Partial shade presents unique challenges when planning borders and beds. Neither consistently sunny nor deeply shaded, these “in between” spots require plants adapted to both. The good news is many perennials thrive with around 4-6 hours of sunlight daily. Here are 15 ideal border plants for partial shade areas:
1. Astilbe
With plumes of flowers in white pink red and purple, Astilbe adds airy color impact. The fern-like foliage offers wonderful texture as well. Give Astilbe medium to moist soil for best blooms. Deadhead spent flowers to encourage more.
2. Coral Bells
Coral bells offer more than just charming bell-shaped blooms The foliage comes in a stunning range like burgundy, chartreuse and silvery blue. Plant en masse for brilliant color Cut flowers make long-lasting arrangements.
3. Japanese Forest Grass
This graceful ornamental grass has an Asian-inspired look. The slender blades form arching green and white variegated mounds. Japanese forest grass spreads nicely to cover area along partially shaded borders.
4. Candytuft
Candytuft blooms vigorously in white or pink starting in late spring. The neat mounds of evergreen foliage maintain structure after the blossoms fade. Trim lightly after flowering to keep plants compact.
5. Yellow Archangel
Also called yellow creeping Charlie, this low spreader offers cheery chartreuse leaves and petite purple flowers. It will cascade nicely along borders or soften the edges of garden paths. Cut back if it gets too rambunctious.
6. Siberian Bugloss
With electric blue blooms on tall wispy stems, Siberian bugloss brings a pop of color to dappled borders. The hairy green leaves add pleasing texture. Remove spent flowers to encourage reblooming into summer.
7. Lungwort
One of the earliest bloomers, lungwort starts flowering as early as February. The pink or blue blooms brighten the unique silver-spotted foliage. Plant in drifts along borders and pathways.
8. Lamium
Lamium offers lovely silvery, purple or chartreuse foliage and whorls of tubular pink or white blooms on short stalks. Good choices include ‘White Nancy’ and ‘Anne Greenaway’. Trim back by half after flowering finishes.
9. Lenten Rose
Starting in late winter, large flowers in pink, white, purple and yellow open on these hardy perennials. Lenten roses maintain evergreen foliage year round. Plant along woodland borders or feature in containers.
10. Japanese Painted Fern
Valued for decorative fronds, painted ferns display hues of red, silver and purple. Their short stature makes them ideal for the front of borders. Moist, fertile soil helps these beauties thrive.
11. Foamflower
Foamflower produces frothy spikes of white blooms above lush green foliage. Good for borders or edging paths, it spreads nicely to form a dense carpet in moist woodland soil.
12. Dead Nettle
An early spring bloomer, dead nettle offers pink or purple blooms atop gray-green foliage. It spreads moderately and the stoloniferous habit fills empty spots along borders.
13. Alchemilla Mollis
With scalloped, chartreuse leaves and tiny starry yellow blooms, lady’s mantle provides wonderful texture. It works beautifully along border fronts and pathways. Trim off spent blooms.
14. Bleeding Heart Vine
A climbing cousin of the bleeding heart flower, this vine shows off rows of red and white heart-shaped blooms from spring to fall once established. It grows 10 feet tall on fences or trellises.
15. Columbine
Columbines produce elegant nodding blooms in a variety of bicolors like red and yellow. The lobed leaves add lovely detail as well. Best in cooler climates, plant in humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil.
Design Tips for Partial Shade Borders
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Use foliage color and texture to add interest since flowers are fewer
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Incorporate evergreen choices like coral bells for year-round structure
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Mass plantings of one type create greater impact
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Edge borders with spreading choices like candytuft and dead nettle
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Add height with mid-border plants like Siberian bugloss
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Include a few trailing plants like bleeding heart vine
Caring for Partial Shade Border Plants
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Water regularly, especially during droughts
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Apply compost or organic fertilizer annually
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Cut back by 1/3 after main flush of blooms
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Prune wayward growth as needed
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Mulch annually with 2-3 inches of organic matter
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Dig and divide overcrowded plants every 3-4 years
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Group plants with similar needs to simplify care
With smart plant choices like astilbe, coral bells and candytuft, it’s easy to create vibrant borders in partial shade. Use foliage color and texture to compensate for fewer flowers. Maintain moist fertile soil and prune back spent blooms. A thoughtfully designed border will allow these plants to shine even with only 4-6 hours of direct sun.
Frequency of entities:
shade – 24
border – 24
plants – 21
partial – 17
blooms – 8
foliage – 6
flower – 5
soil – 4
areas – 3
ground – 2
garden – 2
plantings – 2
colors – 2
light – 2
water – 2
sunlight – 2
flowers – 2
spreading – 1
pathways – 1
moisture – 1
beds – 1
Use leaf contrast instead of colour in a shady border
There is a much wider range of brightly coloured flowers suitable for a sunny border. But there are still plenty of plants which flower in shade. See this short video for 8 good examples.
However, you can achieve a wonderful effect by focusing on leaf contrast. Plant different shades of green side by side.
Make sure that long thin leaves sit beside rounded or heart-shaped ones. Combine spikes and spheres, soft foliage and striking shapes.
It’s true that some leaves fall off in the winter, but many shady borders still look great then. (Meanwhile that super-sunny flowering border is often nearly empty in winter!).
So before cutting down that tree, think about how much easier a shady garden is. Weeds don’t grow so fast. It’s more private. Plants that do flower often last longer. There’s a huge range in leaf shape and colour. And a shady border is more likely to look good all year because plant shape is more important than color.
But if you really do want more light, don’t cut the trees down. Have them properly pruned and shaped. But don’t just let anyone hack at it. See what you need to know before pruning your trees.
Garden design inspiration for a shady border
There are several garden design themes you can use for a shady border or area of your garden. Or even your whole garden if it’s in the shade.
Many exotic plants are shade-loving because a jungle is quite a shady place. A lot of people are interested in “exotic” or jungle gardens, especially in city gardens that are surrounded by houses and get a lot of shade.
Want a jungle garden but don’t have much shade? You should think about adding more shade. A jungle is layered, with only the tallest trees getting full sun.
People who grow exotic gardens in mild climates use plants that do well in shade to make the atmosphere lush.
Stumperies are another design feature you could use in a shady border or area. It’s called a stumpery if you arrange a bunch of tree stumps, logs, and other wood pieces in a sculpture-like way to show off the beauty of the roots, bark, or other parts of a dead tree.
A stumpery is brilliant for wildlife. If you think that a border would be too shady in a certain area of your garden, you might want to think about putting in a stumpery instead. They can work in both small and large gardens. Find out more about how to create a stumpery here.
5 Awesome Plants for Shade! // Garden Answer
FAQ
What is the longest blooming perennial for shade?