an easily recognizable look that feels like it belongs in an English cottage garden. These stunning plants add vibrant color to a shade garden, and they self-seed, spreading their tall flowers year after year.


3. Woodland phlox



The beautiful, star-like flowers of woodland phlox form a carpet of flowers in shade gardens in April and May. This groundcover plant is native to much of North America and, as the name suggests, thrives in partial shade and full sun in wooded areas. Its purple and blue flowers attract hummingbirds and other pollinators to native gardens.


4. Virginia Bluebells


With bright pink buds that bloom into blue bell-shaped flowers, Virginia bluebell is a beautiful woodland plant that attracts pollinators from March to May. These native plants spread easily and regrow annually, providing soft color in woodland areas and thriving in partial to full shade.


5. Creeping Jenny



Creeping Jenny's delicate chartreuse foliage, which gets its name from its tendency to quickly creep up and take over a garden, is what you need if you're looking for a landscape in a partially shaded area. It's easy to grow and stacks well in rock gardens and along the sides of planters, making it a favorite as a filler plant.


6. Deadnettle


For longer-lasting blooms, look to spotted deadnettle, a low-growing plant with silver and green leaves that blooms frequently throughout the summer. Deadnettle thrives in shady, moist woodlands, where it adds vibrant color to green landscapes.


7. Bunchberries



Bunchberries are popular woodland plants that are native to North America and resemble a small dogwood flower that grows on the ground, not on a tree. Their four-petalled white flowers grow in small clusters in moist areas, and, after the flowers fade, they leave clusters of crimson berries, hence the name.


8. Calendula


Although calendula can be grown in pots, they are also popular as shade garden plants, providing a sunny pop of yellow or orange. Calendula does well in the sun, but it doesn't like it too hot, and it thrives in partial shade.


9. Primrose



Clusters of Darling Primrose flowers provide plenty of color in shade gardens throughout spring and will continue to bloom if deadheaded. Because of the variety of colors, you may want to buy the flowers when they're already in bloom, so you know what you're getting.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

A successful small garden requires a big idea

You can let a large garden develop. And by 'large' I mean a garden more than 80 feet (25 m) long. All of the most successful small gardens I've seen lately have a strong idea behind them. In a small space, you can see everything at once, so it's important that everything looks good together. This principle applies regardless of shape, although many small gardens are wider than they are long. See here for general tips on the Shallow Wide Garden . Here are three successful small space garden ideas to inspire you. A plant-lover's garden After visiting Philip Ostenbring's garden (open once a year for NGS), I realized that a small outdoor space for unusual plants is a wonderful display area. There is no need to plant in a small space, in threes or in drifts, as the plants are very close to you. Each model looks great in a courtyard, terrace or patio garden. Whereas if you dot a variety of single plants around a large garden, everything can look out of p

Incredible Small Garden Design Ideas To Remodel

 Incredible Small Garden Design  When you have a small garden , a large layout is essential. The limited space means every detail counts, from plant selection to hardscaping, with every element having a big visual impact. When you're planning a small outdoor space, these creative small garden design ideas will help bring out its unique characteristics. 1. Use a corner for visual interest This small garden looks surprisingly lush and full, thanks to the tall plants. By using dense foliage and large-leaved species, you can ensure your miniature space makes a bold impact. A variety of stones add to the overall style, filling spaces with color and texture Related Post -     Summer-blooming shrubs are very easy to grow 2. Corner bench and vertical garden This clever garden is a brilliant use of space. Instead of sacrificing seating, the designer created a tall bench and placed shade-loving plants underneath. On the outside of the house, two rows of wall-mounted plants catch

Great Designs for Container Groupings

Once your single containers are ready to merge It's hard to fail with a group of containers. Any size group, from a simple couple to large multiples, can enhance any outdoor space. Open patios and decks become softer and more intimate when you place pots around them. A straight and simple outdoor path lined with containers can become a wave of sorts—a formal one with some plants or an informal path with others. You never know what you'll come up with by placing one pot next to another or a particular plant with others. Once you start experimenting, you'll notice many places where a container is grouped. 1. Combine bright colors This collection of colorful pots introduces the viewer to the vivid color scheme in the beds behind it, mainly blue flowers. However, to maintain exclusivity, pots get exclusive rights to colors like magenta, pink and chartreuse. 2. Formal lateralization A combination of papyrus and vases always looks elegant, but when placed side by sid