20 gorgeous perennials for shade
Updated: May 14, 2023
In our garden, you’ll find everything from year-long sunny spots to places that hardly ever see the sun’s rays. The trick is figuring out how to make those shady parts of your yard, border, or flower garden look just as beautiful as the bright, sunny areas.
Just because you have shady spots doesn’t mean you can’t have colorful flowers and luscious foliage all spring and summer. There’s a whole array of shade perennials that thrive out of the sunlight.
It’s one of the most-often-asked questions when people visit my garden — what flowers grow best in the shade? That includes places close to your house or garden shed, where the sun just doesn’t reach.
Here’s my list of the top 20 perennials for shade. Hopefully, you can use these shade-friendly perennials to brighten up a forgotten corner in your garden this year.
1. Fringecup (Tellima grandiflora)
This is an insect magnet. Fringecup is a woodland shade perennial with loose spikes of small, bell-shaped flowers in shades of pink or purple that give off a gorgeous fragrance.
Height: 30-60 cm (12-24 inches)
Spread: 45 cm (18 inches)
Sun exposure: Part shade to shade
Soil type: Moist, well-drained soil
Blooms: Late spring to early summer
2. Foamflower (Tiarella spp.)
Foamflower is a shade-loving perennial with delicate, frothy spikes of white or pink flowers and attractive, deeply lobed leaves. Plant this in a forgotten corner and enjoy the lovely scent when you get close.
Height: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches)
Spread: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches)
Sun exposure: Part shade to shade
Soil type: Moist, humus-rich soil
Blooms: Late spring to early summer
3. Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis)
Lily of the Valley is a great perennial flower for the shade and it will eventually create a dense cover that is great for keeping weeds out of your flower bed. Plant it for its fragrant, bell-shaped white flowers on delicate stalks and glossy green leaves. Keep it away from cats and children though beccause it’s poisonous if ingested.
Height: 15-20 cm (6-8 inches)
Spread: 30 cm (12 inches)
Sun exposure: Part shade to shade
Soil type: Moist, well-drained soil
Blooms: Spring
4. Rodger’s Flower (Rodgersia podophylla)
This is an architectural shade-loving perennial with large, maple-like leaves and spikes of white or pink flowers. Those leaves will turn slate color later in the season, giving your shady corner even more to look at.
Height: 75-90 cm (30-36 inches)
Spread: 60-90 cm (24-36 inches)
Sun exposure: Part shade to shade
Soil type: Moist, well-drained soil
Blooms: Late spring to early summer
5. Elephant Ears (Bergenia spp.)
Here’s a shade perennial the bees will love! Bergenia is a tough, shade-loving perennial with large, leathery leaves and spikes of pink or red flowers in early spring. The best part is that it’s green all year round.
Height: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches)
Spread: 45-60 cm (18-24 inches)
Sun exposure: Part shade to shade
Soil type: Moist, well-drained soil
Blooms: Early spring
6. Creeping Dogwood (Cornus canadensis)
Bunchberry (another name for Creeping Dogwood) is a great ground cover that can help you completely cut off weeds in your shady corner. It’s a native woodland shrub with white flowers in flat-topped clusters and attractive red or yellow fall foliage.
Height: 1.5-2.5 m (5-8 feet)
Spread: 1.5-2.5 m (5-8 feet)
Sun exposure: Part shade to shade
Soil type: Moist, well-drained soil
Blooms: Late spring to early summer
7. Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla mollis)
Lady’s Mantle is one of my favorites. It’s a herbaceous shade perennial with delicate, frothy spikes of chartreuse flowers and deeply divided leaves. The leaves have small down so they are almost water-repellent. Raindrops lie on the leaves like small water beads after the morning dew.
Height: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches)
Spread: 45 cm (18 inches)
Sun exposure: Part shade to shade
Soil type: Moist, well-drained soil
Blooms: Summer
8. Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans)
Ajuga makes a great ground cover and spreads with underground roots. The flowers are in bluish shades and the leaves are mostly dark-leaved all year round. If you’re looking for more low-growing perennials for garden edges and walkways, check out my full list here.
Height: 15-20 cm (6-8 inches)
Spread: 45-60 cm (18-24 inches)
Sun exposure: Part shade to shade
Soil type: Moist, well-drained soil
Blooms: Spring to early summer
9. Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla)
Brunnera is another favorite in my shade garden. It’s a shade-loving perennial with delicate sprays of blue flowers and large, heart-shaped leaves. It has the cutest blue flowers and they look a bit like forget-me-nots. There are different varieties either with completely green foliage or completely silver colors.
Height: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches)
Spread: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches)
Sun exposure: Part shade to shade
Soil type: Moist, well-drained soil
Blooms: Spring
10. Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)
The best thing about this shade perennial is how the leaves shut out weeds, saving you hours of weeding your garden! In the winter, this plant will completely wither away but it will come back again in the spring. It’s a native wildflower with delicate spikes of yellow or orange flowers and heart-shaped leaves.
Height: 90-120 cm (36-48 inches)
Spread: 30 cm (12 inches)
Sun exposure: Part shade to shade
Soil type: Moist, well-drained soil
Blooms: Summer to fall
11. Hart's Tongue Fern (Asplenium scolopendrium)
Asplenium is a shade-loving fern with large, deeply divided leaves and a spreading habit. Plant this perennial if you’re hoping to cover a large shady area without spending a fortune.
Height: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches)
Spread: 60-90 cm (24-36 inches)
Sun exposure: Part shade to shade
Soil type: Moist, well-drained soil
12. White Wood Aster (Aster divaricatus)
The asters love their shade. This type is a wildflower with sprays of blue or purple flowers and delicate, lance-shaped leaves. It grows well in shade and can handle partial shade, too.
Height: 60-90 cm (24-36 inches)
Spread: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches)
Sun exposure: Part shade to shade
Soil type: Moist, well-drained soil
Blooms: Late summer to fall
13. Chinese Astilbe (Astilbe chinensis)
A shade-needing perennial with large spikes of pink, white, or red flowers and delicate, fern-like leaves. Keep the soil moist, but well-drained for this gorgeous perennial to thrive and bloom all summer in your garden.
Height: 30-60 cm (12-24 inches)
Spread: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches)
Sun exposure: Part shade to shade
Soil type: Moist, well-drained soil
Blooms: Summer
14. Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina)
A graceful fern with delicate, lacy leaves and a spreading habit. But the kind of spread that you’ll be thankful for… with lush green foliage bringing life to any shady corner in your yard and garden.
Height: 60-90 cm (24-36 inches)
Spread: 60-90 cm (24-36 inches)
Sun exposure: Part shade to shade
Soil type: Moist, well-drained soil
15. White Corydalis (Corydalis ochroleuca)
This shade-loving perennial drips with delicate spikes of yellow or cream flowers and attractive, fern-like leaves. And it blooms already in the spring, so you’ll get to enjoy its gentle color early in the season… before your other perennials bloom.
Height: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches)
Spread: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches)
Sun exposure: Part shade to shade
Soil type: Moist, well-drained soil
Blooms: Spring to early summer
16. Foxglove (Digitalis spp.)
Digitalis is a staple in our garden. It’s an iconic perennial with spikes of large, bell-shaped flowers in shades of pink, purple, yellow, or white. The flowers attract many insects, so get ready for visitors. The plant is considered a biennial plant, but they are self-sowing so you’ll always have them in your garden. In the first year, you’ll get to enjoy its foliage, and then the flowers in the second year.
Height: 60-90 cm (24-36 inches)
Spread: 30 cm (12 inches)
Sun exposure: Part shade to shade
Soil type: Moist, well-drained soil
Blooms: Late spring to early summer
17. Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum)
Here’s another great shade-loving ground cover perennial. It’s a fragrant plant with delicate, lance-shaped leaves and small white flowers.
Height: 15-30 cm (6-12 inches)
Spread: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches)
Sun exposure: Part shade to shade
Soil type: Moist, well-drained soil
Blooms: Summer
18. Knotted Cranesbill (Geranium nodosum)
Geranium is a shade perennial that’ll bloom all summer. You’ll get delicate sprays of pink or blue flowers and eye-catching, deeply divided leaves.
Height: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches)
Spread: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches)
Sun exposure: Part shade to shade
Soil type: Moist, well-drained soil
Blooms: Late spring to early summer
19. Coral Bells (Heuchera spp.)
Heuchera is another of my favorites. I’m noticing that a lot of these are on my favorites list. This shade-loving perennial has nice leaves in shades of green, bronze, or purple and spikes of delicate pink, red, or white flowers. It’s another hit amongst the bee population.
Height: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches)
Spread: 30-45 cm (12-18 inches)
Sun exposure: Part shade to shade
Soil type: Moist, well-drained soil
Blooms: Spring to summer
20. Spotted Deadnettle (Lamium maculatum)
Larnium is a shade-loving ground cover with delicate spikes of pink, purple, or white flowers and variegated leaves. It makes for incredibly beautiful ground cover with the finest silver foliage you’ve ever seen.
Height: 15-30 cm (6-12 inches)
Spread: 60-90 cm (24-36 inches)
Sun exposure: Part shade to shade
Soil type: Moist, well-drained soil
Blooms: Spring to summer
Want to see what grows great in full sun? Find your favorites in this list of sun-loving perennials.
Quick gardening tips for shade perennials
Choose wisely. Pick perennials that will thrive in your garden's shade and soil conditions, as well as the climate in your area. If you’re not sure, ask your local plant nursery for help. Or find the friendly neighborhood gardening nerd in your area.
Get the soil ready. Give your plants the best start by mixing organic matter like compost or leaf mold into the soil. This will help improve soil fertility and structure, giving your shade perennials a better chance of success.
Plant with care. Plant your perennials in the spring or fall, making sure to space them out properly so they have room to grow — take note of the spread under each picture above.
Keep them hydrated. Water your perennials regularly, especially during dry spells, to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. Don’t let the shade fool you, your shade perennials still need plenty of water.
Mulch away. Spread a layer of organic mulch, like shredded leaves or bark, around the base of your perennials to help keep the soil moist and weed-free, as well as regulate soil temperature.
Give them a little boost. Fertilize with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in the spring, or give them a yearly dose of compost or other organic matter.
Prune with purpose. Cut back your perennials in late fall or early spring to remove old foliage and encourage new growth.
Keep an eye out. Keep an eye out for pests and diseases that might be affecting your plants. If you spot anything, treat it promptly to prevent serious damage. Some shade perennials can be susceptible to slugs, snails, powdery mildew, and other fungal diseases, so keep your eyes open.
Plan for a beautiful show. Plan your shade perennial garden so that you have a succession of blooms throughout spring, summer, and fall. This way you’ll have a shady corner that’s just as pretty as your sun-drenched borders.
