Awhile back, I did a post on shade tolerant flowers. Then, I thought to myself, what is better than shade tolerant flowers? Shade tolerant perennials, that’s what. You only have to plant them once, but still, you get year after year of color. Perfecto.
First, remember that in most cases, shade tolerant doesn’t mean fully shaded. Almost all flowers require some level of dappled light. That having been said, most of these perennials will tolerate being in largely shaded {think: wooded} areas.
- Bee Balm. Bee balm is named that for a reason. It will attract bees {butterflies and hummingbirds} to your garden. It usually has kind of a burst of color flower–shaped like a firework.
- Violets. Violets actually will volunteer year after year–so put them in a place you don’t mind them spreading. They are really pretty little flowers that kind of remind me of pansies.
- Lily of the Valley. I love Lily of the Valley. It is a mass of green with pretty little pops of white flowers. They smell amazing to boot.
- Hydrangea. If you want to add a HUGE impact to a shady spot, Hydrangea is the way to go. They come in a huge variety of color. Hydrangea actually cannot tolerate heat, so shady spots are perfect for them.
- Bleeding Heart. These heart-shaped flowers will bloom in the spring. There are several blooms to each stem, which causes the stem to kind of droop over, giving them an even better visual appeal.
- Forget Me Not. Quite frankly, I would plant these for the name, but if that isn’t enough for you, then the clumps of tiny colored flowers will surely draw you in. They typically flower May through October, so you will get a long season of flowers.
- Foxglove. Foxglove have tall stalks of bell shaped flowers. They come in a variety of colors and add a lot of color to a shady area.
- Bellflower. Bellflowers have an almost wild flower look about them. They are deeply colored, and they will bloom all through the dead of summer, if provided some shade.
- Hellebore. The great thing about these flowers is that they will bloom in EARLY spring, so they are like a beacon of hope for the upcoming season change. They have soft looking flowers–but be aware, they can be poisonous, so best not to plant them if you have pets or small children.
- Astilbe. These flowers remind me of giant feathers. They can get quite tall, so you can layer something in front of them in your landscaping and still have high impact.
Do you have any favorite shade tolerant perennials? What are they?
~Mavis
Looking for more information on growing shade tolerant flowers in the garden? Here are a few of my favorite books on the subject:
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