It can be very satisfying to make a colorful garden in a shady spot, as long as you use the right plants together. Here are ten great plant combinations that do well in shade and offer lovely colors, textures, and yearly interest.
10 Combinations for Shade
In locations that receive shadow, cultivating a garden that is full of life can be extremely rewarding, particularly if the appropriate plant combinations are used. The following are 10 wonderful combinations that flourish in shade, presenting a variety of stunning colors, textures, and seasonal points of interest.
1. Ferns and hostas
Hostas have big, lush leaves that come in different shades of green, blue, and striped. They work great for giving dark areas shape and texture. Lady Fern and Japanese Painted Fern are two varieties that look great with hostas. Their soft, lush fronds make a soft background that brings out the brightness of hosta leaves.
2. Astilbes and a Heart That Is Bleeding
Asters These flowers come back every year and have plume-shaped blooms in pink, white, and red in the summer. They do best in damp, shady places, which makes them great pets for people who also like being in the shade. Bleeding Heart These flowers have pink petals that look like hearts. They bloom in the spring and add a fun touch to the yard.
3. Brunnera and Heuchera plants
Brunnera This plant adds lovely color to early spring with its bright blue flowers that look like tiny forget-me-nots. Heuchera, also known as “Coral Bells,” have beautiful leaves that are different shades of purple, red, and green. These leaves are interesting all year, even when the flowers aren’t blooming.
4. Tiarella and the Cold
Tiarella, also known as the “foamflower,” is a plant with pretty flower spikes that are either white or pink. They bloom in the spring and add a light touch to the yard. Pulmonaria, also known as lungwort, has spotted leaves and early blooms. It adds texture and color to the garden.
5. Hellebores and Japanese Maple
The Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum) is a beautiful tree with structure and leaves that often turn bright colors in the spring and fall. Hellebores, also known as the “Lenten Rose,” have flowers in late winter and early spring. The flowers can be white, pink, or deep purple.
6. Japanese Forest Grass and Toad Lilies
These flowers with spots are known for being one of a kind. They bloom in late summer and fall and add an exotic touch. The leaves of this grass are flowing and arching, which gives the area movement and softness. The strange flowers of toad lilies look great next to the moving grass because they add visual interest by mixing vertical and horizontal elements.
7. Impatiens and caladiums
These plants do best in shade and give any garden a tropical feel with their bright, bold leaves. These happy flowers bloom all summer long and come in a wide range of bright colors, from white to deep red. The bright impatiens flowers and striking caladium leaves make a lively and colorful show that brings life to shady spots.
8. Wild foxgloves and lungwort
These plants have tall stems with bell-shaped flowers that give your shade garden height and drama. Low-growing lungwort and tall foxgloves have different shapes that make the garden look more interesting by drawing the eye up and giving it more depth.
9. Begonias and Coleus
Coleus plants are known for their bright leaves, which come in many colors and shapes and are a great way to make a room look more interesting. Begonias are shade-loving flowers that grow a lot and add color with their happy, bright blooms.
10. Sweet Woodruff and Lily of the Valley
These pretty plants have fragrant, bell-shaped white flowers that bloom in the spring. They add a classic touch to areas that get some shade. The sweet woodruff plant, Galium odoratum, has pretty white flowers and can cover the ground to make a lush green mat.
See more: Combinations Made in the Shade