Easy to Grow Shade Perennials I’m Loving
If you’ve got a shady yard and feel like all the “pretty plant” advice is meant for full sun only, good news: shade perennials are some of the most dependable, low-maintenance, and downright lovely plants you can grow. Many are hardy perennials that return year after year with very little fuss (my favorite kind of gardening). Let’s chat today about easy to grow shade perennials that I’m loving!
*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains other affiliate links too for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.
Disclaimer
Just to be clear, I am by no means a flower or rose expert. I just love getting my hands dirty and sharing what works for me in hopes that it will work for you too. I encourage you to do Shade Perennial research like I did (mainly on google and Pinterest) to see how they will best work for you and your garden zone. We live in northern Colorado which is zone 5b, but these tips are very general and will work for all zones.
Easy to Grow Shade Perennials I’m Loving
One of my neighbors recently asked me to help her find some easy and hardy flowering shade perennials for her front year and it got me thinking. What shade perennials are easy and have flowers too, because I definitely want those in my yard!
We have a shady side spot in our front and backyard that needs plants and flowers and so I have been researching this topic and wanted to share with you in case you have some shady areas in your front or backyard too!
Tip: Perennial vs. Annual
Perennials are plants that come back year after year once planted, often growing bigger and better each season.
Annuals complete their entire life cycle in one growing season, meaning you plant them, enjoy their blooms, and then replant again the next year.
What Counts as Shade or Part Sun?
Before choosing your plants, it helps to know your light type:
- Full shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sun per day
- Part sun perennials: 3–6 hours of sun, usually morning sun is best
- Dappled shade: Filtered light through trees — perfect for many outdoor flowers and foliage plants
Most shade perennials actually prefer part sun or bright shade, not deep, dark shade — so don’t worry if your space isn’t 100% covered.
Best Hardy Perennials for Shade Gardens
These dependable performers come back each year and handle cooler temps and low light like champs.
Top Hardy Shade Perennials
- Hostas — classic shade perennials with bold foliage ( I have hostas and LOVE them!)
- Astilbe — feathery flower plumes in pink, red, and white
- Heuchera (coral bells) — colorful leaves all season long
- Bleeding Heart — early spring outdoor flowers with charm
- Brunnera — heart-shaped leaves with tiny blue blooms (my mom has these and loves them)
- Japanese Forest Grass — soft, flowing texture for borders
These hardy perennials are excellent foundation plants for long-term perennial garden plans.
Deer Resistant Perennials for Shade
If your garden visitors have four legs and no boundaries, choose plants they tend to avoid.
More reliable deer resistant perennials for shade include:
- Lungwort (Pulmonaria)
- Hellebores (Lenten Rose)
- Ferns (many varieties)
- Foxglove (part sun perennial) adding these this year via winter sowing!
- Ajuga (great ground cover)
- Lamium (have and love!)
Nothing is truly deer-proof, but these are much less appealing on the snack menu.
smarter not harder
START YOUR LAZY GIRL FLOWER GARDEN
Shop my Lazy Girl Guides for simple, beginner-friendly help.
Shade Ground Cover Perennial Options
Need something to fill space, reduce weeds, and soften edges? Ground covers are your lazy-girl best friend.
Try these shade ground cover perennial choices:
- Ajuga — glossy leaves + spring color
- Lamium — variegated foliage that brightens dark spots (have and love)
- Sweet Woodruff — delicate and fast spreading
- Creeping Jenny — great for borders and containers (part sun and have and love)
- Pachysandra — classic evergreen ground cover
Perfect for under trees and along shaded walkways.
Perennial Herbs That Tolerate Shade
Most herbs love sun — but a few perennial herbs will tolerate part shade surprisingly well. My goal is to grow herbs this year, thanks to my friend Danielle over at Maggie’s Farm Nola!
Shade-tolerant perennial herbs:
- Mint (very forgiving — maybe too forgiving, can be invasive so keep in pots)
- Lemon balm (grew last year_
- Chives (grew last year)
- Oregano (part sun)
- Sorrel
These are wonderful additions to edible perennial garden plans that mix beauty and usefulness.
Part Sun Perennials for Bright Shade
If your space gets morning light or filtered afternoon sun, you can grow even more outdoor flowers.
Great part sun perennials include:
- Hydrangea (you know I love these and have tons all over our yard!)
- Toad Lily (Tricyrtis)
- Columbine
- Hardy geranium (cranesbill) (have and love)
- Anemone (fall blooming types)
These bring more color and bloom power into lower-light areas.
Simple Perennial Garden Plans for Shade
I’m not a garden designer but these tips have helped me when designing a shade perennial garden:
Use the lazy-but-lovely formula:
- Back row: taller hardy perennials (ferns, astilbe, hydrangea)
- Middle row: medium shade perennials (heuchera, hellebores, geraniums)
- Front row: shade ground cover perennial plants (ajuga, lamium)
Add contrast with:
- Different leaf shapes
- Light and dark foliage
- A mix of textures
- Repeating plant groupings (3 or 5 of the same plant)
Shade gardens shine when you focus on foliage as much as flowers. This is hard for me to remember because I love flowers SO much!
Final Encouragement for Shade Gardeners
If you’ve struggled with low-light areas before, don’t give up on them. Shade perennials are often hardier, more forgiving, and lower maintenance than many sun-loving plants. Once established, they pretty much take care of themselves which is exactly the kind of gardening we like around here.
Plant once. Enjoy for years. That’s a win. I hope this was helpful. Let me know in the comments below your favorite shade loving perennials.
