Most flowers prefer an abundance of light and do not tolerate stagnant moisture. But what about the owners of shady areas, who, like everyone else, want to see their dacha blooming? There is an exit! You can sow flower beds with shade-loving and shade-tolerant plants for the garden, and then the problem of landscaping will be solved. True, there are much fewer shade-loving garden flowers than light-loving ones, but still enough to make your site beautiful.
Check out the photos and names of shade-loving flowers and choose the most suitable for your conditions.
What are shade-loving garden flowers (with photo)
Heucherella (HEUCHERELLA). Saxifrage family.
Geyherella tiarelloides (x H. tiarelloides) is a garden intergeneric hybrid of geyhera shaking-shaped and heart-leaved tiarella. Currently, there are numerous varieties of this shade-loving plant for the garden:
Kimono
Bridget Bloom and others.
The bushes are low (10-30 cm) with dense green leaves and a dense, low panicle of flowers.
Growing conditions. Semi-shaded and shaded areas with loose, moderately moist soils. These shade-loving flowers grow well in poor soils.
Reproduction. The division of the bush (spring and late summer). Planting density – 12 pcs. per 1 m2.
Podophyllum (PODOPHYLLUM). The barberry family.
Fairly tall (up to 70 cm) shade-loving plant from broad-leaved forests. Attracts attention with beautiful dark green separate rounded leaves (up to 30 cm wide, 15 cm long) on long petioles, large (up to 5-6 cm in diameter) snow-white flower. Plum-shaped orange-red fruits are original.
Species and varieties. Two types are cultivated:
Podophyllum thyroid (P. peltatum) – with a long rhizome, contributing to the rapid formation of thickets, and a flower located under the leaves on a drooping pedicel, originally from North America.
Podophyllum Emoda (P. emodii) – originally from the Himalayas, has a short rhizome, grows in a bush, the flower is located above the leaves.
Growing conditions. Shady places with moderately moist loose soils.
Reproduction. This shade-loving flower is propagated by segments of rhizomes (early spring, late summer) and seeds (sowing freshly picked). Seeds germinate slowly, seedlings are few, bloom in the 4-5th year. Planting density – 9 pcs. per 1 m2.
Shady areas where they are planted as a separate spot (thyroid podophyllum) or as part of flower beds, and on rockeries (Emoda variety).
Shade-loving flowers for the garden
Snowdrop (GALANTHUS) . Amaryllis family.
The name of this shade-loving plant is known to everyone. Snowdrop is a small-bulbous undersized shrub 10-20 cm high, blooming with snow-white flowers in early spring. The flower is bell-shaped, from two rows of leaves – 3 outer white ones surround 3 inner ones, with a cut along the edge and a green spot, the leaves are lanceolate.
Admire the photo of these shade-loving flowers, pleasing to the eye immediately after the snow melts.
Species and varieties. Of the 18 known species, the most commonly cultivated are:
Snowdrop snowdrop (G. nivalis) with narrow leaves and its variety “Plenus”.
Snowdrop folded (G. plicatus) with wider leaves and an inwardly curved edge of the leaves.
Voronov’s snowdrop (G. woronowii) – with bright green shiny narrow leaves. All species have forms with double flowers – “Plenus”.
Growing conditions. Shady and semi-shady areas with loose soils.
Reproduction. Seeds (sowing freshly harvested), baby bulbs (planted at the end of summer, shallow (5-7 cm), then they deepen themselves with the help of retracting roots). Bulb nests are planted every 5-6 years. Planting density – 25 pcs. per 1 m2.
Used as part of mixed plantings with summer flowering perennials and among the meadow lawn. Look good in rockeries, on the north side of the stones.
Chiastophyllum (CHIASTOPHYLLUM). The fat family.
Chiostophillum suprotivolistny (Ch. oppositifolium = Umbilicus oppositifolius) – grows on rocks in the forests of the Caucasus. Rhizome long, creeping.
The plant is low (15-25 cm), the stems are creeping, leafy. Leaves opposite, rounded. Terminal inflorescences racemose-paniculate yellow.
Growing conditions. These shade-loving perennial garden plants are planted in shady areas with poor rocky alkaline soils.
reproduction. Seeds (sowing in spring), dividing the bush (spring, late summer), cuttings (summer). Planting density – 16 pcs. per 1 m2.
Goose onion (GAGEA). Family lily .
Yellow goose onion (G. lutea) . About 250 species of this genus are known, and all of them are low plants (3-30 cm) with very small bulbs. 1-2 basal leaves are lanceolate, and the flowers are often star-shaped, yellow.
All species grow in the temperate zone of Eurasia, these are spring-flowering ephemeroids, the leaves of which die off at the end of May. Small, fast-flowering plants are not of great interest for cultivation, but the yellow goose (G. lutea) from the broad-leaved forests of Europe is very elegant. Blooms in early spring.
Growing conditions. Shaded areas under the canopy of trees on any moderately moist soils.
Reproduction. Bulbs (at the end of summer), seeds (freshly harvested). Planting density – 25 pcs. per 1 m2.
Perennial shade-loving plants for the garden and their photos
Below are photos and names of shade-loving plants that grow over several seasons.
Lupine (LUPINUS). Pea (legume) family.
Multi- leaved lupine (L. polyphyllus) is a perennial shade-loving plant from the slopes of the Rocky Mountains (North America). Powerful bush (up to 80-120 cm high) with straight hollow stems and terminal racemose inflorescence.
As you can see in the photo, these shade-loving garden flowers have beautiful palmate leaves, collected in a rosette on long petioles.
Interesting varieties:
“Chandelier” – yellow.
“My Castle” – bright red.
“Noblemaiden” – white.
“The Governor” – lilac.
“Russel Hybrids” – various colors.
Growing conditions. Sunny to semi-shaded areas with well-drained soils. Planting density – 7 pcs. per 1 m2.
Reproduction. By seed only, sowing in spring or late summer after scarification. Shoots do not appear together, bloom in the second year.
Seedlings planted in a flower garden at the age of 1-2 years.
Sponge (MIMULUS). Norichnikov family.
Moisture-loving shade-loving perennial with pale green leaves and two-lipped flowers speckled. They form low thickets (20-30 cm).
Kinds:
Lipstick primrose (M. primuloides) – 10 cm high.
Sponge spotted (M. guttatus) .
Burnett sponge (M. x burnettii) – bronze flowers, give hybrids with yellow speckled flowers.
Varieties:
“Orange Glow”
“Scarlet Bees” – red-orange flowers.
Growing conditions. Semi-shaded places with moist, peaty soils.
Reproduction. Seeds (sowing in spring) or dividing the bush (in spring). Planting density – 25 pcs. for 1m2.
Peltiphyllum (PELTIPHYLLUM). Saxifrage family.
Peltiphyllums are thyroid (P. peitatum = Darmera peitata) – long-rhizome shade-loving perennial flowers from North America. It grows in spots along rivers and streams, the rhizome is jointed, thick, slowly growing. Especially decorative are rounded large (diameter up to 35 cm) leaves on petioles up to 50 cm long. The flowers are small, pink, in a dense paniculate inflorescence, blooms until the leaves appear.
Growing conditions. Shaded and semi-shaded areas with moist loose rich soils.
Reproduction. By dividing the bush (at the end of summer) or by the petiole of the leaf with the “heel” at the time of the beginning of growth. Seeds are sown before winter, seedlings bloom in the 4-5th year. Planting density – single or 3 pcs. per 1 m2.
Saxifraga (Saxifraga). Saxifrage family.
These are shade plants. A large genus (about 370 species) of perennials growing on rocks and talus in the mountains of the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. These are low (5-20 cm) perennials with a dense basal rosette of leaves and an erect peduncle bearing a loose brush of star-shaped flowers. Leaves, mostly wintering, determine the decorativeness of this plant.
Look at the photo of this shade-loving garden plant: there are bryophyte saxifrages with finely divided bright green leaves and saxifrages with whole, larger leaves.
Species and varieties. Bryophytes:
Arends’ saxifrage (S. x arendsii) is a hybrid.
Variety “Purpurteppich” – bright red flowers.
Saxifrage variety “Schneeteppich” – white flowers.
Hypnum saxifrage (S. hypnoides).
Soddy saxifrage (S. caespitosa) . Whole-leaved.
The Manchurian saxifrage (S. manchuriensis) with a powerful rosette of dense rounded dark green non-wintering leaves, the only one grows in the shady forests of the Far East near streams.
Saxifrage leathery (S. coriifolia) – height up to 50 cm, leaves are rounded on long petioles.
Panicled saxifrage (S. paniculata) – oblong leaves, light flowers with red speckles.
Shadow saxifrage (S. umbrosa or S. urbium) – height 20-25 cm, oval leaves with an uneven edge.
Sort “Variegata” .
Growing conditions. Mossy saxifrages are planted in sunny areas with well-drained poor soil, whole-leaved ones grow well in partial shade, on moderately moist soil, and Manchurian saxifrage on moist soil.
Reproduction. Seeds (sowing in spring), seedlings bloom in the second year; young rosettes (after the end of flowering). Capable of self-seeding. Planting density – 16 pcs. per 1 m2.
These shade-tolerant and shade-loving flowers grow quickly, forming large “pillows”. But the center of these “pillows” quickly decays and needs to be restored by replanting young rosettes.
Which flowering perennials for the garden are shade-loving
Styloforum (STYLOPHORUM). Poppy family.
Styloforum two-leaved (S. diphyllum) is a shade-loving perennial flowering plant from the shady forests of eastern North America. The beautiful yellowish-green incised leaves and glossy bright yellow flowers of the stylo-forum are very decorative, but the plant needs constant renewal, as it lives only 4-5 years. Height 40 cm, flowering in May.
Growing conditions. Shady areas with forest soils.
Reproduction. Seeds (sowing freshly harvested). Planting density – 9 pcs. per 1 m2.
Thick-walled (PACHYPHRAGMA). Cabbage family (cruciferous).
Talking about which plants are shade-loving, one cannot help but recall the thick-walled large-leaved (P. macrophyllum). This is a low (up to 25 cm) short-rhizome perennial from the forests of the Caucasus, forming a spherical bush of basal wintering leaves and numerous small white flowers in an openwork inflorescence.
Growing conditions. Shaded areas under tree canopy with loose forest soils.
Reproduction. Seeds (sowing freshly harvested), dividing the bush (at the end of summer). Forms mass self-seeding. Planting density – 25 pcs. for 1 m7.
Used in shaded flower beds such as “natural garden”, rockeries.
Host, function (HOSTA). Host family (lily).
Pay attention to the photo of these shade-loving garden flowers: the host is a decorative and deciduous perennial with simple dense elliptical leaves, painted in different colors.
The leaves are collected in a dense bush 20–90 cm high, above which a peduncle rises with a racemose inflorescence of funnel-shaped flowers. Hosta flowers are not very interesting.
The main beauty of the hosta is in the shape and color of its leaves.
Kinds:
Hosta white-bordered (H. albomarginata).
Hosta curly (H. crispula).
Hosta Fortuna (H. fortunei).
Hosta lanceolate (H. lancifolia).
Hosta Siebold (H. sieboldiana) – with bluish leaves.
Hosta wavy (H. undulata).
Host swollen (H. ventricosa).
Hosta small (H. minor) – the smallest (height 10-20 cm) host with narrow, lanceolate leaves.
Varieties:
Albopicta
“Aureomarginata”
France
Hyacinthina
“Patriot”.
“Albomarginata”
“Mediovariegata” – with wavy leaves.
“elegans”
“France Williams”
Snowflakes.
Growing conditions. Like all shade-loving herbaceous plants and flowers, the hosta prefers semi-shaded and shaded areas with rich, moist soils.
Reproduction. Seeds (sowing in spring), dividing the bush (spring and late summer), buds with a “heel” (spring). These shade-loving perennials for the garden in one place without dividing and transplanting can grow for 20-30 years. Planting density -6-9 pcs. per 1 m2.
Shade-tolerant and shade-loving garden plants
Goryanka (EPIMEDIUM). The barberry family.
These shade-loving garden plants are some of the most beautiful flowers to grace shady areas. Goryanka is a herbaceous perennial with a strong, branched superficial rhizome and a mass of basal hard leathery trifoliate leaves on long strong petioles, cover height 25-30 cm. As a rule, species from the Mediterranean with wintering leaves are cultivated. The change of leaves occurs in early May at the time of budding, and these are the only days (5-7 days) when the plants lose their decorative effect. But soon young leaves appear, numerous graceful flowers bloom, and Goryanka again decorate your garden. The flowers of the Goryanka are small, collected in a branched brush. Flowering is long, plentiful.
Species and varieties. The most promising for cultivation in central Russia:
Colchis Goryanka (E. colchicum) – with bright yellow flowers and salad green leaves, forming a cover 20-25 cm high.
Goryanka red (E. x rubrum) – with reddish flowers (red sepals and fawn petals) and dark green leaves with reddish venation along the edge.
Pinnate Goryanka (E. pinnatum) – a short (about 20 cm) plant with light leaves and yellow flowers.
Goryanka Perralderi (E. perralderianum) – differs in leaves with a wavy prickly edge, in spring they are of an amazing bronze color, later they become dark green with a distinct reticulate venation, the flowers are yellow with a brown-red border.
Goryanka multi-colored (E. x versicolor) – with yellowish-pinkish flowers and bright green leaves.
<
Goryanka Yunga (E. x youngianum) – low bushes with relatively large flowers.
There are two varieties:
“Niveum” – with white flowers
“Roseum” – with pink.
Growing conditions. Shaded areas with loose, well-drained, lime-rich soil. Drought-resistant.
Reproduction. Segments of rhizome with a renewal bud in early spring (before the leaves begin to grow), but more reliable at the end of summer. Delenki are planted shallow (2-5 cm), after 20-40 cm, based on further growth.
The best decoration for shady rockeries. Can be used as a groundcover around trees and as a border plant in flower beds.
Mikhenia (MEEHENIA). Family of yasnotkovye.
Mikhenia nettles (M. urticifolia) – shade-loving perennial garden flowers with creeping rooting shoots from the forests of the Far East. The leaves are oval, the flowers are bright purple in whorls. The main feature is fast (up to 150 cm per season) growth; the plant forms a dense low (10-15 cm) cover.
Growing conditions. Shaded areas with forest soils and moderate moisture.
Reproduction. By dividing the bush (in spring and late summer) and the rooted part of the shoot. Planting density – 16 pcs. per 1 m2.
Shade-loving perennial garden flowers
Symphiandra (SYMPHYANDRA). Family bellflowers .
These are shade-loving plants for summer cottages and gardens, 30-40 cm high, native to the dry regions of the Mediterranean and the Caucasus with dense, often pubescent, bluish simple leaves and a mass of beautiful gray-blue drooping bell flowers.
Types and varieties:
Creeping Symphiandra (S. repens) – long-rhizome perennial, forms thickets, forests of Transcaucasia.
Symfiandra Armenian (S. agtepa) – low bush, rocks of Transcaucasia.
Growing conditions. Symphiandra Armenian needs sunny habitats with dry rocky soils; with. creeping prefers shady areas with forest soils.
Reproduction. Seeds (sowing in spring), segments of rhizomes with a renewal bud (spring, late summer). Planting density – 16 pcs. per 1 m2.
Asperula, woodruff (ASPERULA). The madder family.
Concluding the story about which flowers are shade-loving, it is worth noting asperula – a perennial with whorled lanceolate leaves. Asperula flowers are small, white, collected in axillary thyroid inflorescences. Sometimes the leaves overwinter. Plants are stably decorative, form dense, rapidly expanding thickets due to long rhizomes.
Types and varieties:
Fragrant woodruff (A. odorata = Galium odoratum) forms dense thickets of straight shoots 20-30 cm high, bearing light green bright whorls of leaves and a lace of white flowers.
Taurian woodruff (A. taurina) is distinguished by darker green leaves and a dense capitate inflorescence of white flowers.
Growing conditions. Under the canopy of trees in the shade and partial shade, on loose forest, normally moist soils.
Reproduction. By dividing the bush (in spring and late summer) and seeds (sowing before winter), self-sowing is often formed. Planting density – 16 pcs. per 1 m2.