Maybe you think that there is a part of your yard that’s covered in the shade and you can’t grow anything there. However, I can tell you that you are wrong because nature always finds its way, and there is no need to worry about the shade. Of course, maybe you can’t grow your favorite flowers there, but you can grow some flowers because there are those kinds that grow in the shade.
A few shade-tolerant flowers planted in the right places can bring a lot of color to that dark corner of your yard.
According to a post I found on www.flowersbypostuk.com, the most popular flowering plants that like to grow in the shade are perennials. You can plant them only once, and they will come back every year over and over again. Sure, some of them will only be colorful foliage, but some of them will also have flowers. And you don’t have to care a lot about their needs because they are very resilient plants.
This is why I decided to share 10 shade-loving flowers that I liked a lot. That doesn’t mean that you will love them too, but who knows?
Yellow Bleeding Heart
This perennial can produce flowers for months and will strive in a dense shade too. That is why most gardeners like it.
The yellow bleeding heart doesn’t like too much water. It enjoys moist soil but can’t tolerate a boggy area. If soil is not constructed well and it’s not well draining, this plant’s roots are immersed in too much water, and fungal diseases can practically destroy it. In other words, overwatering can cause loose, fading leaves.
And even though it likes the shade, this plant will also perform well in sunny locations too, but it will die back very quickly when summer temperatures arrive.
Monkey Flower
You will instantly fall in love in this flower because of its beautiful little “faces”. These small, yellow flowers will provide a long season of color and charm to your shade-covered parts of the yard. And, unlike the yellow bleeding heart, this plant likes those wet parts of the landscape.
The blossoming period will last from spring until fall, blossoms are often spotted and multicolored, and the overall appearance looks like a monkey’s face.
Monkeyflower doesn’t require too much attention, and it only needs a partial shade (they can do well in full sun also) and plenty of moisture.
Siberian Iris
Siberian iris blooms in early spring and can be used as a beautiful background to other early spring bloomers. It is known for its dense, long-lasting blooms and it doesn’t require some special maintenance. Its narrow foliage is also beautiful and it stays attractive even after the flowers are gone.
These flowers require regular watering during the first year, limited fertilization and division of the clumps every 3 to 5 years. That will ensure its healthy life cycle.
The Monkshood
You can find this flower out in the wild, growing in mountain meadows throughout the entire northern hemisphere. It is a wildflower which flowers look like cowls worn by monks. The other name for this flower is wolfsbane.
The purple/ blue flowers look beautiful in a garden.
Monkshood grows 2 to 4 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide. It’s best to use this plant as a background plant. It blossoms in late summer or early fall and it is a bit difficult to grow. Once you plant it, it doesn’t like to be moved, so you need to choose your spot very carefully. You will need some time to establish this flower.
Lenten Rose
This is one of the two best perennials for shade. It combines the handsome evergreen foliage with wonderful winter blossoms of pink, red, white, green, burgundy and purple and they last for two weeks.
To grow this flower you need a light shade, fertile and well-drained soil containing lots of organic matter — nothing less, nothing more.
This flower blossoms in late-winter or early spring and it is native to Europe and Asia.
Mature plants can form clumps that are 18 inches to 24 inches tall and 24 inches to 30 inches wide. The foliage is deep green and produces large, cup-shaped blooms in white, pink, and rose-purple. Color and shape can vary even within the same hybrid.
This flower is also known as hellebore.
Hydrangea
Blooming in spring and summer, this flower is considered to be a shrub but a shrub with beautiful flowers. Groups of large beautiful flowers cover this plant during summer and spring. And the best thing about this flower is that you it doesn’t require high maintenance. With the right conditions and good care, hydrangea quickly covers the entire surrounding area.
Round clusters of flowers grow in shades of pink, blue and white (the original color is pink). These beautiful flowers reach up to 15 feet in height; they grow really fast and can cover the entire area in just one summer.
Green and Gold (Chrysogonum Virginianum)
This is one more beautiful shade-loving flower (perennial) excellent for the front of the border. It has low, medium green leaves covered by yellow, daisy-like flowers which bloom in the early spring. It is a fast spreader, but don’t be alarmed; it is not invasive. If some parts of your garden are empty because of the shade this is the right perennial for you. It loves the shade, and it covers a lot of ground.
Turtlehead (Chelone Obliqua)
This flower is an excellent choice as a mid-border plant. It blooms for at least four weeks and will continue into late summer with deadheading. Turtleheads need moist soil and partial shade or even the full sun if the soil is a bit soggy.
Turtleheads are also known as balmony, bitter herb, codhead, shellflower, snake mouth, fist mouth, and turtle bloom.
The plant also has some other, healing properties. It is used as natural medicine. Traditional practices produce a tonic from this flower that is (allegedly) beneficial for indigestion, constipation, and as good appetite stimuli. Salve from leaves may also relieve itching and inflammation.
Impatiens
This flower is a beautiful annual plant that makes an excellent houseplant or summer bedding plant. Common names for this flower are jewelweed, touch-me-not, snapween and patience. It is also known as a “busy Lizzie”. It likes shade and moisture.
This is actually one of those rare shade-loving plants that will put on a real floral display in those “harsh” conditions.
Hostas
There are many kinds of this plant, and all of which require some shade, but not the same amount. You can easily determine which amount they need just by looking at their leaves. The darker the leaves are – the less amount of light it needs.
Apart from those beautiful leaves, these perennials also bloom, producing stalks of white flowers in the summer. They come in a multitude of shapes, textures and colors, ranging from light-blue to chartreuse.
