Plants for a Shaded Border

A shaded border can be a challenging area to plant, but with the right plant selections, it can become a beautiful and lush part of the garden. When choosing plants, it’s important to consider the amount of sunlight the area receives. Is it deep shade, getting less than 2 hours of sun per day? Or does it get morning sun and afternoon shade? Understanding the light conditions will help guide plant choices. Here are some great options for plants that can thrive in shaded garden borders.

Shade-Loving Perennials

Perennials are plants that come back year after year, providing structure in the garden Many perennials actually prefer shade and do beautifully in borders with minimal sun.

• Hostas are a classic shade plant, available in a wide range of leaf sizes shapes, and variegations. They spread nicely to form a lush groundcover. Popular varieties include ‘Blue Angel’ ‘Frances Williams’, and ‘Stained Glass’.

• Astilbes produce feathery, plume-like blooms above ferny foliage. They do best in moist, rich soil. Try astilbe varieties like ‘Delft Lace’ or ‘Vision in Red’.

• Ferns are another staple for the shade garden. Japanese painted ferns (Athyrium niponicum) offer gorgeous silver, red, and green colorations. Lady ferns (Athyrium filix-femina) and ostrich ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris) also thrive in shade borders.

• Heucheras, also called coral bells, are prized for their brilliantly patterned leaves. Many new hybrids like ‘Caramel’, ‘Peach Flambe’, and ‘Berry Smoothie’ can now tolerate more sun exposure.

• Lungworts (Pulmonaria) emerge early in spring with clusters of blue, pink, or white bell-shaped flowers. Look for types like ‘Miss Manners’ and ‘Raspberry Splash’.

• Foamflowers (Tiarella) produce frothy white or pink flower spikes in spring above their lush, maple-shaped leaves. ‘Sugar and Spice’ and ‘Pink Skyrocket’ are two stunning varieties.

• Hellebores offer early winter and spring blooms in shades of white, pink, purple, and green. Lenten roses (Helleborus orientalis) and hybrids like ‘Ivory Prince’ thrive in shade gardens.

• Forget-me-nots (Myosotis) are delicate perennials that bloom in spring with powder blue flowers. Woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata) also flowers early with pretty blue blooms.

Shade-Tolerant Shrubs

Incorporating some shrubs into a shade border provides vertical structure and height. Many shrubs happily grow in partial to full shade conditions.

• Hydrangeas do best with some afternoon shade protection. Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia) and smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) produce gorgeous summer blooms.

• American sweetbox (Sarcococca hookeriana) is an often-overlooked shade shrub prized for its intensely fragrant winter flowers and glossy green leaves.

• Azalea and rhododendron shrubs prefer dappled shade locations. Try native rhododendrons or resilient evergreen azalea varieties like the Northern Lights series.

• Fothergilla shrubs produce showy, honey-scented spring flowers. The blue-leaved cultivar ‘Blue Shadow’ is stunning.

• Viburnums offer diverse flowering, fruiting, and foliage features. Blackhaw viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium) and arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) thrive in shade.

Shade-Loving Vines

Don’t overlook vines in a shade garden! Plant them at the base of trees, along fences or arbors to add vertical interest to the border.

• Clematis vines like ‘Polish Spirit’ and ‘Rooguchi’ produce abundant summer blooms in shady spots once established. Plant with their roots in shade but allow vines to climb into dappled or partial sun.

• Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris is a climbing hydrangea vine that can cover fences or walls in shade with its gorgeous white lacecap blooms.

• Native vines like Dutchman’s pipe (Aristolochia durior), Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), and wild grape (Vitis riparia) thrive in shade gardens.

Design and Planting Considerations

When designing a shade border, think about providing a sequence of blooms from spring through fall by incorporating a mix of early, mid, and late season perennials. Combine plants with diverse textures, foliage colors, and heights for visual interest.

If possible, enrich the soil with organic compost before planting to provide nutrients. Space plants according to their expected mature width. Place larger shrubs and tall perennials near the back of the border, with medium and short plants towards the front for visibility.

With the right plant selections suited to shade conditions, a shade garden border can be transformed into a lush, foliage-filled oasis in any backyard retreat. The variety of textures, shapes, and blooms will keep this shady spot looking beautiful year after year.