House Beautiful June 5, 2025
Lifestyle
We're so close to starting summer, which means you're likely spending more time outside in your garden. From experienced gardeners to newbies, it's important to note that the most eye-catching yards don't solely focus on one aspect of landscape design, like beautiful blooms, elegant water features, or charming greenery. For a balanced and dynamic yard that's the envy of the neighborhood, it's good to ensure that your darker areas are decorated with the proper shade-loving plants.
While blooms that bask in the sun and can tolerate the heat of summer typically get all the attention, it's important to also incorporate hearty, shade-friendly varietals that can tolerate less-than-ideal conditions and still bring beauty to every corner of your yard. The best part? Shade-friendly plants can be just as stunning as their sunnier counterparts. Many beautiful annuals, perennials, shrubs, and ornamental grasses love the shade, so whether you're looking for something to plant under a tree, in your flower beds, or in containers on a backyard patio, there is a wide variety of plants for you to pick from.
As you browse our list of the best shade plants, keep in mind both seasonality and the light tolerance of different varieties. As a general rule of thumb, any plant labeled "full-shade" needs fewer than three hours of direct sunlight during the day. Likewise, partial-shade plants require only three to six hours of shade a day, while some shade lovers, such as flowering shrubs, bloom best when exposed to mild morning sun, especially during the summer months. Below, we're rounding up 25 of the best shade plants to brighten up any dark spot in your garden.
Featuring rich, purple blooms, the Vinca Minor periwinkle vine provides a burst of color to your garden from late spring into the fall months. Shade-tolerant and hardy, this beautiful plant is great for gardening beginners. They thrive in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 through 8.
Best used as a ground cover in sparse areas of your garden, this variety of bugleweed boasts spiky, violet flowers with dark green and brown foliage. Because this shade-loving plant is so dense, it helps to control stubborn weeds that love to pop through. Plant in USDA Zones 4 through 9.
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