What to Grow in Perennial Shade

Bleeding heart grows well in perennial shade gardens.

Gardeners often have shadowy garden areas that they just leave empty. While most plants don't grow well in low-lighting conditions, many herbaceous perennials thrive in the shade. Why not add some color and texture to your landscape by starting a perennial shade garden? Select your shade-loving plants according to their mature size, flower color and your USDA hardiness zone.

Bleeding Heart

The bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis) is an old-fashioned garden favorite that typically grows well in moist, well-drained soils that receive partial to full shade. Native to Korea, China and Japan, this perennial performs well in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 9. Mature plants range from 2 to 3 feet in height with slightly smaller spreads. Bleeding hearts bear long stems and soft green leaves that go dormant by mid-summer. Drooping, heart-shaped rose to pink flowers appear in April and May. Aphids sometimes like to feed on these plants. Use bleeding heart plants in the borders of your perennial shade garden.

Siberian Bugloss

Siberian bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla) naturally occurs in Eastern Europe and performs well in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 8. These perennials prefer moist, rich soils that receive partial shade. Siberian bugloss cannot tolerate dry soils. Mature plants form clumps ranging from 12 to 18 inches in height and 18 to 30 inches in width. Flowers appear in April and May, featuring light blue petals surrounding yellow centers. Black-green leaves look like little hearts and retain their color the entire growing season. Snails and slugs like to feed on the foliage. Mass plant Siberian bugloss for a colorful groundcover in shady areas.

Virginia Bluebells

Native to North America, Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) like rich, moist soils in partially to fully shady areas. Winter hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8, this perennial forms clumps ranging from 18 to 24 inches in height with slightly smaller spreads. Virginia bluebells bear blue-green leaves and flower clusters that appear in March and April. The trumpet-shaped flowers emerge pink before turning blue. Mass plant Virginia bluebells in your shade garden borders.

Lesser Periwinkle

Lesser periwinkle (Vinca minor), also called creeping myrtle, prefers humusy, moist soils in partially shady locations, but these plants can also tolerate full shade. Native to Europe, this herbaceous perennial typically survives winters in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 8. Lesser periwinkle plants form mounds ranging from 3 to 6 inches in height with spreads ranging from 6 to 18 inches. Lavender blue flowers appear in May and June and often bloom intermittently into autumn. Plant lesser periwinkle as a groundcover in your shady garden areas.

Hardy Geranium

Native to the central and eastern regions of Europe, the hardy geranium (Geranium phaeum) performs well in USDA hardiness zones 5 to 7. This herbaceous perennial reaches up to 30 inches in height and 18 inches in width. Hardy geraniums bloom from May through August, featuring dark maroon to dark purple flowers with lighter center rings. This garden plant thrives in partially shady conditions. Use hardy geraniums in perennial shade gardens as well as shady border areas.

References

• Colorado State University Extension; Perennial Shade Gardening; Dick Christensen; Aug. 11, 2007
• Missouri Botanical Garden: Dicentra spectabilis (Bleeding Heart)
• Missouri Botanical Garden: Brunnera macrophylla (Siberian Bugloss)
• Missouri Botanical Garden: Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells)
• Missouri Botanical Garden: Vinca minor (Lesser Periwinkle)
• Missouri Botanical Garden: Geranium phaeum (Hardy Geranium)

Resources

• University of Illinois Extension: Gardening in Shady Places
• University of Rhode Island Horticulture: Shade Gardens