A lot of folks think of gardening in the shade as a challenge. I think of it as an opportunity to create a serene space that’s not just beautiful, but soothing to the senses. Where brightly colored perennials gardens tend to shout, shade gardens whisper. And the palette of plant possibilities for shade includes many of my favorites.

It’s hard to imagine a shade garden without at least one Japanese maple, and they’re available in so many sizes now — including dwarfs — that it’s easy to find one that’s suitable for your space. But the list of trees for shade doesn’t stop there.

Among shrubs for shade, the list is even longer. Most are at least somewhat familiar, but a lesser known and beautiful choice is the evergreen Sarcococca, better known as sweet box. It produces white, fragrant flowers in spring followed by red berries and grows to roughly 4’ tall and wide. It’s especially great for dry shade.

*Evergreen

And there are a few evergreen shrubs that do great in morning sun and afternoon shade, including Arborvitae, Cryptomeria, Boxwood, Hinoki Cypress, and Hollies. Bear in mind too that Azaleas and Hydrangeas generally bloom better when they receive two or three hours of morning sun. 

Think you can’t have flowers in the shade? Think again. With the exception of ferns, all the perennials listed here produce flowers. But then ferns offer unrivaled textures, which is why I have lots of them.

The majority of ornamental grasses require full sun, but these thrive in shade.

Like a carpet for the garden, groundcovers can control erosion, reduce weed growth by forming a living mulch, and they’re pretty darn maintenance free.

Shade comes in many forms, which can make picking the right shady character for your garden a tad tricky. So before deciding what to plant where, evaluate the planting area and describe one or more of the following conditions to our sales staff for help in making the right choices.

Dry shade under mature trees
Dappled woodland shade
Moist, rich shade
Morning sun, afternoon shade
Heavy shade