by John Shaggy

Created on: August 05, 2010

When planning or planting in shaded areas, it is a good idea to take some time and decide what plants will grow well because not every plant species is designed for the shade.  A little time and effort spent researching before you plant  may save considerable time and effort later on down the line.

In determining which species of plants will grow best, first look at the light reaching the location you have in mind for planting. Is the area deeply shaded throughout the day, or is the light reaching the ground more of the dappled variety? A wide variety of plants, both annual and perennial, do well in a full shade environment and researching the right plants to complement each other is a bit tricky, but there are some standard shade plants used by gardeners everywhere.

For example, marigolds, impatiens, and geraniums are three shade-loving annuals that brighten up any shady spot.  Some species of geraniums are a perennial depending on what climate zone or region of the country you live in.

Perennial flowers for shady areas include columbine, bleeding hearts, and of course the myriad variety of hosta available.  Speaking of hosta, they also make an excellent ground cover along with two other shade loving plants, Bishop weed, or snow-on-the-mountain as it more commonly called, and of course, ferns, which are found everywhere in shady woodlands.

If shrubs are more to your liking and tastes, consider these shade-loving plants.  Azaleas and rhodenron have long graced the plantations of the southern United States and there are some hardier species of both available for the northerly climates as well.  Japanese and Canadian yews are good choices for spreading evergreen shade plants, and who can forget anyone’s Christmas favorite, the holly.  Holly require a little more care in a northerly climate and both a male and female plant need to be present for the red berries to form, but what a treat the plant is at Christmas in the snow!  Evergreen perennials spruce up northern winters quite nicely.

So there you have it, a few ideas on some of the best and most well known plants for full shade.  Also, remember that any local nursery or greenhouse in your area will be more than happy to assist you in finding shade plants for your climate. The results are well worth the time and effort it takes to put these shade-lovers into the ground.

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