Top 5 perennials for shade gardens

Everyone loves the colour that sun-loving perennials bring to the garden. But, for yards that are mostly shady, finding the right plants to achieve the same level of colour can be a challenge. If you are looking for ways to add colour into shady parts of your yard, you’ve come to the right place. In today’s guide, we present our top 5 perennials for shade gardens. All of the plants in today’s guide are easy to care for. They are also low maintenance options. By adding these plants to the shady parts of your yard, you will achieve the beauty you’ve been searching for. So, if you’ve been struggling to find right shade-loving perennials for your garden, grab your tools and let’s dig in!

Hostas

Hostas are a tried and true workhorse of many perennial gardens. Their variety of leaf sizes, shapes, and colours makes them suitable to a wide range of gardens. Hardy through zones 3-8, hostas help to fill in space within your shade garden. They are also one of the most popular shade-loving perennials. Hostas are extremely low maintenance. They also grow well in a variety of different garden spaces. Hostas make an excellent ground cover. They always provide texture and volume to shade gardens.

Bleeding heart

Adding bleeding hearts to shade gardens will give a romantic, cottage-like feel. These hardy perennials make a great addition to woodland gardens and shaded borders. Hardy in zones 3-9, this stunning perennial loves to grow next to hostas and astilbe. The flowers are heart shaped. Bleeding hearts come in white, pink, or red. The foliage is fern-like in appearance. The unique blooms and foliage of this plant will give you unique texture in a shade garden.

Lungwort

At first thought, this perennial doesn’t have a very pleasant sounding name. However, its beauty is unmatched in shade gardens. This plant gets its name from the unique spotting pattern of its leaves. Even when it is not blooming in the garden, the foliage of its leaves becomes a focal point of the garden. Hardy in zones 4-8, this low growing perennial makes a great groundcover for shade gardens. Its blooms add an elegant touch of grace to shady areas of your yard. The early blooms also add great colour to your shade garden during the spring.

Astilbe

Nothing is more whimsical in a shade garden than astilbe. This perennial has delicate, feathery plumes of. Astilbes are a hardy perennial that will add bold pops of colour to any shade garden. Available in pink, white, red, and purple. Astilbes have a very attractive fern-like appearance. Hardy in zones 4-8, astilbes have a long bloom period from late spring to early summer. Planting astilbes is a great way to add colour to your yard even in shady spots.

Japanese Forest Grass

This unique ornamental grass has a waterfall-like appearance. Available in shades of green, gold, and variegated. If you are looking to add texture and movement to your shade garden, this perennial will help you achieve your goals. Extremely low maintenance and deer resistant. This perennial is hardy in zones 5-9. It is also one of the few perennials that tolerates deep shade areas of the garden.

Final thoughts on creating a shade garden with perennial plants

If your garden is mostly shade, the perennials in today’s guide will help you add colour and texture to your garden. All of these perennials are extremely low maintenance. Each one adds important value to shade gardens. Have a favourite shade-loving plant that does well in your area? Drop a comment below. Help your fellow gardeners build up their own collection of shade-loving plants.