What kinds pretty flowers grow well in the shade?

Question

My house faces North, and I have a strip of a garden bed that runs along the front of my home and it's in the shade all day long. There are Hostas there now and they grow very well, and I like that they come back every year, but I find them boring! Any ideas?

Answer 1

Some perennials (they come back every year) are Lilly of the valley, it's beautiful; you can find it in bulb or plant form, bleeding heart, fuchsia is beautiful and unusual, (also known as "ladies eardrops) and toad lillies, which are very unique.
Vinca is a good vining ground cover that has pretty purple flowers, it's also a perennial.
Shrubs that do well are azaleas and hydrangea bushes.
Annuals (will not come back) that enjoy shade are impatiens, Lenten rose (very pretty and unusual), wax begonias, wishbone flower and violets.

I have some shade in my yard, too, so I've done some research!

Answer 2

Reds, Purples and Browns add depth and intrigue to the foliage aspect of a shade garden.
Look for Heuchera ‘Palace Purple’, Heuchera ‘Chocolate Ruffles’, Rodgersia, Cimicifugia racemosa‘Hillside Black Beauty’, Ceratostigma plumbaginoides, Epimedium, Gaultheria, and Filipendula to name a few. Ajuga reptans 'Bronze Beauty' or 'Burgundy Glow' cover the ground and give a lovely contrast to the taller green hosta.

Leaves are more than Green and Flat. Contrast those hosta. Start with feathery Dicentra, heart-shaped Epimedium, mounded Geranium, shiny, dark Asarum, filigreed Corydalis, upright ferns, colorful Lamium, small whorled Galium, arching Polygonum, laddered alternate Polemonium, delicate Trollius, vertical Lilium, sword-like Hemerocallis, oak-leaf Tiarella, and shiny, fern-like Astilbe.

There are a few roses that will tolerate shade well. A minimum of 3 hours of direct is necessary, or 6 or more hours of dappled sunlight. The Hybrid Musk Ballerina or Bubble Bath.
Ballerina- single pink and white that look like apple blossoms.
Bubble Bath - Fragrant lavender pink to nearly white dainty two inch flowers.


Ageratum
Ardesia (berries)
Azaleas
Begonia
Bulbs-early types
Camellia sasanqua
Cimicifuga ramosa 'Hillside Black
Eupatorium
Fuchsia hybrida `Santa Claus
Hydrangea
Impatiens
Galium odoratum Sweet Woodruff
Justica (Shrimp Plant)
Ligularia dentata 'Desdemona'
Omphalodes Navelwort 'Starry Eyes'
Ruellia
Trillium
Uvularia grandiflora Bellwort or Merrybells
Vinca minor `Atropurpurea'
Viola

Answer 3

Have you tried Impatients they are very pretty and bloom in reds , pinks , purple and white. They prefer shade and do well with hostas. They can be gotten at most places that sell flats of flowers. They are annuals but are cheap.

Answer 4

In addition to the many good suggestions here, consider coleus. They have very colorful foliage, not flowers. They come in a number of bright and dark colors. They compliment flowering shade plants and provide nice contrasts. Easy to grow in all shade.

Answer 5

Begonia (angle wing dragon wing and reg)
hosta (thousands to choose from)
impatients (bedding double New Guinea)
Tiarella (great foilage also)
Streptocarpella
primroses
scads of ferns
bugleweed
wild ginger
lily of the valley
daffodils
solomons seal
Liriope
Foxglove
Astilbes
helleborus
azaleas

Answer 6

Impatiens, Rose Parade from Burpee are the newest hybrid that look like mini roses. They are so pretty.
Annual Begonia also have single or double blooms.
Hydrangea, pink in alkaline soil and blue in acid soil.

Answer 7

You could try impatiens, asparagus ferns, green leaf begonias are also good, and english ivy. Also, coleus can handle morning sun but other than that, shade as well. Good Luck!

Answer 8

area of my backyard is north dealing with and gets shaded by ability of the porch. I even have had reliable success with trojan horse bane, bleeding hearts, astilbe, pansies, overlook me nots, and ligularia. I stay in northern IL zone 5.

Answer 9

Begonias and vincas come to mind immediately! They are both shade loving plants and come in lots of colors.