22 Lush Plants for Your Shade Garden

There's no need to skimp on color in a shade garden. Heucheras, also known as coral bells, come in a wide variety of colors — from chartreuse to red to purple to pink — and pair perfectly with other shade-loving perennials or on their own in containers.

Do you have a shady corner you want to brighten? Count on hosta plants to fill those shady spots with their leafy textures and colors that pop. Hostas are long-lived perennials with easy-growing personalities. These undemanding plants require minimal upkeep to look their best. For low-maintenance shade garden beauty, it’s tough to beat hostas.

Ferns come in an abundance of varieties, sizes and colors, and they are especially ideal for a shade garden. Many hardy ferns tolerate both cold and hot temperatures, average one to three feet in height and width and for the most part, are slow growers. They work great as an understory plant and pair beautifully with broad-leaf hostas.

An old garden favorite, bleeding heart has inch-long, heart-shaped flowers that dangle from arching stems. Its blooms can be pink or white, it loves heavy shade and it looks great in a woodland garden among other shade perennials.