Dicentra spectablis (old-fashioned bleeding heart) grows 3 feet tall and wide. This low-growing, long-lived perennial is ideal for planting at the front of a border or along a path.īleeding heart is a long-lived, trouble-free plant with fernlike foliage and dangling, heart-shaped flowers that may be white, pink or red. They are an excellent filler for cut flower arrangements. The large, long-lasting flower clusters are chartreuse in color and have a lacy texture. When the leaves are wet, water beads up into dazzling jewels. The pleated leaves of Alchemilla, which is better known as Lady’s mantle, are lime green with a slightly fuzzy surface. It has fragrant, lime green leaves and hot pink flowers. Geranium macrorrhizum also grows well in light shade. The wine-red, purple or white flowers are produced on and off all summer long. This mounding plant has fuzzy, maple-like leaves that usually display attractive burgundy markings. Most perennial geraniums prefer full sun, but some, like Geranium phaeum, is a shade lover. Once established, they need no attention and will return dependably year after year. Choose small ferns like the maidenhair fern and Japanese painted fern, or chest-high plants like the ostrich fern. There are hundreds of different types to choose from - so many that you could create a beautiful garden with nothing but ferns. Most ferns grow best in areas that are cool, damp and shady. Oriental hybrids (Helleborus orientalis) bloom later and have stunning flowers in shades of white, pink, rose and deep maroon. Lenten rose (Helleborus niger) is the hardiest and has creamy white flowers in very early spring. These long-lived, carefree plants gradually form large, attractive clumps that are happy to grow in moist or dry soil. Hellebores have leathery, evergreen leaves and waxy, rose-like flowers in early spring. With heuchera, it’s the foliage that provides the visual excitement, though most varieties also produce small, bell-like flowers on tall, slender stems. There seems to be no end to the variations in leaf color: silvery, burgundy, purple-black, chartreuse, salmon and rusty orange. Plant breeders have had a field day with the genus heuchera, also known as coral bells. Many varieties have variegated leaves and most produce white or lavender flowers in summer. Hosta foliage colors range from creamy white through gold, lime green, medium green and blue-green. They are tough, hardy and will flourish for years with little to no attention. Hostas are the go-to perennial for shady gardens, and for good reason. Astilbe foliage is typically 6” to 18” tall, with flower heights of 1 to 4 feet. Planting an assortment of Astilbes with different foliage colors, flower colors, bloom times and heights, will help keep a shade garden interesting throughout the growing season. Known best for their brightly colored flower plumes, many of the newer A stilbe varieties also have colorful foliage that may be bronze, pale green, blue green, dark green or wine red. Mix and match them to create your own unique display of flowers and foliage. Here are ten easy-care perennials that thrive in the shade. Their foliage should be protected from hot, midday sun. Ideally, shade-loving plants should receive morning or afternoon sun, or should be grown in the dappled light beneath shade trees. Some will tolerate less light than others. Generally, most shade-tolerant plants need 4 to 6 hours of sunlight each day. Creating excitement with foliage rather than flowers, helps to ensure that shady gardens look as good in September as they do in May. When the light is soft and the air is cool, these more subtle design elements are easier to see and appreciate. In shady gardens, foliage colors, shapes and textures become even more important than flowers. Carefree Perennials That Don't Require Full Sun
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