Shade Perennial Garden Plants and Ideas

Five Reasons to Create a Shade Perennial Garden

2010-11-25T17:33:00.000-08:00

Shade perennial gardens are beautiful additions to any home and landscape. Here are five excellent reasons to consider creating a shade perennial garden at your home:

1) Perennial shade gardens create cool and peaceful garden retreats. Shade gardens also provide a valuable respite from the sun during hot days. Perennial shade flowers and plants tend to create color combination selections that are quite relaxing in nature. You will find that a shade garden is a great place to spend a few moments (or longer) after a stressful day, to unwind.

2) Perennial shade gardens are generally low maintenance. By relying on perennial plants instead of annuals, you will spend less time gardening and more time enjoying your garden space. Shade perennial gardens also tend to grow more slowly than their full sun cousins, allowing you more time and flexibility in terms of maintenance.

3) Perennial shade gardens will put shady portions of your yard to good use. Often home owners mistakenly assume that little will grow in the shade, but this is not true. You will find many excellent articles here on this website about what plants and flowers will grow in shady regions of your yard and garden. For examples, see “Top Five Shade Perennial Flowers” and “Shade Loving Perennial Garden Plants.”

4) Shade perennial gardens will help increase your home's property value. Any landscaping effort you make that creates beautiful spaces around your home will make your home more valuable. Shade perennial gardens not only contribute to create a beautiful environment for you to enjoy but they also help increase the value of the property you own.

5) Shade perennial gardens are wonderful places to entertain family and friends. Because of their relaxing nature and because they are out of direct sunlight, shade gardens are an excellent location to hold a friendly tea party, or in which to put your grill for a lunch or dinner party.

By investing in a shade perennial garden today, you will ensure a beautiful space to enjoy for years to come!

Keys for a Successful Shade Perennial Garden

2010-03-21T18:34:00.000-07:00

Often gardeners feel that planting the shady areas of their garden is a challenge. But creating a successful shade perennial garden need not be difficult, with the proper planning and plants.
There are several factors you should consider before planting to ensure your shade perennial garden will be a success. Here are five questions you should ask yourself when starting to plan your shade perennial garden:

1) What kind of shade do you have? Will you be gardening in light, medium or full shade? By knowing the exact light situation in your shade perennial garden you will be able to select the correct plants for your garden.

2) What kind of soil do you have? Often the shady regions of your garden will be under larger trees. These areas can be a challenge for plants to grow in not only for the lack of sunlight, but also because they will be competing with the trees for nutrients in the soil. Furthermore, some trees like evergreen conifers, shed needles that cause the environment under the tree to be very acidic, and this must be taken into consideration when selecting shade perennial plants and preparing the site. Many shade perennial flowers and plants are native to woodland areas, and like a slightly acid soil. You can easily test the soil in your shade perennial garden by using a soil testing kit from a gardening supply company, or taking a soil sample to you local County Cooperative Extension office.

3) How does your soil drain? Most shade loving plants do not love having their roots wet for long periods of time. You can test the soil in your shade perennial garden by digging a small hole and filling it with water. If there is water still standing in the hole after a few hours, you have a drainage problem and you should either amend the soil to lighten it and promote drainage, or select plants that thrive in wet soil.

4) When are you planting your shade perennial garden? Spring is often an ideal time to plant your shade perennial garden since rainfall is abundant and plants will have a chance to become established before it gets too hot and dry. Fall can also be a good time as long as there is enough time for the plants to become well enough established to survive winter temperatures (even so, a mulch will probably be useful in your newly planted shade garden).

5) Is there sufficient water? Although it may be surprising, shade perennial gardens often need more water than their sun perennial counterparts. This is because most shaded areas are under trees which will compete heavily for water (and nutrients). Be sure you have an adequate water source for your shade perennial garden.

By answering these questions and following these suggestions, you should be well on your way to creating a beautiful, and successful shade perennial garden. For even more tips on gardening in the shade, and lists of shade loving flowers and plants, please visit the Shade Perennial Garden Home Page.

Shade Perennial Flowers

2009-10-21T21:21:00.000-07:00

Selecting and growing the appropriate shade perennial flowers can be a challenge for any gardener, regardless of expertise level. Not all flowers you may want to garden with are appropriate to shade gardens, and those that are need to be planted correctly and well coordinated with other plants and flowers in your shade garden.

Sorting through the numerous articles on shade perennial flowers can be daunting. To help with this task, you will find many articles listed below on this web page that can help you make the best choices when planning your perennial garden. Here are some of the top articles you can find dealing with shade loving perennial flowers:

First, take a look at the article Top Five Shade Perennial Garden Flowers for some of the best selections of shade loving flowers for a shade perennial garden. These are the shade perennial flowers that have a reputation for being both beautiful and easy to grow in shade gardens.

For answers to common questions about shade perennial garden flowers you will also want to read FAQ's about Shade Perennial Flowers. You may also want to read the article Tips for a Great Shade Perennial Garde n for general shade gardening tips and advice.

If you are looking for shade perennial flowers suitable to a certain shade category, then you should find the articles Light Shade Perennial Flowers, Medium Shade Perennial Flowers and Full Shade Perennial Flowers to be of use.

If you are considering using perennial bulbs in your shade perennial garden, you should check out the article Five Shade Loving Perennial Bulbs.

A key to having a successful perennial shade garden is coordinating blooming periods of your shade perennial flowers. To find perennial flowers appropriate for both spring and fall blooming periods, read about Five Spring Blooming Shade Perennial Flowers and Five Fall Blooming Shade Perennial Flowers. You may also want to take a look at a profile of a beautiful shade perennial flower, the Columbine.

Finally, you should return frequently to the Shade Perennial Garden Home Page to read the latest articles and find even more useful information and tips on designing a beautiful shade garden using shade loving perennial flowers. Happy Shade Gardening!

Book Review: Making the Most of Shade

2009-10-06T15:23:00.000-07:00

Recently I came across a gem of a book at my local library, "Making the Most of Shade" by Larry Hodgson. Anyone interested in an excellent written resource for the shade perennial garden should certainly check this book out. Published in 2005, some of the best features of this book were how it was organized and illustrated.

Making the Most of Shade is full of color photographs demonstrating techniques for creating shade gardens. I can not express how important color photographs are to me when I am trying to select a shade loving perennial flower or plant. Too many books devoted to shade perennial gardens (and gardening in general) rely on black and white photographs for the main body of the text (and occasionally with a few color inserts in the middle). But when I am considering investing time, money and energy into a specific shade perennial flower or plant, I want to really see the plant before selecting it.

Organizationally, this book is clear and easy to follow. It is divided into two main sections. The first section, "Creating a Showcase of Shade," covers all the basics of shade gardening, including a very nice section on problem solving. The second section, "The Best of the Best for Shade," has subsections detailing top picks for shade perennials, shade annuals, bulbs, ferns, grasses and climbing plants for shade gardens. There are additional resources at the end of the book for shade gardens, including lists of websites and recommended books.

Making the Most of Shade is a book I will definitely be purchasing soon for my gardening library. If you are interested in purchasing the book, you can buy it at amazon by using the following link:

For more articles and resources on shade perennial gardens, please return to the Shade Perennial Garden Home Page.

Shade Loving Perennials for Containers

2009-09-03T11:31:00.000-07:00

If you do not have a lot of gardening space, and the space that you have is often shady, you are probably in need of some shade loving perennials suitable for containers. Selecting the proper plants can be a challenge since you will need to consider both the light requirements and the space requirements of plants, but there are several shade loving perennials that are suitable for container gardening.

Three of the best shade loving perennials for containers belong to the following plant families:

Huecheras. There are over 50 different species of huecheras available, and some of the most commonly known varieties go by names such as coral bells and alumroot. Most have very colorful foliage and are well suited for shade conditions. Ask at your local plant nursery about which varieties are best suited for containers.
Hostas. The hosta is probably the most well known shade plant and there are hundreds of varieties available. For a container, you will need to select a plant that is small in size (depending on the size of your container, of course), but you should still have a wide variety of selections available to you at your local nursery or online.
Brunneras. Another excellent shade loving perennial plant suitable for container gardening. The variety "Mr. Morse" is an excellent option for containers, and is consider by many to be one of the top ten shade loving perennials suitable for any garden.

So, if you have a small spot in the shade in need of some plants, consider one of these shade loving perennials for your yard.

For more suggestions, tips and advice on how to create a beautiful shade garden, please return to the Shade Perennial Garden homepage.

Top Shade Trees

2009-07-15T17:21:00.000-07:00

If you are interested in creating more shade in your garden, planting a shade tree is certainly a great solution. But there are many factors to take into consideration when selecting a shade tree, such as:

How will you be using the tree and what kind of shade will it produce? Will the shade allow light, dappled sunlight to filter through the leaves during the summer? Or will it be a dense, deep shade that very few plants will grow under?
What kind of plants will you want to plant under this shade tree and what are their light requirements? You should plan both the tree and underlying plants together, if possible.
What kind of root structure does the tree variety have? You should avoid trees that have aggressive root structure if you are planning on making other plantings underneath it, as they will choke out all the other vegetation nearby.

The following is a list of some of the top shade trees for shade perennial gardens. These trees will generally allow enough light through so that you can plant your perennial plants underneath them, and do not have overly aggressive root structures:

Japanese maples (Acer palmatum). Usually growing between 15 and 25 feet in height, with a similar spread, this tree is good for Zones 6-8.
Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus). Grows 12-20 feet in height (similar spread), and suitable for zones 4-9. It has beautiful white flowers in the spring, and then black berries which are excellent for attracting birds to your garden. It also has a rounded, open habit, making it excellent for plantings underneath.
Saucer magnolia (Magnolia soulangiana). Grows up to thirty feet high and wide, good for zones 5-9. Has beautiful, large pink flowers that open early in spring. Their open branch structure makes these ideal for shade perennial gardens as well.
Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus). Can be anywhere from forty to eighty feet tall, and twenty to forty feet wide. This is a good evergreen selection for your shade perennial garden, suitable for zones 4-8. The long, blue-green needles will let light through, and it also produces nice large cones for craft projects and other uses.
Lacebark elm (Ulmus parvifolia). This is a disease resistant elm variey whose leaves turn beautiful yellow and red colors in the fall. It has a spreading habit, grows 40-70 feet tall, and is suitable for zones 5-9.

For more suggestions on how to create a beautiful shade garden, including some top suggestions for shade flowers, please return to the shade perennial garden homepage.
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Composting in the Shade

2009-07-13T16:03:00.000-07:00

Shade gardens, just like their full sun counterparts, can really benefit from the addition of compost. Adding compost to planting holes, the base of most trees, shrubs, flowers and plants will help them thrive and and be strong. However, some gardeners mistakenly assume that you cannot have a compost heap in a shade garden.

While it is true that the composting process happens most quickly in full sun conditions, you will be able to produce excellent compost in the shade as well, albeit a little slower. All that is needed for composting to take place is organic materials, the presences of oxygen, the proper microorganisms and moisture. Sun is not necessary for the composting process to take place.

If you have not started a compost pile in your yard because it is shady, you should not hesitate to start one soon. Compost piles should be large enough that they can heat up internally (three feet tall and wide, at least). If you do not want to see them, you could plant some larger shade loving plants in front of it to create a screen (although make sure you have easy access to the pile as well). Or you can invest in a compost bin to help with the process (tumbling compost bins are especially handy devices for quick and easy composting).

Many types of household and yard waste can be composted. For the more adventurous, you can even experiment with a composting toilet, which will produce compost usable in your shade garden as well. For more information about how to compost and compost bins, you can visit "The Composting Bin" website. And for more information about shade perennial flowers and plants for your shade garden, return to the Shade Perennial Garden homepage.

Shade Perennial Plants

2009-06-10T21:47:00.000-07:00

One of the key elements of choosing the appropriate shade perennial plants for your gardening is knowing what kind of shade you have in your garden. Once you know whether you are gardening in light shade, medium shade or full shade you will be able to better select shade loving perennial plants for your garden that will thrive in your shade garden.

Probably the most popular shade perennial plant currently grown in the United States and Canada is the Hosta. Hostas make wonderful anchor plants for your design as you plan your shade perennial garden, and when the fall rolls around they will also produce beautiful shade perennial flowers. But there are many other shade loving plants suitable for a shade garden, so you should not feel you are limited to hostas when planning your shade perennial garden.

To find out about more shade perennial plants check out the articles "Ten Top Shade Perennial Garden Plants" and "Shade Loving Garden Plants." You may also want to check out the article "Five Evergreen Shrubs" for some ideas about how to ensure you have green in your shade garden year long.

If you are interested in tips on how to design your shade perennial garden using shade loving plants, you should also read "Tips for a Great Shade Perennial Garden" as well as "Some FAQ's about Shade Perennial Gardens" and "Shade Perennial Garden Design Tips."

To help select shade perennial plants for your garden, you may also want to consider purchasing (or borrowing) An Encyclopedia of Shade Perennials by George W. Schmidt or the book Making the Most of the Shade by Larry Hodgson. I have found both of these books to be excellent resources when planning my own shade perennial garden.

Hopefully you will find these articles about shade perennial plants of use as you plan your shade garden. Also be sure to bookmark the Shade Perennial Garden Page so you can visit regularly and read new articles about shade loving plants and flowers. And do feel free to use the "Contact Me" link below if you have any comments or suggestions. Thank you for visiting!

Shade Perennial Flower Profile: Aquilegia (or Columbine)

2009-06-07T07:01:00.000-07:00

Shade Perennial Flower Profile: The Columbine (Aquilegia). The Columbine flower is one of my favorites shade perennial flowers to grow. Their bi-colored blooms come in a wide variety of colors, hummingbirds just love them, and they are suitable for a wide variety of climate zones (from zone two up to zone nine).

These shade loving perennial flowers tend to bloom in late spring or early summer for up to a month, and bloom colors can be blue, red, pink , purple, maroon, yellow or white. Depending on the variety, they can tolerate a wide range of shade conditions from full sun to partial shade. They prefer a rich soil, that is moist but also well drained. The best way to propagate these is via seeding, and they tend to self-seed well. Plants generally grow about a foot and a half in height and up to a foot in width.

There are a few downsides to growing columbines, however. Columbines tend to be attractive to certain pests, including leaf miners and caterpillars, so you will want to watch and see how they fare in your shade perennial garden. Also, their blooms are not as long lasting as some other shade perennial flowers (although I believe their beauty makes up for their shortness of blooms).

Some top performing columbine varieties include the Aquilegia canadensis (Canadian columbine) which is one of the earliest columbines to bloom, and the famous Rocky Mountain columbine (Aquilegia caerulea), which has some varieties that are especially long lived.

The columbine is definitely a shade perennial flower you should try in your shade perennial garden. For other great suggestions on shade perennial flowers for your shade garden, you should also read the article Top Five Shade Perennial Garden Flowers or return to the Shade Perennial Garden Home Page and browse through the numerous articles on shade perennial flowers and plants posted there.

Photo Source: KENPEI's photo

Advantages and Disadvantages of Shade Perennial Gardens

2009-06-06T07:12:00.000-07:00

When planning a shade perennial garden, it is good to first take stock of what are some of the advantages and disadvantages of gardening in the shade. By having a clear idea of what benefits you will reap and challenges you will face, you will be far less likely to be frustrated or disappointed by your shade perennial garden.

Some Advantages of Shade Perennial Gardens

Shade perennial flower blooms tend to last longer than their full sun counterparts.
Shade perennial flower blooms are also often more intense in color when out of the sun.
Shade perennial plant foliage is unlikely to suffer burns on the leaves from the sun.
Shade perennial flowers and plants tend to need less fertilizer than their full sun counterparts (because they grow more slowly in the shade)
Weeds tend to be less of a problem in shade perennial gardens.
Shade perennial gardens tend to need less routine maintenance, such as the deadheading of flowers.
There tend to be fewer insect problems in shade perennial gardens, since many insects are sun loving.
Trees often help provide a natural mulch in the form of leaves for your shade perennial garden during winter months.

Some Disadvantages of Shade Perennial Gardens

There are fewer plants and flowers to choose from when creating a shade perennial garden.
Plants grow more slowly in shade perennial gardens than in the sun (this can also, however, be an advantage as shown above).
Although there are fewer insects in shade perennial gardens, there may be more problems with disease because foliage tends to remain wet longer.
Slugs and snails can be a persistent problem in many shade perennial gardens.
Shade perennial gardens must often compete with trees for nutrients and water, and may suffer if this is not taken into consideration.
There tend to be fewer colors to choose from when selecting shade perennial flowers for your garden space.
Shade perennial gardens may suffer from soil acidity problems, particularly if there are conifers producing the shade.

For tips and advice in how to combat some of the disadvantages, please refer to my other shade perennial garden articles listed on the Shade Perennial Garden Home Page.

Solving Two Common Water Problems for Shade Perennial Gardens

2009-06-05T07:10:00.000-07:00

Shade perennial gardens often have many fewer problems to deal with than their full-sun counterparts, but they do have some issues that should be considered when planning and caring for your shade garden. One of the major problems shade perennial gardens face is that of water: either too much of it - or to little.

Dry Shade. Although you may think that shade perennial gardens would naturally conserve water (in part because there would be less evaporation than in a sunny location), the opposite is actually often true. The shade in many shade perennial gardens is what gardeners sometimes refer to as a "dry shade." There are many factors that produce dry shade issues in a shade perennial garden, but one of the top ones is root competition from trees (the same trees that are often providing the shade). Other factors leading to dry shade problems include soil composition (sandy and rocky soils, for example, tend to be dry) and slope, as well as limited rainfall amounts. If you are gardening in an area suffering from dry shade, you have two main strategies: 1) plant drought-resistant but shade-tolerant plants) or 2) water your shade perennial garden frequently when needed. When you water, it is better to water occasionally but thoroughly (ideally, make sure the top foot of soil is moist) rather than watering shallowly but frequently. This is because shallow watering will cause plants to produce shallow roots, whereas deep watering will promote deep root growth.
Drainage Problems. Not all water problems have to do with inadequate water, however, and the inverse can easily be true as well. Most shade perennial flowers and plants do not like to have their roots wet for extended periods of time, and many will die if they find themselves in a location with poor drainage. There are some exceptions, however, so if you have a serious drainage issue in your shade perennial garden, consider planting shade-loving plants that can tolerate soil on the wet side (including ferns and hostas). However, if you still want to plant shade perennial flowers and plants that do not appreciate wet soil, you do have options. One of the best is to create raised beds. A raised bed built just a foot above a soggy location should provide an ideal growing location for most shade plants. Another option is to add drainage tiles or soil amendments to help solve the drainage problem you are facing in your shade perennial garden.

For even more tips and advice on how to create a beautiful shade perennial garden, please return to the Shade Perennial Garden Home Page.

Five Evergreen Shrubs for Shade Perennial Gardens

2009-06-02T19:14:00.000-07:00

Evergreen shrubs are wonderful additions to shade perennial gardens. They will continue to provide color during the winter months after the shade perennial flowers are gone and many shade plants have died back to the ground. However, not all evergreen shrubs are suitable for shade gardens. Here is a list of five evergreen shrubs that do well in a shade garden:

Rhododendrons (also known as azaleas). This evergreen shrub also has beautiful, showy flower. They do well in filtered shade areas of the garden, but are not suitable for full shade perennial gardens. Many species are toxic, especially to horses, and care should be taken when planting them to ensure they are growing in a safe location.
Andromedas shrub (Pieris japonica). These evergreen shrubs do well in partial to full shade. They can grow up to ten feet in height and eight feet wide, although many varieties are much smaller. This shade loving perennial shrub has pretty flowers as well that are cream in color and bloom in early spring. They are suitable to grow in zones 5 to 8.
Holly. Nothing seems to symbolize winter better than the holly plant. The red berries found on holly bushes in fall and winter will add beautiful color to your shade garden, and are a great winter source of food for birds (although mildly toxic to humans). These shrubs also can offer winter protection to wildlife in your shade garden as well. Hardiness will depend on variety, but many are suitable for zones 5-9.
Cypress (Chamaecyparis spp.). There are many beautiful varieties of cypress shrubs available. The Siberian cypress may be an excellent choice. It is a smaller evergreen shrub that can tolerate light shade. It is also very hardy, surviving into zone 3 or even zone 2 with proper mulching.
Spotted Laurel (Aucuba japonica). This is a deciduous shrub with mottled leaves that is suitable for dense shade gardens. It grows between six and ten feet in height, has broad leaves, red berries in the fall and purplish-brown flowers. Is drought tolerant, and suitable for warmer zones (7-10).

For even more suggestions on shade perennial flowers and plants, please visit the Shade Perennial Garden Plants Home Page. Thank you for visiting!

FAQ's about Shade Perennial Flowers

2009-06-01T22:42:00.000-07:00

Shade perennial flowers present their own unique challenges when being used in a shade perennial garden. Here are some frequently asked questions readers have about shade perennial flowers:

Q: Will my flowers bloom in the shade?

A: If you select the right kinds of flowers for the amount of shade you have in your garden, the answer should be yes. To figure out what kind of shade you have in your garden, I suggest you read my article How Shady Is Your Garden? Defining Shade Categories. In this article, you will find there are at least three primary shade categories that you need to know about before selecting the appropriate shade perennial flower for your garden.

Q: I know what kind of shade I have, what kind of flowers should I plant in it?

A: There are several articles here on the Shade Perennial Garden Page that should help you with your selection. For a general overview of some of the best shade perennial flowers, read Top Five Shade Perennial Flowers. If you would like to read selections that are particularly best for your shade level, read Light Shade Perennial Garden Flowers, Medium Shade Perennial Garden Flowers or Full Shade Perennial Garden Flowers. If you are interested in flowers from perennial bulbs, you should look at the article Shade Perennial Flowers: Five Spring Bulbs for Your Garden.

Q: When will my shade perennial flowers bloom?

A: This will depend on the flower you have planted. It is good to try to select both early and late season blooming shade perennial flowers for your garden, so you can have flowers in your garden for much of the gardening season. To help with selecting early and late season shade perennial flowers, take a look at the articles Five Spring Blooming Shade Perennial Flowers and Five Fall Blooming Shade Perennial Flowers.

Q: I am planting my flowers under a tree, is there anything special I need to know?

A: You should know that you may need to water and fertilize your flowers even more frequently than if they were located in the sun. This is because the tree will be competing with your flowers for both water and nutrients in the soil. Read Keys for a Successful Shade Perennial Garden for even more tips on how to garden successfully with shade perennial flowers.

Hopefully these articles will help you answer some of your basics questions about shade perennial flowers. For even more helpful articles on shade perennial gardening, please visit the Shade Perennial Garden Home Page.

Some FAQ's about Shade Perennial Gardens

2009-05-30T12:11:00.000-07:00

Gardening in the shade presents certain challenges, and presents different opportunities than full sun garden areas. Here are some common questions and answers regarding gardening with shade loving flowers and plants:

Q) What kind of shade do I have in my garden, and how does the shade influence my selection of shade perennial flowers and plants?

A) Knowing what kind of shade you have is very important if you want to have a successful experience creating a shade perennial garden. Your shade category will determine what kind of shade perennial flowers and plants you can successfully grow in your shade garden. There are three main categories of shade for most gardeners: light shade, medium shade and full shade. For a full discussion of shade categories, read How Shady is Your Garden? Defining Shade Categories. Once you know what kind of shade you are gardening in, you may also be interested in reading about recommendations for Light Shade Perennial Flowers, Medium Shade Perennial Flowers or Full Shade Perennial Flowers.

Q) When is the best time to start a new shade perennial garden?

A) Spring is a good time to start many shade loving perennials, so they can become well established before the summer heat arrives. Fall is also an excellent time to establish a new shade garden, provided that plants have time to establish their root systems before winter. Summer and winter are poor times to start shade perennial gardens in many regions, although if you live in Zone 7 or above, winter might be a good time for you to start a shade garden. To read more about starting a new shade perennial garden, see the article Keys for a Successful Shade Perennial Garden.

Q) What are some good resources to find out more information about shade perennial garden flowers and plants?

A) There are many articles and tips listed on this website that should help you plan your shade perennial garden and select well adapted and beautiful shade loving perennial plants and flowers (for example, see Ten Top Shade Perennial Garden Plants, Easy to Grow Shade Loving Perennials, and Shade Perennial Garden Design Tips). However, one of the best books I have found to date for the shade perennial gardener, is W. George Schmid's "An Encyclopedia of Shade Perennials." You can purchase this online at Amazon.com and elsewhere.

In my next post, I will explore even more FAQ's about shade perennial flowers and plants. To read even more about shade perennial flowers and plant, please visit the Shade Perennial Garden Home Page.

Five Fall Blooming Shade Perennial Flowers

2009-05-29T09:30:00.000-07:00

This post is part of a two part series exploring the best early and late season shade perennial flowers for gardening. In my previous post, I explored five shade perennial flowers that bloom in early spring, and in this post I will discuss five summer and fall blooming shade perennial flowers varieties.

Knowing and coordinating the blooming periods of shade perennial flowers is an essential part of the planning process when creating a shade perennial garden. By combining both early and late shade perennial flowers in your garden, you will be able to appreciate a flowering garden for much of the gardening season.

Here are some of the best fall blooming shade perennial flowers for your shade garden:

Hostas. Although hostas are often known primarily for their spectacular foliage, they also have beautiful white flowers that bloom late in the season. This is a great shade perennial flowering plant to serve as an anchor in your shade perennial garden.
Showy Sedum (Sedum spectabile). This Sedum variety has beautiful pink flowers that bloom in late summer and do well in areas with partial shade. The are about a foot tall in height and make a good ground cover when planeted in mass. Good for Zones 4-7 .
Cyclamen. Suited best for the warmer zones or indoors, but there are some frost hardy types (such as C. hederifolium), these fall blooming flowers are generally pink, purple or white.
Cimicifuga. These plants have dramatic spikes of white flowers, reaching several feet in height (but will not need any kind of staking). The shade loving flowers generally bloom in late August or early September. Sometimes known by the common name "Bugbane" this shade loving perennial is said to repel bed bugs too.
Toad Lilies (Tricyrtis). Another shade loving perennial flower that produces beautiful, exotic looking shade perennial flowers during the fall months. Some varieties also have quite beautiful foliage as well. They serve will as companion shade perennial garden plants to hostas, ferns and astilbe.

If you are interested in reading about Spring Blooming Shade Perennial Flowers, please visit the Shade Perennial Garden Home Page, where you will find that article plus many others dealing with design and maintenance of shade gardens.

Five Spring Blooming Shade Perennial Flowers

2009-05-28T18:09:00.000-07:00

An essential part of any shade garden plan, is coordinating the blooming periods of your shade perennial flowers. By carefully combining shade perennial flowers that bloom both early in the season and late in the season, you will be able to create a shade perennial garden full of flowers all season long.

This post is part of a two part series exploring the best spring blooming and fall blooming shade perennial flowers. In this post I explore five spring blooming shade perennial flowers. In my next post, I will discuss the best fall blooming shade perennial flowers for your garden.

Here are some of the best spring blooming shade perennial flowers for your shade garden:

Lungwort. This plant resembles the Hosta plant, with dramatic gray green foliage. But while the Hosta has white flowers in late fall, the Lungwort produces beautiful pink or blue flowers in early spring. They do best in Zones 5-8.
Siberian bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla). This is a favorite spring blooming shade perennial flower. It has sky-blue flowers that resemble forget-me-nots, and they do well even in full shade perennial gardens. Good for Zones 3-7.
Wood Anemones (Anemone nemorosa). These spring blooming shade perennial flowers are grown from a rhizome and generally pink or blue in color. They are usually under eight inches in height and suitable for Zones 4-8.
Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis). These shade loving perennial flowers are white and one of the earliest bloomers each year. They are small (usually six inches in height or less), and are grown from perennial bulbs. Suitable for zones 2-9.
Columbines (Aquilegia). These shade suitable perennial flowers are trumpet shaped and come in a wide variety of colors. They generally bloom in late may or early June and are a favorite and bees and hummingbirds. They can grow up to three feet in height, are suitable for Zones 3-9, and self-seed easily.

Check back tomorrow to read about the best Fall Blooming Shade Perennial Flowers. You can also find many valuable articles about gardening in the shade on the Shade Perennial Garden Home Page.

Shade Perennial Garden Design: Theme Gardens

2009-05-27T21:04:00.000-07:00

Theme Gardens have become increasingly popular of late, be it formal Victorian style gardens, quaint English Cottage Gardens, Biblical Plants gardens, Japanese gardens or Garden Troll gardens.

Shade Perennial Gardens present certain opportunities and challenges if you are interested in organizing your garden around a certain theme. In one regards, shade perennial gardens already have a theme built into them: shade-loving plants. Just by gardening in a shaded area, you will have already predetermined a whole body of plants that are suitable for that gardening area. But some gardeners would like to pursue other themes in their shade perennial gardens as well.

There are some limitations when constructing a themed shade perennial garden. First, you should be aware that since you will only be limited to shade loving plants, some themes may be difficult if not impossible. For example, most shade perennial flowers come in muted shades - whites, pinks, and blues primarily. So creating a shade perennial garden centered around red and green flowers would be a challenge. You may also find it difficult to pursue themed gardens that rely heavily on sun loving plants, like some regional themed gardens may do.

But there are some great opportunities for themed shade perennial gardens as well. Shade perennial gardens centered around white shade perennial flowers would be an easy theme to pursue. In fact, monochromatic color themes are ideal for most shade perennial garden layouts, as long as you stick to the colors you generally find for shade perennial flowers.

You may also find shade perennial gardens amenable to structures such as fountains and benches, since by nature they tend to be restful and relaxing places to spend some time. Shade perennial gardens are also great places to pursue whimsical themes centered around creatures such as frogs, trolls or fairies. The dark spaces of your shade perennial garden can be a wonderful place to hide creatures that will delight visitors young and old alike.

As with any garden, planning and preparation are often key to a successful themed garden. But by keeping in mind what are the limitations and opportunities for a themed shade perennial garden, you should be well on your way to creating a wonderful shade garden.

For even more tips and advice regarding gardening in shade perennial gardens, please return to the Shade Perennial Garden Home Page.

Shade Perennial Flowers: Five Spring Bulbs for Your Garden

2009-05-25T20:25:00.000-07:00

One of the joys of planting perennial bulbs in your garden is the knowledge that with the right care, these bulbs will produce beautiful shade loving perennial flowers year after year. Unfortunately, the number of shade perennial flowers available are limited, but spring perennial bulbs will add to your list of possibilities when designing your shade perennial garden.

When you look at the color selections for shade perennial flowers, you may be surprised to see that the color palette is a bit limited. Many shade perennial flowers fall in the color spectrum of white, blue, mauve, or pink. There are a few exceptions - the daylily for example, which is a brilliant orange color. But in general, you shade perennial flowers will belong to this color palette. Fortunately, most of these shade perennial flowers colors complement each other quite nicely, making combination schemes much easier with these shade perennial flower selections.

Here are some shade loving perennial bulbs to consider for your shade perennial garden:

1) Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis) - A beautiful white or pink shade perennial flower that is grown from a rhizome (a type of perennial bulb). These shade loving perennial flowers bloom in early spring, grow up to a foot in height, and suitable for zones 2 - 9. All parts of the plant are poisonous, however, so care should be taken in selecting the area they are planted.

2) English Bluebell (Scilla tubergeniana) - Beautiful violet-blue shade perennial flowers that smell of honey. One planting can produce over a hundred bell shaped blossoms! Small, usually between four and eight inches in height, and naturalizes well. A great selection for zones 3 to 9, although they can survive even in zone 2 if a mulch is provided.

3) Wood Anemones (Anemone nemorosa) - Shade perennial flowers also grown from a rhizome, the wood anemone are very suited to shady areas of your garden, as long as they are also moist. Generally pink or blue, they are another short shade perennial flower (4-8 inches tall) and suitable for zones 4-8.

4) Snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis) - Unsurprisingly, as the name suggests, these shade perennial flowers are white in color, and they are also very early bloomers. In fact, they may be the earliest perennial flowers you have growing in your garden (shade or not). Small, white shade loving perennial flowers (generally under six inches) grow from perennial bulbs, suitable for zones 2-9.

5) Grecian Wildflowers (Anemone blanda) - These shade perennial flowers come in brilliant fuschia and pink colors, and are great shade perennial flowers for area under shade and trees where you want some bright color. They also come in blue and white shades as well, and bear some resemblance to the daisy. These shade perennial flowers are grown from tubers, and suitable for zones 5-9 (although they may survive colder areas if mulched heavily).

Hopefully these suggestions for shade perennial flowers grown from bulbs, rhizomes and tubers will help you with your shade perennial garden plans. If you are interested in reading more about how to purchase and plant perennial bulbs, please visit the Perennial Bulbs Home Page. Otherwise, for even more suggestions about shade perennial flowers and plants please return to the Shade Perennial Garden Home Page.

Ten Top Shade Perennial Garden Plants

2009-05-21T19:16:00.000-07:00

Often home owners find landscaping the shaded portions of their gardens to be a challenge, but with the right shade perennial garden plants this need not be the case. Below you will find a list of ten easy and adaptable shade loving garden plants that almost every gardener can have success with planting:

1) Ferns. For areas of your garden that have medium to full shade, ferns may well be the best selection. Ferns have the ability to thrive in areas that are often too dark for other perennials, and you will find that there is a wide body of fern species available to suite many different needs and personal aesthetics.

2) Hostas (plantain lily) may possibly be the most popular shade perennial garden plant grown, in part due to the wide variety of textures, colors and shapes they come in. Besides their wonderful green foliage, the hosta plant also has beautiful flowers that are lily-like in appearance and generally lavender or white in color. The hosta flowers bloom from late spring throughout the summer.

3) Bleeding Heart is a perennial plant suitable for medium (half) shade perennial garden areas, and are also very easy to propagate. The Bleeding Heart has beautiful heart shaped pink flowers.

4) Columbines are shade loving trumpet shaped perennial flowers that are loved by bees and hummingbirds. They come in a wide variety of colors, grow to three feet in height, and easily self-seed.

5) Lungwort has silver and green leaves and are an interesting foliage addition to any shade perennial garden. They do best in areas of partial shade, and also have pretty blue or pink flowers.

6) Common Primrose is a popular shade perennial garden plant for English cottage gardens. The primrose is one of the earliest plants to bloom each spring, and its flowers are generally yellow, white, red, or purple. Both the flowers and leaves are edible.

7) Daylilies are a medium shade loving perennial flower that is usually bright orange in color. They propagate so easily that they are classified as a noxious weed in some areas.

8) Phlox are a light shade loving perennial garden flower that spreads easily, and comes in many colors and sizes so that they suit many different shade perennial garden plans.

9) Foam Flowers are a good choice for full shade perennial garden areas. They are generally white to light pink in color, and can be easily naturalized in moist areas, such as along a stream bank.

10) Siberian bugloss is another full shade suitable perennial garden plant. It has beautiful blue flowers and lush heart-shaped foliage that is green and white.

Hopefully these suggestions will help you plan your shade perennial garden area. Please return to the Shade Perennial Garden Home Page to read even more articles about shade perennial flowers and plants.

Shade Perennial Garden Design Tips

2009-05-20T20:31:00.001-07:00

Shade perennial gardens can offer a wonderful space to enjoy nature out of the sun. They are often cool and relaxing spaces, but like their sunny counterparts, benefit from planning and preparation before planting in order to ensure a long lived shade perennial garden space.

Here are some tips to help you design your shade perennial garden so that you will be able to maximize your enjoyment while minimizing commonly occurring problems for shade gardens.

First, you should put adequate time into planning out your shade perennial garden before you plant. Examine the space closely, noting how many hours of direct sunlight the space gets daily (if any), the quality of the soil, and any drainage problems that are visible. Also note what is currently growing in your soon-to-be shade perennial garden space. Some plants you may want to keep, while others may be noxious weeds that may be difficult to get rid of in your shade perennial garden. Consider your water source as well - although it may be counter-intuitive, shade perennial gardens generally need a lot of moisture, and you will want a water source nearby.

Next, you should attempt to sketch out what you would like your shade perennial garden to be like. This is an important step, but you don't have to be an artist to do this. Rough circles and possibly some graph paper will help you quickly notice if your plans are too ambitious, not leaving enough space for plants to grow, or if some plants may obscure others due to their height in the shade perennial garden.

In terms of design, think about the colors, textures and heights of different shade loving plants you are considering for your shade perennial garden. You should also consider the blooming period of the shade perennial flowers that will be inhabiting the space, and try to coordinate these blooming periods for a spectacular show. Also think about the colors of the flowers and make sure there are not any color clashes (pink and orange, for example). White and pastels are favorites in many shade perennial gardens. You should also consider which plants will "anchor" the garden space. Often these are large shade loving perennial plants like hydrangea or viburnum. And then use colorful shade perennial flowers to add color to the space.

You will find many articles here on the Shade Perennial Garden site suggesting shade perennial flowers and plants for your garden space, so I encourage you to look at these articles to help with your plant and flower selection.

Easy to Grow Shade Loving Perennials

2009-05-18T09:48:00.000-07:00

It can be easy to grow shade loving perennials, if you select the right plants. Shade loving perennials can help brighten up your garden, or promote a relaxing atmosphere if that is what you are prefer. There are some shade loving perennials that are especially easy to grow and propagate, and thus are ideal for beginning gardeners in search of shade loving perennials.

Here is a list of five of the easiest shade loving perennials you can grow:

1) Columbines. These beautiful shade loving perennials have trumpet shaped flowers that bloom in late spring through mid summer. They are are a favorite of bees and hummingbirds, and they easily self seed. Their height varies between 1 1/2 feet to 3 feet, and they come in a wide array of colors.

2) Daylilies. These shade loving perennials generally have bright orange flowers that propagate very well. In fact, in some areas they are classified as a noxious weed, because they can quickly spread and need to be carefully maintained. But these beautiful medium shade loving perennial flowers are sure to brighten up any garden!

3) Bleeding Heart. Beautiful, but also toxic, bleeding hearts are medium shade loving perennials. They have pink and white heart shaped flowers, and they self propagate easily. I have devoted an entire page to the Bleeding Heart plant here.

4) Phlox. Shade loving perennials with beautiful flowers, most phlox species prefer light shade and do not thrive well in deep shade. They also need moist, well-drained soil. The phlox can also spread easily, and this should be taken into consideration when planting.

5) Hostas (plantain lily). The shade loving perennial hosta plant can thrive in partial to full shade garden spots, and are quite easy to grow. Hostas also come in a wide selection of colors, shapes, and sizes. They also have bell shaped flowers that are quite beautiful come early fall, and most varieties are also quite winter hardy. You can read my entire article on the hosta plant by clicking here.

I hope this post will help you find the best shade loving perennials for your garden. For even more ideas about using shade loving perennials, please visit the Shade Perennial Garden Plants and Ideas Homepage.

Tips for a Great Shade Perennial Garden

2009-05-17T15:04:00.000-07:00

Shade perennial gardens are wonderful, relaxing landscapes that any gardener can create, using the right plants and knowledge. Gardening in the shade, however, presents its own unique challenges. Here are some tips to help you create a beautiful shade perennial garden:

1) Although it may seem counter-intuitive, shade perennial garden plants often need more water than their full sun cousins. This is especially true if your shade perennial garden area is under trees, whose roots and limbs often interfere with the amount of water your shade perennials will receive. Water is very important if you want your shade perennial plants to flower, as perennial shade flowers are especially sensitive to the amount of water they receive and will often not bloom, or the blooms will drop, if they do not receive enough.

2) To help preserve moisture, mulching a shade perennial garden is very useful. By applying a mulch, you will also be mimicking the environment many of these shade perennial plants find in nature (frequently these plants are native to heavily forested areas with a thick ground mulch provided by nature).

3) Despite being thirsty, few shade perennial plant like their areas to be wet. Their location should be moist, but also well drained.

For even more tips and advice on shade perennial plants, please return to the Shade Perennial Garden Plants and Ideas Home Pag e.

Book Review: An Encyclopedia of Shade Perennials

2009-05-16T23:37:00.000-07:00

W. George Schmid's An Encyclopedia of Shade Perennials is a must for any perennial gardener's library. The book contains an extensive list of shade perennial plants, and presents the material in an entertaining and readable manner. Schmid has had a shade perennial garden for over thirty years, and the book well reflects his expertise.

Plant entries will cover everything from the origins and common names of the shade perennial plant, to details about its hardiness, flowering cycle, cultivation requirements, how to propagate the plant best, and much, much more. The book discusses over 7,000 different perennial plant species suitable for shade perennial gardens, and is beautifully illustrated with color photos.

If you are looking for the definite guide to shade perennial garden plants, then Schmid's Encyclopedia of Shade Perennials is the book for you. The book can easily be purchased online at Amazon.com. You can easily access the book page by clicking the icon below:

Light, Medium and Full Shade Perennial Flowers

2009-05-14T23:26:00.000-07:00

My complete series on shade perennial flowers is now complete! Here are links to the following articles:

Light Shade Perennial Flowers
Medium Shade Perennial Flowers
Full Shade Perennial Flowers

I have also recently published an article on Shade Loving Perennial Flowers at Ezine.com as well.

There are also numerous other articles on shade perennial gardens plants and ideas that you will find listed on the right side of the page.

Please check back regularly, more articles are to come soon!

Full Shade Perennial Flowers

2009-05-12T15:31:00.000-07:00

In previous posts I discussed light shade perennial flowers and medium shade perennial flowers, and in this final post of this three part series I will discuss the best shade perennial flowers for full shade conditions. If you are not acquainted with the definition of shade categories, you may also want to refer to my post "How Shady is Your Garden? Defining Shade Categories."

Full shade is by far the most challenging growing condition of these three shade categories. Full shade refers to an area that receives no direct sunlight at all during the daytime, although there may be quite a bit of indirect or reflected sunlight in the area you are gardening. Far fewer flowers will grow and bloom in full shade conditions than in light or medium shade, but there still are options available.

The Hosta is probably one of the best selections for full shade conditions. Although frequently grown for its lush foliage, the plant also has beautiful bell shaped flowers that bloom in early fall.

The Foam Flower is another excellent choice, especially for moist areas along stream banks where it can easily naturalize. Foam flowers are white or light pink in color, bloom in early spring, and do well in full shade conditions.

Siberian bugloss, also known popularly as the False Forget-Me-Not (Brunnera macrophylla), has beautiful blue flowers and lush green and white heart-shaped foliage that is also suitable for full shade conditions. It also makes a wonderful ground cover plant.

Hopefully this series has helped you find some interesting shade perennial flower possibilities for your shade perennial garden. Please click here to return to the home page for Shade Perennial Garden Plants and Ideas.

Medium Shade Perennial Flowers

2009-05-12T15:20:00.000-07:00

In my previous post I discussed perennial flowers suitable for light shade conditions, and in this post I will now discuss medium shade perennial flowers. This post is part of a three part series, and the next post will deal with perennial flowers for full shade. If you are not acquainted with the definition of shade categories, you may also refer to my post "How Shady is Your Garden? Defining Shade Categories."

Medium Shade (also referred to as partial shade, half shade, semi-shade and dappled shade) loving perennial flowers and plants can tolerate four to five hours a day without direct sunlight. Often this may be the shade situation you find under a mature tree. Whereas there are many perennial flowers that prefer light shade, finding medium shade loving perennial flowers can be a bit more of a challenge, but below you will find some excellent suggestions.

Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum) - Native to the woodlands, these plants have beautiful arching stems that reach up to two feet in length from which white or cream bell-shaped very fragrant flowers hang. They prefer medium shade locations and moist soil.

Begonia grandis (Hardy Begonia). Although there are over 1,500 species of Begonias, only the hardy variety is of interest to northern gardeners. This variety can often survive into zone six and grow well in medium shade. Like their tropical cousins, they need a moist environment to thrive. Because Hardy Begonias generally bloom in fall, they can help extend the flowering period of your shade perennial flower garden.

Coral Bells (Heuchera)- As the popular name suggests, these are a bit reminiscent of sea coral. The tall flower stems bloom from early June through August, and come in a wide variety of colors.

Bleeding Heart (Dicentra) - has beautiful, heart shaped flowers bloom in May and June. Plants range in height from just over a foot to nearly three feet tall (D. spectabilis is the tall variety), and they are tolerant of partial or filtered shade.

Daylily (Hemerocallis) - Bright orange flowers that propagate well. In fact, in some areas they are classified as a noxious weed, because they can quickly spread and need to be carefully maintained. But these beautiful medium shade loving perennial flowers are sure to brighten up any garden!

Be sure to check back to read the final part of the series, "Full Shade Perennial Flowers."

Light Shade Perennial Flowers

2009-05-11T15:56:00.000-07:00

Light shade perennial flowers (also known as "filtered shade" or "thin shade") are probably the easiest shade perennial flower to place in your garden since there is such a wide variety to choose from. Light shade perennial flowers are those that can tolerate (and often prefer) between two and three hours of shade daily. Many perennial flowers fall into this category, so for this list I decided to pick what are my top five light shade loving perennial flowers.

This post is part of a three part series that will deal with perennial flowers suitable for light shade, medium shade and full shade. If you would like to know more about how to classify the shade in your garden in order to know which shade perennial flower is best for you, I recommend you first take a look at my previous post "How Shady is Your Garden?"

Foxglove (Digitalis sp.) - Foxglove blooms in late summer, sending up spires of flowers that can easily reach four feet in height. These look best planted in the background of a light shade garden. Do not try to plant foxglove in areas with medium or dense shade, however, since the flowers will end up being spindly.

Columbine (Aquilegia sp.) - The Columbine is a beautiful flower that is native to the woodlands. It can grow up to three feet tall and comes in a wide variety of colors. It blooms in May and June, and thrives in areas with light shade, and moist but well-drained soil.

Hellebore (Helleborus orientalis), also known as Lenten Roses - These are some of the earliest flowers to bloom each year, and are generally white, burgundy or rose in color. They also have beautiful green foliage.

Daffodils/Narcissus (Narcissus sp.) - beautiful yellow, white and orange flowers that do well in light shade. The perennial bulbs should be planted in the fall in most areas.

Phlox (Phlox divaricata) - Most phlox species prefer light shade, but they will not thrive well in deep shade. They also need moist, well-drained soil. They spread easily, and this should be taken into consideration when planting.

In my next posts, I will also consider five medium shade perennial flowers, and then the third part of this series will look at full shade perennial flowers. For more gardening articles about shade flowers and shade plants, please return to the Shade Perennial Garden homepage.

Foxglove Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How Shady Is Your Garden? Defining Shade Categories

2009-05-07T10:39:00.000-07:00

Often when reading through descriptions for perennial flowers and plants, you will come across terms such as "suitable for partial shade", "prefers filtered shade", or "plant in areas with light shade." The range of shade terms used to describe the light preferences and needs for shade perennial flowers and plants can be very confusing, especially for beginning gardeners. In part this is because many terms are often used interchangeably to describe the same light requirements.

Here is a brief guide to help those purchasing shade perennial flowers and plants. These categories are based on the number of hours per day of shade a plant needs or can tolerate:

Filtered Shade, Light Shade, Thin Shade - This is the shade category that involves the least amount of shade. Generally it means a perennial flower or plant can tolerate two to three hours of shade a day, or that there is very light shade during the day in the area where the perennial garden flowers and plants are growing - such as occasional shade coming through tree branches that are spread wide apart.

Partial Shade, Half Shade, Medium Shade, Semi-Shade, Dappled Shade - Partial shade perennial flowers and plants can tolerate four to five hours a day without direct sunlight. This is the shade situation under many older trees. A dappled sunlight/shade pattern under a tree means that for fifty percent of the time there is sun, and fifty percent of the time there is shade - with the sun and shady areas rotating as the sun moves across the sky.

Full Shade - In a full shade perennial garden or location, there is no direct sunlight hitting the area at all during the day. The location will still receive some reflected, indirect sunlight. There are few perennial garden flowers and plants that can tolerate full shade conditions.

Deep Shade, Dense Shade, Heavy Shade - No direct sunlight and no indirect sunlight. This could be an area such as under a deck platform or in a very densely canopied forest. Almost no plants will grow in such conditions.

Knowing and understanding these shade terms is crucial if you want your shade perennial flowers and plants to thrive. Hopefully these definitions will help you successfully match your garden space with the appropriate shade perennial flowers and plants.

For even more articles about gardening for shade perennial and plants, please return to the Shade Perennial Garden main page.

Shade Perennial Garden Plant Profile: Hostas

2009-05-04T19:58:00.000-07:00

Hostas (plantain lily) are a popular plant for shade gardens because of the massive variety of species available, their ability to thrive in shady garden spots, and their general easiness to grow. Hosta leaves come in a wide selection of colors, shapes and sizes, and their bell shaped flowers are also quite beautiful come early fall. Most varieties are also quite winter hardy,with some varieties surviving into zone three. Hostas make an excellent choice for the beginning gardener, as they are almost foolproof plants that can thrive in almost any shade perennial garden.

Hostas prefer rich, moist and well drained soil. They can work well as a ground cover if planted closely together, where they can quickly choke out competing weeds. The one problem you might encounter if you live in a very moist climate will be slugs, who love to feast on hosta leaves. You may want to look into slug control methods suitable for your shade perennial garden if you fear this will be problem.

Hostas are easy to propagate by divisions, with many gardeners gladly giving away their extras each year. You might want to check if any of your neighbors have hosta varieties they are planning to divide this year that you would like to try in your garden.

Some hosta varieties you might want to consider trying this year in your shade perennial garden include:

Hosta fortunei "aurea" - has nearly gold shaded leaves in the spring, that will darken as the season progresses

Hosta sieboldiana - has very large, blue-green heart shaped leaves. A beautiful specimen.

Hosta undulata - has thin leaves that are wavy, and a white center outlined with green.

You will find that many garden catelogs and nurserys will have a wide variety of other hosta varieties to choose from (there are over 3000 named hosta varieties). In fact, shopping for hostas for your shade perennial garden can quickly become an addiction!

Top Five Shade Perennial Garden Flowers

2009-05-01T08:47:00.001-07:00

What better way to brighten up a shady spot than by using perennial flowers? Unfortunately, many perennial flower varieties thrive in the sun, not the shade, but there are a few excellent choices the prefer cool and dark locations:

1. Dicentra (Bleeding Heart). Dicentra's common name, bleeding heart, comes from the pink heart-shaped flowers on this plant. Bleeding Heart prefers semi-shade to full sun, and also a moist environment. If you have children or pets, however, you need to be careful as all parts of the plant are poisonous.

2. Primula vulgaris (Common Primrose). Common in English cottage gardens, the beautiful primrose is one of the earliest plants to bloom in Spring and they tend to have a long blooming period. The flowers can be pale yellow, white, red, or purple. Both flowers and leaves are edible, with young flowers being a key ingredient for Primrose wine.

3. Aquilegia (Columbine). The Columbine flowers grow naturally in woods and meadows, and are suitable for many semi-shaded locations. They have beautiful bell-shaped flower that come in a variety of colors. They prefer light shade and moist soil, and bloom normally from early to mid-May, although their blooming period can be extended through June if the flowers are removed regularly as they fade.

4. Begonia grandis (Hardy Begonia). There are over 1,500 species of Begonias, many which flourish in tropical environments. Most gardeners in the United States and Europe will be interested in growing the Hardy Begonia, some of which can often survive into zone six. These varieties grow well in the shade, but like their tropical cousins, they need a moist environment to thrive. Because Hardy Begonias generally bloom in fall, they can help extend the flowering period of your shade perennial flower garden. Flowers come in many colors, but pinks and oranges are probably the most common.

5. Iris cristata (Crested Iris). Irises have beautiful, showy flowers that make a wonderful addition to a shade perennial garden. Irises grow from rhizomes and perennial bulbs. Bearded Irises tend to flower in the spring, although some new cultivars may blooms again in the summer and fall (although the second flowering is usually not as showy). Many bearded irises are fragrant, and the flowers come in a variety of colors, with some being bi-colored.

Shade Loving Perennial Garden Plants

2009-04-23T19:44:00.000-07:00

Perennial gardening in a site with full or mostly shade, such as areas under trees, branches or buildings, can be challenging, but fortunately there are several plants that are suitable and can create beautiful shade perennial gardens.

For areas that receive almost no sunlight at all, ferns may be the best choice. Ferns are well known for their ability to thrive in places that are often too damp and dark for other plants to grow, and there are a variety of different fern species you can choose from. Some ferns are evergreen, meaning they will remain green all year long, while the leaves of other varieties will die back in the fall and then regrow during the spring. Most fern species prefer an area that is not just dark, but also damp. Many types spread rapidly, so if you are concerned about your shade perennial garden being overrun with ferns, you should plant the noninvasive types.

If your gardening area receives only partial shade, there are many other plant species you should also consider. Pulmonarias, also known as lungworts, are beautiful shade loving perennials whose leaves have silver-white splotches on them and either blue or pink flowers. Bluestar perennial flowers (Amsonias) can also be grown in shady areas. The flowers usually bloom in May and June, while the green foliage remains attractive all summer long.

Finally, hostas (plantain lilies) are very popular for shady garden areas because of the wide variety of colors, textures and sizes available. Besides having beautiful leaves in a variety of shades and shapes, most hostas also produce beautiful lilylike white and lavender flowers that bloom in late spring until late summer.

Although gardening in shady regions of your garden can be challenging, by selecting the right combination of shade loving perennials you should be able to create a beautiful shade perennial garden.

Recommended Books on Shade Loving Perennials

2009-04-22T19:53:00.000-07:00

The following books are highly recommended for those interested in even more information regarding the growing and maintenance of a shade perennial garden:

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2009-04-21T18:12:00.000-07:00

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