Plants for a Traditional Shade Garden

Not every garden requires a full day of direct sunlight to grow. To the contrary, many beautiful flowers prefer shade to sunlight, allowing for a lovely garden even in unlikely places.

bleeding heart
The bleeding heart blossoms make perfect
accompaniment to tulips and forget-me-nots.

Certainly, plant selection is much more limited for a shady growing space, but the following plant profiles will help you determine which flowers are ideal for those less sunny locales.

Bleeding Heart
The distinctive pink-and-white heart-shaped flowers of the bleeding heart bloom late in spring, and disappear by midsummer.

Brunnera, Siberian Bugloss
Dark blue flowers appear in small sprays on this shady, ground-cover plant.

Epimedium, Bishop's Hat, Barrenwort
Growing low to the ground, bishop's hat produces lovely white or rose spurred flowers.

Impatiens, Busy Lizzie, Patience
Preferring shade and moisture, impatiens will grow nearly anywhere, making it perfect for window boxes, pots, edging, or as a border.

Masterwort
Star-shaped flowers grow in greenish white clumps, both in the sun and in the shade.

Pulmonaria, Lungwort
A colorful plant, the trumpet-shaped flowers bloom pink in spring, and gradually change to blue through the summer, accompanied by silver-splashed leaves.

Variegated Broad-Leaved Sedge
With its small size and striking appearance, the variegated broad-leaved sedge makes a perfect accent. Its cream-striped leaves stand out in the sun or the shade.

Western Sword Fern
Though the western sword fern can take some sunlight, the leathery, lance-shaped fronds prefer a moist, shady place to grow.

Wood Anemone
Appearing in carpets of blue or white star-shaped blooms, the wood anemone looks beautiful in shady environments.

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