Plant choices for different shade conditions in the home garden. From a free workshop offered by the Burlington County Gardeners Association (NJ).

1. “Where'er you walk, cool
gales shall fan the glade,
Trees where you sit, shall
crowd into a shade:
Where'er you tread, the
blushing flowers shall rise,
And all things flourish
where you turn your eyes. “
— Alexander Pope,
Pastorals,'Summer', l736

2. Sweetbox
Sweetbox

4. Part sun/Light shade
4-6 hours a day of direct sun. Does
not have to be continuous. Some
plants prefer morning sun and
afternoon shade.
Dappled/filtered shade
Alternating light and shade all day,
as under tall deciduous trees or
beneath lattice/trellis
Partial shade
2-4 hours a day of sun
Full shade
Little or no direct sunlight. Plants
rely on reflected light

5. Mayapple
Mayapple
Indian pink (Wikipedia photo)
Indian pink (Wikipedia photo)

6. Trillium (Wikipedia photo)
Trillium (Wikipedia photo)
Bleeding heart/Japanese painted fern
Bleeding heart/Japanese painted fern
Twinleaf (Wikipedia photo)
Twinleaf (Wikipedia photo)
Variegated Solomon’s seal
Variegated Solomon’s seal

7. Variegated liriope
Variegated liriope
Corydalis
Corydalis
Fothergilla (Wikipedia photo)
Fothergilla (Wikipedia photo)

8. Allegheny spurge with Impatiens
Allegheny spurge with Impatiens
Clethra
Clethra
Oakleaf hydrangea
Oakleaf hydrangea
Baptisia with Japanese anemone
Baptisia with Japanese anemone

9. Take seasonal differences
into consideration.

10. Plumbago
Plumbago
Ajuga
Ajuga
(Wikipedia photo)
(Wikipedia photo)
Balloon flower
Balloon flower

11. Kerria japonica
Kerria japonica
Carolina allspice (calycanthus)
Carolina allspice (calycanthus)
Wikipedia photo
Wikipedia photo
Bottlebrush buckeye, Strawbridge Lake
Bottlebrush buckeye, Strawbridge Lake

12. Somewhere between light and
medium shade, lawn grass
starts to have difficulty. Fescue
blends are the best option if
grass is preferred to other
groundcover.
Callicarpa (aka Beautyberry), Grounds for Sculpture
Callicarpa (aka Beautyberry), Grounds for Sculpture
Spring-blooming bulbs offer color under
deciduous trees, as they will get sun in fall
after leaves drop, then again in late winter
to early spring before trees leaf out.
Chelone, aka Turtlehead (Wikipedia photo)
Chelone, aka Turtlehead (Wikipedia photo)

13. Clumping blue fescue
Clumping blue fescue
Carex siderosticha
Carex siderosticha
The ornamental sedge (above) also
comes in a variegated variety, with
attractive white edges.
Carex plantaginea
Carex plantaginea

14. Many shrub roses will do well
enough in 4-5 hours of sun.
Choose once-blooming roses, e.g.
English, gallica, damask and alba
varieties. — per David Austin
Roses
Benjamin Britten
Benjamin Britten
Scarlet Meideland
Scarlet Meideland

15. Herbs
Purple raspberry
Purple raspberry
Curly kale
Curly kale
(Best success in LIGHT
shade)
Anise hyssop
Chervil
Chives
Cilantro (Coriander)
Dill
Lemon Balm
Lovage
Mint
Parsley
Shiso
Tarragon
Thyme
Lovage
Lovage

16. Torenia (Wikipedia photo)
Torenia (Wikipedia photo)
Begonia
Begonia
(Wikipedia photo)
(Wikipedia photo)
Blue lobelia
Blue lobelia
(Lady Bird Johnson
(Lady Bird Johnson
Wildflower Center photo)
Wildflower Center photo)
Mimulus
Mimulus
(Wikipedia photo)
(Wikipedia photo)
These flowers offer color
in light to medium shade.
Alyssum (Photosource.com)
Alyssum (Photosource.com)

17. Wild edibles
Ramps — a challenge to cultivate, but can be done.
May take more than one year to germinate. Does best
in forest environment.
Ostrich fern — eaten as fiddleheads in early spring
Ramps (Wikipedia photo)
Ramps (Wikipedia photo)
Ostrich fern/fiddlehead harvest
Ostrich fern/fiddlehead harvest
(Wikipedia photos)
(Wikipedia photos)

18. Toad lily
Toad lily
Leucothoe
Leucothoe

19. No direct light, little reflected light — behind walls, north side of rock formations or
solid fences, under evergreens or dense shrubs. Soil is usually moisture retentive.
Deciduous woods may offer seasonal options — bulbs, etc. Some plants that tolerate or
require deeper shade include:

20. Mosses grow on most soil other than very sandy types, and unless soil is overly
alkaline, is not fussy about pH. Numerous varieties fall into two basic types.
Acrocarp — upright habit. Form dense clumps,
which are more resistant to invasion by weeds.
Pleurocarp — spreading habit. Grow faster than
acrocarp types. Easy to distribute by breaking off
portions. Will adhere easily to rocks.
Top: Moss retaining wall
Top: Moss retaining wall
(Wikipedia photo)
(Wikipedia photo)
Left: Bloedel Reserve, WA state
Left: Bloedel Reserve, WA state
(Wikipedia photo)
(Wikipedia photo)

21. To allow more light on plants:
Thin overhanging trees — removing entire branches to let in more light. Consult a
licensed arborist for this, for safety and plant health.
Head back — removing ends of limbs to shorten cast shadows. Will ultimately result in
a denser growth of overhanging tree or shrub, meaning denser shadow, but in more
limited area.

22. Reflective and light-colored surfaces nearby will slightly
brighten shady areas. Consider choosing plants with
pale flowers or foliage to outline path edges.
To create more shade:
Before planting, observe the progress of shadows over
the course of days and preferably, seasons.
Add trees and shrubs to the landscape. Choose
“understory” as well as large trees for layered interest
and varied shade.
Pay attention to soil nutrient content and water needs.
Use an arbor, pergola or awning to shade plants.
Pergola in Turin, Italy
Pergola in Turin, Italy
(Wikipedia photo)
(Wikipedia photo)

23. Grounds for Sculpture
Grounds for Sculpture
My backyard
Salzberg — Mirabellgarten (Wikipedia photo)
Salzberg — Mirabellgarten (Wikipedia photo)

24. Plants directly under trees have to compete for
nutrients and water, especially near shallowrooted trees like willow and pine.
Concrete walls, walkways and pavers can
slightly raise the pH of nearby soil.
Tiarella
Tiarella
Shade-tolerant shrubs do well in slightly
to moderately acid soil. Choose nearby
plants for compatibility. Mulch with
compost and peat moss.
Aeration of soil is also essential.
Azalea
Azalea

25. Snow is slower to melt, and soil slower to warm
up in spring.
Adequate drainage is important, to avoid roots
drowning or rotting.
If shade is due to trees, competition for soil
nutrients requires replenishment of compost.
Slugs and fungi like moist shade. Pollinators,
such as bees and butterflies, don’t.
Shade plant blooms often are not showy or longlasting, so attractive foliage is important —
maybe even more so than the flowers themselves
(examples right).

26. “I have got little feet because nothing
grows in the shade.”
— Dolly Parton
“To sit in the shade on a fine day and
look upon verdure is the most perfect
refreshment.”
— Jane Austen
Happiness is sharing a bowl of cherries and a book of
poetry with a shade tree. He doesn’t eat much and
doesn’t read much, but listens well and is a most
gracious host.
— Astrid Alauda