Every garden will have an area that is always in the shade. I’m lucky enough to have a beautiful south-facing garden, but there is a garage wall at the top of the garden which puts my top flower beds in shade all day long. So if you do have a shady area, you’ll want to know all about shade flowers. I’ve put together a list of flowers that grow in shade, so you can pick your favourites to plant in your garden this year.
Shade Flowers
Snowdrops
Snowdrops are a great example of flowers that grow in shade. They are beautiful, little delicate flowers that appear at the end of winter. Snowdrops are the first sign of life in the garden and so add a touch of magic when everything else seems so dormant. They like shady spots in the garden, so you can easily pop them at the foot of a tree or the edge of a shady flower bed. You should plant them in October/November time and you’ll see them pop up as early as January the following year. These are wonderful flowers to plant in shade.
Bellflower
The Bellflower, also known as Campanula is another great example of a flowering shade loving plant. It’s actually a very versatile flower, which will happily grow in sunny or shady spots, so if you have a space in the garden that spends most of the day in the shade, but does catch a ray or two, then the Bellflower would be a good option. The flowers are extremely pretty and attract pollinators such as bees to the garden, so they are ideal for adding to a shady garden.
Himalayan Poppies
The Himalayan poppy is also known as Meconopsis Baileyi is a stunning blue poppy. They flower in late spring, going into early summer and look spectacular. They enjoy a lovely shady spot, so under a tree is ideal. That’s why they should be on your list of flowers to plant in shade! I’ve got them planted in my garden. Let’s see how they grow.
Begonias
I love begonias and I’ve got them planted in several places in my garden. They do well in shaded areas and still flower beautifully. You’ll need to start begonias off earlier on in the year in a greenhouse, usually in about March or April time. So by the time the summer comes round, you’ll have wonderful flowering shade-loving plants in your flower beds.
Busy Lizzies
Busy Lizzies, also known as Impatiens are one of the best shade-loving flowers out there. They bloom brightly despite being in shade. If you are considering Busy Lizzies as your choice of a shade-loving flower, you should know that they are thirsty flowers that need watering regularly and they don’t like being too warm, so think carefully about where you plant them. The top temperature for Impatiens is really no more than 25 degrees, so a full shade area might be best if you live in an area where it regularly gets above that.
Hydrangea
If you are looking for shade perennials, then a Hydrangea could be a good choice. It will come back year after year and will bloom beautifully each time. I’ve got a hydrangea planted underneath our silver birch tree and it loves being there. It’s happily growing up nicely. I don’t know about you, but the blooms on a hydrangea always impress me. It’s a definite option if you are looking for perennial flowers for shade.
Hostas
Another great option if you are considering perennial flowers for shade is Hostas. If you’ve ever grown or seen Hostas, you’ll know the leaf to flower ratio is much more in the favour of the leaf, but Hostas do produce blue or lilac trumpet-shaped flowers once they are in full bloom. The other thing about this shade perennial is that the leaves are incredibly striking, so even if the flowers might seem a bit muted in a shady spot, the distinctive leaves will stand out.
Aquilegias
Perhaps a lesser-known shade flower is the Aquilegias. They are elegant shade-loving flowers with bonnet-shaped blooms. They come in a variety of colours, so you can choose the shade that works well in your garden. They are early bloomers, so are ideal when you want something to flower in your garden between the spring bulbs and the early summer flowers. Perfect when considering some flowers to plant in shade that are a little different to what you normally see.
Foxgloves
A truly iconic flower that is versatile so makes the list of shade-loving flowers. Foxgloves are easy to look after and grow impressively without much intervention. It’s important when considering foxgloves as shade flowers to think about who will be using the garden as they are toxic. If you have pets that might chew on the plants, then they are a no-go. You should also always wear gloves and wash your hands after touching foxgloves. But they are too pretty not to make the list of flowers that grow in shade that should be added to your garden.
What shade flowers are you growing in your garden? Which of these flowers that grow in shade are your favourite? I hope this post helps you find some inspiration of what flowers to plant in shade and you can fill those darker areas in your garden with flowers that will thrive for years to come.
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