Perennials for shade
- Brunnera macrophylla Variegata£6.95Stock 89Brunnera macrophylla 'Variegata' produces highly decorative heart shaped, variegated foliage in spring followed by sky blue forget-me-not like... Learn More
- Aconitum carmichaelii arendsii x 3Special Price £2.60 Regular Price £3.50Stock 20Aconitum carmichaelii arendsii is an old-fashioned hardy border plant and great for planting under shrubs. It has a very special relationship with... Learn More
- Astilbe arendsii Fiery Red£2.95Stock 100+Carpet Astilbe arendsii Fiery Red is ideal for shady, moist areas in your garden and thrives with the minimum of work Learn More
- Astilbe arendsi AmethystSpecial Price £2.50 Regular Price £4.95Only 4 leftAstilbe Amethyst is a lovely Astilbe blooming with large flowers on strong stems. They like a moist location and do well along a pond. Learn More
- Hosta Get NekkidSpecial Price £2.95 Regular Price £4.95Stock 100+Hosta Get Nekkid is a wonderfully attractive plant. It has very shiny light green leaves with wavy margins. Its flowers are very decorative,... Learn More
- Hosta FranceeSpecial Price £2.50 Regular Price £2.95Stock 74Hosta Francee is one of the best white margined Hostas around. It has heart shaped deep dark green leaves with narow white margins. Pale lavender... Learn More
- Plantain Lily, Hosta Brim CupSpecial Price £3.15 Regular Price £4.50Out of stockThis great Hosta makes a perfect partner on the patio and decking. Does well in large planters. The perfectly shaped foliage with a bright golden... Learn More
- Plantain Lily Hosta fortunei PatriotSpecial Price £3.15 Regular Price £4.50Out of stockPatriot is a medium hosta, it has highly ornamental olive-green foliage with wide irregular pure white margins and pale lavender flowers in summer.... Learn More
- Plantain Lily Hosta sieboldiana FrancesSpecial Price £2.60 Regular Price £3.25Stock 37A beautiful shade loving variegated Hosta with large heart-shaped leaves in dark and light green colours. Flowers in early to mid summer with near... Learn More
- Hosta sieboldiana Frances Williams£5.25Stock 12A beautiful shade loving variegated Hosta with large heart-shaped leaves in dark and light green colours. Flowers in early to mid-summer with near... Learn More
- Hosta Tardiana Halcyon 9cm£4.95Out of stockHosta Halcyon is a medium sized variety with handsome heart shaped, silver-blue foliage and attractive pale lavender flowers in summer. Perfect for... Learn More
- Ajuga reptans Atropurpurea 9 cm£4.25Stock 48Bugle is an excellent very versatile evergreen groundcover, suitable for planting under trees, at the front of a shady border or in containers for... Learn More
- Hosta August Moon£5.25Out of stockHosta August Moon is a must to add to your hosta collection this year. In mid-summer it produces heart-shaped, cupped, pale green leaves sometimes... Learn More
- Astilbe arendsii Brautschleier£5.75Stock 12Astilbe Brautschleier (Bridal Veil ) is a lovely Astilbe blooming with large white flowers on strong stems. They like a moist location and do well... Learn More
- Astilbe arendsii Erika£4.75Stock 100+Astilbe Erika is a lovely Astilbe blooming with large pink flowers on strong stems. They like a moist location and do well along a pond. Learn More
- Astilbe arendsii Granat£5.75Stock 47Astilbe Granat is a lovely Astilbe blooming with large red flowers on strong stems. They like a moist location and do well along a pond Learn More
- Astilbe arendsii Red 15cmSpecial Price £9.05 Regular Price £12.95Stock 38This vibrant red Astilbe will add drama to dull areas of the garden. Astilbes have glorious arching fragrant plumes made up of tiny flowers. They... Learn More
- Astilbe arendsii White 15cm£11.95Stock 14This vibrant white Astilbe will add drama to dull areas of the garden. Astilbes have glorious arching fragrant plumes made up of tiny flowers. They... Learn More
- Dicentra spectabilis White P13Special Price £8.55 Regular Price £9.95Stock 100+Remarkable cottage garden plants with exquisitely formed flowers, which 'bleed' floral droplets from the centre of the heart shaped flowers, great... Learn More
- Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' 9 cm p£8.50Only 5 leftBrunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' is a deciduous garden plant that eventually grows to about 40 cm high and is preferably in partial shade. ... Learn More
- Hosta Abiqua Drinking GourdSpecial Price £2.45 Regular Price £3.25Stock 19The Hosta Abiqua Drinking Gourd has round blue-grey puckered leaves. This plant has beautiful white flowers from July to August and grows best in... Learn More
- Hosta AvocadoSpecial Price £2.60 Regular Price £3.75Stock 100+The Hosta Avocado is a mutation of the Hosta Guacamole of which it keeps the magnificent fragrant white bloom. The flowers appear in July and are... Learn More
- Hosta Bobcat£5.75Stock 76The Hosta Bobcat is a beautiful little hosta with blue-green leaves surrounded by a golden border that turns creamy white as the season progresses.... Learn More
- Hosta BroadwaySpecial Price £3.45 Regular Price £5.75Stock 100+Hosta Broadway is a medium to large sized hosta with striking foliage that develops lavender colored flowers midsummer. Hosta plants are versatile-... Learn More
- Hosta Color FestivalSpecial Price £3.90 Regular Price £6.50Only 9 leftHosta Colour Festival features leaves with a white centre that goes from light yellow to a dark green margin. Hosta Color Festival is a... Learn More
- Hosta EnchiladasSpecial Price £3.90 Regular Price £6.50Stock 75Hosta Enchiladas is a stunning Hosta. The bright yellow leaves have thick dark green margins. Hosta plants are versatile- They grow well in part... Learn More
- Hosta Fire and Ice£5.95Only 1 leftHosta Fire and Ice has white centred leaves, with dark green edges. Plant in a spot that gets the morning sun for optimal growth. Perfect for low... Learn More
- Hosta Firn LineSpecial Price £3.45 Regular Price £5.75Stock 64Hosta Firn Line has heart-shaped blue leaves with a wide white margin. Hosta plants are versatile- They grow well in part sun to semi-shade, in... Learn More
- Hosta Jurassic Park£5.75Stock 100+The Hosta Jurassic Park is a large perennial that starts growing in very large clumps in early spring. The plant once adult after 5 or 6 years, can... Learn More
- Hosta Lakeside Little Tuft£3.75Out of stockHosta Lakeside Little Tuft has interesting elongated leaves with creamy white centres and dark green margins. Pale purple flowers appear in... Learn More
- Hosta LibertySpecial Price £4.00 Regular Price £7.95Stock 71Hosta Liberty has broad leaves with wide yellow-cream margins. Pretty purple flowers appear in the Summer. Hosta plants are versatile- They grow... Learn More
- Hosta Magic Island£6.50Stock 19Hosta Magic Island is an attractive member of the Hosta family. It has grey-blue leaves with a centre that starts creamy-white and progresses to a... Learn More
- Hosta Miracle LemonySpecial Price £8.95 Regular Price £11.95Stock 16The Hosta Miracle Lemony remains the very first hosta to produce yellow flowers. The bright yellow flowers it produces are bell-shaped and give off... Learn More
- Hosta Moon Split£4.95Stock 66Hosta Moon Split has dark leaves and a golden margin. It produces pretty mauve-lavender blooms and will like a northerly, shady position. It is a... Learn More
- Hosta Praying HandsSpecial Price £3.45 Regular Price £5.75Stock 100+Hosta Praying Hands has a unique upright form with narrow, tightly folded dark green leaves edged with yellow. Flowers in Summer with bell shaped... Learn More
- Hosta Prima Donna£3.75Stock 100+Hosta Prima Donna has wonderfully textured glossy green leaves with a yellow margin that changes to white as the Summer progresses. Pale lavender... Learn More
- Hosta Purple SensationSpecial Price £4.00 Regular Price £5.75Stock 100+Hosta Purple Sensation features very attractive bright green foliage that is wonderfully textured. It also features unique dark purple star-shaped... Learn More
- Hosta So SweetSpecial Price £2.45 Regular Price £3.25Stock 100+Hosta So Sweet is a compact variety with glossy green leaves with creamy margins. Its star-shaped white flowers that appear in Summer are very... Learn More
- Hosta SorbetSpecial Price £4.50 Regular Price £7.50Stock 40Hosta Sorbet has thick upright varigated leaves and burgundy-red stems. Its mauve blooms appear in Summer. ... Learn More
- Hosta Sugar and SpiceSpecial Price £2.45 Regular Price £3.75Stock 100+Hosta Sugar and Spice is a medium sized variety that has wide glossy green leaves. The wavy edges emerge yellow and become creamy-white as the... Learn More
- Hosta Sum and Substance£4.75Stock 18Hosta Sum and Substance is one of the largest hosta varieties. When established they can reach a width of 150cm wide and up to 90cm tall. It has... Learn More
- Hosta Sunset GroovesSpecial Price £4.40 Regular Price £4.95Stock 47Hosta Sunset Grooves is a small variety growing to maximum 60cm tall. It has round leaves with wide dark green margins and yellow-green centres,... Learn More
- Hosta Tokudama Flavocircinalis Bare rooSpecial Price £2.80 Regular Price £3.75Stock 54Hosta Tokudama Flavocircinalis has interesting puckered leaves of blue-green colour with irregular margins of yellow-green. An attractive plant for... Learn More
- Hosta Fragrant Bouquet£3.25Stock 82Hosta Fragrant Bouquet is an excellent large hosta that has apple green foliage and wide cream leaf margins. New leaves are lime-green with a... Learn More
- Hosta Blue CadetSpecial Price £2.45 Regular Price £3.25Stock 11The Hosta Blue Cadet is a medium-sized specimen with attractive blue-green veined heart-shaped leaves. Pale lavender bell-shaped flowers appear in... Learn More
- Hosta Blue StiltonSpecial Price £2.45 Regular Price £3.75Stock 17Hosta Blue Stilton is an attractive specimen with intense blue-grey heart-shaped leaves. Pale lavender bell-shaped flowers appear in summer. It is... Learn More
- Hosta Blue VisionSpecial Price £2.95 Regular Price £4.95Stock 19Hosta Blue Vision is an attractive specimen with deeply crinkled blue-green leaves. Pretty white flowers, irresistible to butterflies and bees,... Learn More
Shade-loving plants are very important to many gardens as they can bring light to darker areas of the garden.
Take for example a variegated Hosta, the radiant foliage will enhance the darker area of the garden and brighten it up.
We all have a bit of shade in the garden, but this shouldn't be seen as a problem as there are so many shade tolerant plants available to brighten even the darkest of areas.
We've put together a list of some of the most popular shade loving plants to help you on your way to a colourful garden. It's good to note how long the area is in the shade for when you are selecting your plants some plants grow in partial shade with just a few hours of sun each day whereas others will grow in almost total shade.
Beautiful shady garden
How to make a beautiful shady garden? With perennials, of course! Many people think that perennials do not grow in the shade. Fortunately, there are many examples of beautiful shady gardens to prove the opposite. The range of perennials in the shade is surprisingly huge.
A shady garden is not necessarily boring, in the cool shade grow the most beautiful plants for shade. They may be less spectacular, but no less beautiful. We speak of shade, when in summer there is less than three hours a day of direct sunlight, or over a long period of time, filtered light shines on the plant. Achieving a successful plantation in a shady garden is not difficult. It is important to consider the amount of shade. In the low light environment of deciduous trees and shrubs or in front of a wall, there is surprisingly a large range of shade plants that can grow.
Taking care of shadow plants
Shade is not usually the biggest problem for shade plants, it is mostly dry soil under trees or walls to the north. If the light is low and there is almost no water, then most shade plants die. Give them more water during dry periods. You also help them by covering them with dead leaves, so the water is better preserved in the soil. Spread each year a layer of compost, wood chips or bark between the shade plants. This produces a little more humus in the soil. Humus acts like a sponge and retains water better.