Exceeding Expectations through Extraordinary Landscapes

Best Flowers for Shade

Trying to turn a yard that is completely shaded into a bright colorful landscape seems difficult, but with the right plants it can be done! There are many plant options for landscaping a completely shaded yard. Creating a shade garden is a great idea. A shade garden is a garden that is planted and grown in areas with little or no direct sunlight. Finding plants that are shade tolerant is a must. Certain types of annuals and perennials are the best flowers for shade and add beautiful color to any yard. Certain trees and shrubs also thrive in shade and will compliment your flowers.

Here at Absolute Landscape we love providing our clients with plenty of tips to achieve their goals. Below is further information on how to achieve a beautiful shade garden by choosing the best plants for shade.

Choosing the Right Plants
Perennials: Perennials are plants that have long life spans- up to two years! Perennial gardens are low maintenance and add such elegance to any yard. Perennials are one of the best flowers for shade. The perennials listed below love shade.

  • Bleeding Heart (pictured): This perennial contains heart-shaped flowers that dangle from arched stems. The blooms can be either pink or white.
  • Astilbe: This is one of the most popular perennials used in shady areas. These are also one of the easiest perennials to grow. Their blooms vary in colors of pink, lavender, red, white, and salmon.
  • Hosta: Known for their beautiful leaves, Hostas create stalks of white flowers in the summer. Hostas range in shapes, textures, and colors.
  • Lily of the valley: These are one of the most fragrant plants. The stems are covered with small white bell shaped flowers and bright green leaves.

Annuals: Annuals have a shorter life span than perennials, as they complete their life cycle in one year. Annuals are a great choice for a flower bed or hanging baskets and will add a colorful design element to your yard. The following annuals grow well in shade:

  • Begonia: Begonias will brighten up your shady area with their big, beautiful blooms. These annuals actually prefer shade and bloom from summer to fall continuously.
  • Impatiens (pictured): Impatiens are easy to grow and one of the most popular plants for shady areas. They produce bright, colorful flowers.
  • Snapdragon: These bright flowers attract bees and butterflies. Snapdragon comes in a variety of colors and will add a unique look to any garden.
  • Polka dot plant: The leaves on this plant are spotted with pink dots. This plant can be used as an accent in any garden.

Trees and shrubs: Certain trees and shrubs grow well in shade and look great in a variety of gardens. The following are low-maintenance trees and shrubs.

  • Japanese maple (pictured): These trees thrive in shade and are low-maintenance to take care of. They grow to be a height of 6 feet in USDA zones 6-8.
  • Holly tree: A holly tree is an evergreen tree containing spiky green leaves and bright red berries. These trees provide food for birds and other wildlife. Adding a Holly tree will provide year-round interest in your garden.
  • Rhododendron: Rhododendron is a classic shade garden shrub. They are well-known for their beautiful blooms that come in shades of pink, purple, orange, red, and white. These shrubs are sure to brighten any shade garden.
  • Boxwood: Boxwoods are evergreen shrubs that add a touch of elegance to landscapes. These shrubs can be trimmed to any desired shape to add a unique look to your garden.

Do you feel hopeless when looking at your shady yard? Contact our experts here to help you design the perfect garden to fit with your not-so-sunny landscape.