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What does “Shade” Mean?
Shadier areas typically mean East or North-facing spaces outdoors, but can also include spaces beside fences, between houses, and any spaces that receive relative shade from noon onwards. Remember: bright light in the morning is still considered shady because the intensity of the sun is quitel ow, even though it feels warm to you.
Shadier areas can sometimes experience other variables that you should also be aware of: is the area quite wet, or well-draining? A space might also be shady because of trees: if those trees drop needles, they add acidity to the soil. Look for another future blog for specific information on what to plant in tricky soil conditions!
Blooms in Shade
There are numerous brightly-coloured blooming shade perennials to choose from! You can ensure that your perennial garden blooms all season long by choosing a variety of perennials that bloom at different times.Since perennials typically have a shorter, singular bloom time, it’s a good idea to take into consideration the timing of the plants so that you can enjoy colour constantly. Alternatively, you can plant annuals in amongst perennials to ensure those vibrant colours. But if you’re just into perennials, here are some examples, sorted by bloom times:
EarlyBlooming:
Bergenia, Columbine, Lily of the Valley
Bergenia is a great option for a low-growing perennial. Its bright green, almost waxy leaves are show-stopper on its own. In early spring, however, Bergenia puts on its party dress and produces the most beautiful stalks of bright pink flowers. It’s a joyous way to start the spring!
EarlySummer Blooming:
Bleeding Heart, Astilbe
Astilbe, or False Spirea, actually blooms from Early to Mid-Summer, and the pictures just don’t do them justice sometimes! Colours range from bright pinks and deep red and burgundy, to white, pale pink, and coral. Astilbes can also have a range of foliage colours, such as deep greens, dark purples, and nearly-chocolate colours, making them a great option to transition to fall.
LateSummer / Early Fall Blooming:
Daylily,Ligularia, Spiderwort
Daylily – particularly StellaD’Oro – is one of my favourite options for shady perennials! Daylilies are great in either bright or partial light, but the fact that we can put them in shady areas means that we have hundreds of bright-coloured options on offer for shade gardens. Taller varieties like Bella Lugosi are deep purple-black, whilePrimal Scream is an incredible orange that shows you where it gets its name from! But I mentioned Stella D’Oro earlier because it blooms basically all summer: a rare perennial flower that provides bright yellow flowers all season long is a plant you want in your shady space!
Foliage in Shade
You can also get all kinds of beautiful colour – and often small blooms – with perennials that are used for their showy foliage.
Hostas and ferns are typically seen in shadier areas. But these aren’t your Mom’s Hostas! Hosta varieties are expanding to include all kinds of shades of blues and greens. Some Hostas even have stripes of red, or bright green leaves that mature to white. That’s just the colour: Hosta leaves can be small and coin-shaped, or large and pointed. Introducing different colours and leaf-sizes of Hostas can give the impression of colour and texture within one family of plants. How easy is that?!
Mix up your foliage texture in unexpected and unique ways withBugloss, Lady’s Mantle, or Knotweed. And you can enjoy an enormous range of reds, burgundies, oranges, and chartreuse greens with Heuchera, also known asCoral Bells.
Plan Out Your Yard
Here are some combinations of Shade Perennials with a focus on making sure that blooms will appear all season long:
Whether you start with a colour pattern (as I’ve done above)or with a favourite perennial as a focal point, be sure to plan out the timings, mature sizes, and spacings of your plants.
When you come to Dutch Growers looking for help with yourShade Perennials, be sure to bring in measurements of your space, and have an idea of how much light the space gets at 8am, 1pm, and 5pm. We’ll be happy to give you tons of ideas and combinations that will make your Shade Gardens stand out!
Perennial gardening is an art: there are a few things to consider, but if you can plan out the bloom time, the spacing, and the light requirements, you can create a dynamic perennial garden that evolves and changes throughout the spring, summer, and early fall. Choosing perennials for the shadier areas of your garden adds one more consideration: which plants can we choose so that we have beautiful blooms and foliage that survive in the shade? Bright colour and luxurious textures are within your reach, even with the shadiest of areas!
Perennial gardening is an art: there are a few things to consider, but if you can plan out the bloom time, the spacing, and the light requirements, you can create a dynamic perennial garden that evolves and changes throughout the spring, summer, and early fall. Choosing perennials for the shadier areas of your garden adds one more consideration: which plants can we choose so that we have beautiful blooms and foliage that survive in the shade? Bright colour and luxurious textures are within your reach, even with the shadiest of areas!
What does “Shade” Mean?
Shadier areas typically mean East or North-facing spaces outdoors, but can also include spaces beside fences, between houses, and any spaces that receive relative shade from noon onwards. Remember: bright light in the morning is still considered shady because the intensity of the sun is quitel ow, even though it feels warm to you.
Shadier areas can sometimes experience other variables that you should also be aware of: is the area quite wet, or well-draining? A space might also be shady because of trees: if those trees drop needles, they add acidity to the soil. Look for another future blog for specific information on what to plant in tricky soil conditions!
Blooms in Shade
There are numerous brightly-coloured blooming shade perennials to choose from! You can ensure that your perennial garden blooms all season long by choosing a variety of perennials that bloom at different times.Since perennials typically have a shorter, singular bloom time, it’s a good idea to take into consideration the timing of the plants so that you can enjoy colour constantly. Alternatively, you can plant annuals in amongst perennials to ensure those vibrant colours. But if you’re just into perennials, here are some examples, sorted by bloom times:
EarlyBlooming:
Bergenia, Columbine, Lily of the Valley
Bergenia is a great option for a low-growing perennial. Its bright green, almost waxy leaves are show-stopper on its own. In early spring, however, Bergenia puts on its party dress and produces the most beautiful stalks of bright pink flowers. It’s a joyous way to start the spring!
EarlySummer Blooming:
Bleeding Heart, Astilbe
Astilbe, or False Spirea, actually blooms from Early to Mid-Summer, and the pictures just don’t do them justice sometimes! Colours range from bright pinks and deep red and burgundy, to white, pale pink, and coral. Astilbes can also have a range of foliage colours, such as deep greens, dark purples, and nearly-chocolate colours, making them a great option to transition to fall.
LateSummer / Early Fall Blooming:
Daylily,Ligularia, Spiderwort
Daylily – particularly StellaD’Oro – is one of my favourite options for shady perennials! Daylilies are great in either bright or partial light, but the fact that we can put them in shady areas means that we have hundreds of bright-coloured options on offer for shade gardens. Taller varieties like Bella Lugosi are deep purple-black, whilePrimal Scream is an incredible orange that shows you where it gets its name from! But I mentioned Stella D’Oro earlier because it blooms basically all summer: a rare perennial flower that provides bright yellow flowers all season long is a plant you want in your shady space!
Foliage in Shade
You can also get all kinds of beautiful colour – and often small blooms – with perennials that are used for their showy foliage.
Hostas and ferns are typically seen in shadier areas. But these aren’t your Mom’s Hostas! Hosta varieties are expanding to include all kinds of shades of blues and greens. Some Hostas even have stripes of red, or bright green leaves that mature to white. That’s just the colour: Hosta leaves can be small and coin-shaped, or large and pointed. Introducing different colours and leaf-sizes of Hostas can give the impression of colour and texture within one family of plants. How easy is that?!
Mix up your foliage texture in unexpected and unique ways withBugloss, Lady’s Mantle, or Knotweed. And you can enjoy an enormous range of reds, burgundies, oranges, and chartreuse greens with Heuchera, also known asCoral Bells.
Plan Out Your Yard
Here are some combinations of Shade Perennials with a focus on making sure that blooms will appear all season long:
Whether you start with a colour pattern (as I’ve done above)or with a favourite perennial as a focal point, be sure to plan out the timings, mature sizes, and spacings of your plants.
When you come to Dutch Growers looking for help with yourShade Perennials, be sure to bring in measurements of your space, and have an idea of how much light the space gets at 8am, 1pm, and 5pm. We’ll be happy to give you tons of ideas and combinations that will make your Shade Gardens stand out!
The Art and Science of Shade Gardening with Perennials
Perennial gardening is an art: there are a few things to consider, but if you can plan out the bloom time, the spacing, and the light requirements, you can create a dynamic perennial garden that evolves and changes throughout the spring, summer, and early fall. Choosing perennials for the shadier areas of your garden adds one more consideration: which plants can we choose so that we have beautiful blooms and foliage that survive in the shade? Bright colour and luxurious textures are within your reach, even with the shadiest of areas!
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