Shade garden plants aren’t the obvious choices of gardeners. Compared to the usual green ferns, green grass, and all things green, that is.

Our shade garden plants usually become choice plants for the shaded parts of our garden, since few things grow under the trees. The shaded spots shouldn’t be neglected. In fact, these spots give your garden a chance to grow amazing plants that thrive in the shade.

Transform that dark and dreary nook and cranny in your garden into a lush and verdant spot. All you need are some of these stunning shade garden plants. Read on to discover 17 of them.

17 Lovely Shade Garden Plants For A More Vibrant Garden

It’s quite true I don’t pay much attention to areas under the trees, or between my greenhouse and toolshed. After all, they’re the least noticeable spots, and only a few things grow where the sunshine is limited — or so I thought.

I just recently found out colorful plants like hosta and heucheras love the shade. And the variety of colors and forms these shade garden plants come in seem endless. I’m honestly having a tough time choosing which of these I’ll plant in my garden ’cause they’re all so gorgeous.

Check out this list of vibrant shade garden plant varieties you can grow in your garden.

 

1. Ghost Spirit Hostas

Keep an eye out on how these hostas change shades as the season changes. The white shade becomes more and more prominent as the climate gets colder. Plant these underneath your trees and that dull spot will automatically liven up!

 

2. White Feather Hosta

Light up that shady corner in your garden with this striking ghostly white Hosta variety. Note that the White Feather Hosta can tolerate a few hours of sunlight, giving rise to dainty purple flowers during summer.

 

Did you know that Hostas are edible? Check out how to prepare them in this video from Farm Forage:

 

3. Caladiums

For warmer zones 8 and 9, you can grow these colorful foliage plants directly in the ground this spring. These perennials are tropical plants so growing them in containers would be ideal.

 

4. Hellebore or Lenten Rose

Treat yourself to this hardy perennial that blooms when few flowers do. Hellebores have elegant flowers, perfect to light up those shady areas during early spring or late winter. It blooms even in snow-covered soil and over woodlands mulched with fallen leaves and twigs.

 

5. Escargot Begonia

I won’t have to tell you how it came to be called escargot. Just look at the snail-like spiral pattern in the leaves. Wouldn’t that be interesting in your shaded garden?

 

6. Coleus

I’ve featured this plant before and just couldn’t get enough of its versatile foliage that can be grown easily. Add color to a secluded spot in your garden with the variety of colors and leaf structures courtesy of this shade-adaptable plant.

 

7. Bleeding Hearts

Plants of the Bleeding Hearts variety prefer shady spot in warm and dry zones. But they can also tolerate the sun in cooler and moist regions. Those heart-shaped flowers will definitely capture everyone’s attention as it brighten up that shady spot in your garden.

 

8. Heuchera or Coral Bells

If you have a woodsy area where few things grow, then consider planting the heuchera because it prefers that kind of environment. You won’t only be growing it for the foliage, but you’ll also grow these garden shade plants for the flowers that come in a variety of colors as well.

 

9. Azalea

While a lot of flowering plants prefer sunlight-catching wide open, this one doesn’t. These flowering shrubs bloom during springtime and come in variety of colors. It thrives, and is seen, mostly under the shade of trees to add color in those drab areas.

 

10. Clivia Miniata

This lovely flowering plant is a native to the woodlands of Africa. Thus, preferring shaded spots. It can tolerate drought which makes it perfect as an indoor plant.

 

11. Diamond Frost Euphorbia

Add contrast and texture to your shade garden with this shade-loving plant that has dainty white flowers on top of a thick green foliage. Its showy flowers bloom throughout the seasons.

 

12. Mop Head Hydrangea

The mop head hydrangea’s thick and showy flowers make them popular for growing in homes and gardens.

Do note that the flower’s color can be affected by the soil composition. Acidic soil, for example, will yield blue flowers. While pink flowers bloom in alkaline soil.

 

13. Gooseneck Loosestrife

Loosestrifes are well adapted to growing in sheltered areas, such as your shade garden. Watch out as they can be invasive. This means regular pruning is a necessity.

 

14. Shamrock Oxalis

This interesting plant, also called the purple shamrock, has triangular leaves akin to butterfly wings. The leaves can respond to the light, opening in daytime and closing at night. They make great container plants.

 

15. Daphne

This shade-loving plant is known for its lovely scent and poisonous berries — something to watch out for when you have kids and pets.

Varieties of this plant can either be deciduous or evergreen. Evergreens mostly have green flowers, while the deciduous variety tends to have pink flowers.

 

16. Dwarf Variegated Bamboo

Bamboos make good hedges, and can be used to stabilize the soil in a water feature. It also helps create a calming effect in your garden with the wind rustling through the bamboo’s leaves.

 

17. Elephant Ears

If you want to give your garden a tropical effect, plant some elephant ears in your garden. Elephant ears love getting wet, so they grow perfectly well near water features, or under the shade of the trees where moisture retention is high.

 

Check this video from ehowgarden for more shade garden ideas:

 

Shady nooks and crannies in your garden don’t have to be all dark and gloomy. Add color and life to that hidden corner by growing these vibrant and colorful shade garden plants. My top picks are the azaleas and the mop head hydrangeas. Don’t they just look lovely?

 

Which among the shade garden plants do you like best? Let me know in your comment below. If you find the topic interesting, you’ll find indoor plant care interesting too.

Featured image via gardenonfourthstreet