We tend to think, wrongly, that all plants need a lot of sun to thrive. This is false and fortunately, many perennials require shade and this makes it possible to vegetate a garden which does not benefit from either a lot of sunshine or a lot of light, either because it is very wooded, or because it is hemmed in between tall buildings. So here’s something to spruce up your outdoor space with perennials that bloom in the shade.
1 – Astilbe (Astilbe)
It belongs to the family of Saxifragaceae. It is a sumptuous perennial plant because of the elegance of its decorative foliage arranged in a dense tuft from which emerge all summer long of the plumes of wispy feather-like flowers. The flowers of Astilbe are subtly scented in addition to being highly colored (immaculate white, mauve, red, pink, cream, yellow). Depending on the species, the Astilbe measures between 30 and 120 cm in height. Over the years, the clumps become more and more voluminous. You can compose pretty bouquets with the flowers of Astilbe which hold well in a vase.
This rhizomateuse suitable for novice gardeners as it is undemandingprovided that it is installed in the shade, in neutral, fresh, well-drained soil, rich in humus and that its roots can benefit from constant humidity without bathing in stagnant water.
2 – Eastern Hellebore (Helleborus orientalis) or Christmas Rose
This plant of the family of Ranunculaceae is a shade perennial with a beautiful hardiness. It forms a compact clump. Its evergreen leaves are very cut. Its abundant flowers with golden stamens are available according to the varieties in immaculate white, pink, pastel green, red, white powdered with purple, and thrive down to -15°C. It is an essential shade plant to bring color to the garden during the winter since it blooms from December to the end of Marcheven until April.
Easy to cultivate, the Hellebore likes soils with good humidity, cool and semi-shaded to shaded exposures. She’s a foodie. It is therefore necessary to amend the soil well at the time of planting, which takes place in the fall. It is recommended to mulch its foot so that it can withstand extreme cold even better, even if it is a hardy plant, but also to keep the soil sufficiently moist.
3 – Japanese Anemone (Anemone hupehensis)
This beautiful perennial plant that blooms in the shade belongs to the family of Ranunculaceae. From September until frostshe amazes us with her blooming pink or pristine white. Its flowers are carried by stems that can reach 1.50 m in height. Beauty does not go unnoticed. Be careful, it must be handled with gloves because it is toxic.
It is a must-have shade-flowering perennial, especially since it is very low maintenance. You just have to install it in the soil it prefers, namely deep, rich in humus, and always humid. A mulch at the foot of the Japanese anemone is useful for the soil to retain all its freshness. It is recommended to amend the soil every two years with mature compost. Finally, we can note beautiful hardinesssince it supports temperatures of the order of -18 to -20°C if they do not last too long all the same.
4 – La Bergenie (Bergen)
It is a perennial plant of the family of Saxifragaceae which comes in a dozen species. It is sometimes called the Shoemaker’s plant because it was once used to tan leather because of its richness in organic compounds with tanning properties. His foliage passe from red to bronze in autumn. As for his flowers in abundancethey work wonders in spring.
It is a rhizomatous plant which flowers in the shade but can tolerate moderately sunny exposure, which is appreciated for its low requirement. She likes in all types of soil provided that it is humus because the richer the soil, the brighter the colors of its flowers, but also well drained, especially in winter. This perennial shade plant displays good hardiness since it withstands down to -15°C without flinching. Be careful, its foliage attracts snails. Wood ash can be spread around the base to limit gastropod attacks.
5 – Le cyclamen (Peach cyclamen)
This perennial plant of the family of Primulaceae prosperous and blooms in the shadeeven in partial shade. He is wanted for the beauty of its foliage which can be plain or marbled depending on the variety, but also for its splendid flowers with 5 petals, the diameter of which varies from 1 to 5 cm. There are many cyclamen hybrids, each as beautiful as the next. Cyclamen comes in a wide range of colors (pink, white, red, mauve, etc.) and you can take advantage of its abundant flowering from October until April.
The cyclamen is a tuberous heath plant that likes moist, cool soil but hates excess water. It is very easy to make it bloom again year after year. If he is pot grownit can be repotted approximately every two or three years when it is in vegetative rest, that is in summer.
6 – Le Funkia (Hosta)
The Hosta also called Funkia, of which there are many species, belongs to the family of Liliaceae. He owns a very beautiful foliage composed of large leaves, plain, variegated, ribbed or marginated, which take on different colors in spring. As for its flowers that bloom in summer, they are trumpet-shaped and grouped in generous clusters that are sometimes fragrant. Their color can be crimson, mauve, violet… It is a plant to be offered absolutely to magnify a shady corner of the garden, even in very dense shade, because the Hosta does not like full sun.
It is ideal to be associated with fernsin an undergrowth or in a ditch but finds its place perfectly in a shady massif where several Hosta plants constitute a splendid colorful carpet. It can withstand down to -20°C if these severe colds are of short duration. We appreciate cultivars whose rather tough leaves are not appreciated by slugs.
7 – The Fuchsia (Fuchsia)
Fuchsia belongs to the family of Onagraceae. Il likes the shade et blooms from early summer until frost. This shrubby plant is absolutely splendid with its multitude of hanging tubular flowers, available in a wide range of colors. The color of the calyx is usually different from that of the petals and this creates an extremely lovely contrast. To enjoy more great profusion of flowers again, just remove any that are wilted as they wilt.
The Fuchsia poses no difficulty in cultivation. Simply plant it in well-drained, rich, light soil, which may be slightly acidic. If it is installed in garden soil, you can therefore add a little heather soil and a shovelful of sand. Note that Fuchsia can also be planted in a pot. It is necessary to reserve a place for it in partial shade or in the shade rather than in full sun because it dreads it.
If one wishes transform your shady garden by installing a large collection of perennials that do not like the sun, do not hesitate to rely on a landscaper. It’s very trendy, and you can enjoy a magical outdoor space. These specialists in the plant world know all the needs of plants. They therefore have no trouble finding all those that bloom in the shade and have the gift of creating magnificent associations where the colors are in perfect harmony. In addition, by calling on a landscaper, it is possible to benefit under certain conditions from a tax benefit, which is far from negligible. Quotes can be obtained in a few minutes thanks to the landscaper comparator.