Gerald Filipski

Gardening in the shade has been the scourge of many a gardener . Trying to get plants to grow and perform well in a shady spot can be challenging but not impossible and can be very rewarding . Transforming a previously dark area devoid of life , colour , and texture into a focal point makes all the trials and tribulations worthwhile . A healthy and vibrant shade garden is truly a thing of beauty .

Many gardeners are trying to grow plants that are simply not suited for the shade . While some plants will survive in shade , they will never excel . However , there are plants that do love growing in the shade and will look their best with minimal care and fuss .

Here are some of the best performers in the shade :

Hosta . These plants are grown for their foliage . While they do have attractive blooms , their foliage makes these plants the stars of the shade garden . With nearly two thousand varieties , there is a hosta for every type of garden . They come in bi-colours , dwarfs , giants , and a wide variety of textures . While hostas are shade-tolerant , most still need some light , even if indirect , although some varieties can grow in deeper shade . One example is Hosta sieboldiana ‘ Elegans .’ The beauty of hostas is that they can be grown on their own as a focal point , as an entire shade bed , or easily mixed with other plants .

Dicentra . Bleeding hearts have been around for many years but they are no longer your grandmother ’ s plants . Today ’ s varieties can be used as specimen plants on their own , not just for background as they were used in the past . A good example is Dicentra ‘ Gold Heart ,’ which is a spectacular plant for deep shade . The bright lime-green leaves are almost electric in shade and make the light pink blooms stand out much more than on the older dark green varieties .

Heuchera . Also known as coral bells , these plants are also grown primarily for their foliage . While the tiny , bell-shaped flowers are attractive , the new varieties with brilliant leaf colours make this plant a shade winner . The Dolce series of heucheras are particularly eye-catching . The bright chartreuse foliage of ‘ Key Lime Pie ’ or the fiery , salmon colour of ‘ Peach Melba ’ instantly add a splash of colour to any shade garden .

Brunnera . This woodland plant is quickly becoming a shade gardener ’ s favourite . The variety ‘ Jack Frost ’ has striking silver leaves veined in green and sprays of bright blue flowers reminiscent of forget-me-nots . The plant does very well in partial to full shade .

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