Brighten your garden’s gloomy corners with these shady characters
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
You may have a garden corner where the sun barely whispers. Perhaps your patio feels like a retreat for lovers of shadow. Transforming those dim, underused areas into a vibrant oasis brimming with colour and life is easier than you might think.
Here is a curated selection of ten shade-loving plants, which are not only beautiful but also thrive in low-light conditions, perfect for breathing new life into your darker garden spots. You’ll also find a link to buy each plant with a special discount.
ASTRANTIA
Astrantia is essential for any shade garden. Delicate, star-shaped pincushions, surrounded by lacy bracts, bloom in hues of pink, white and burgundy. These charming perennials add an old-world elegance and a touch of whimsy to shady borders or woodland settings.
Buy nowHARDY GERANIUMS
Hardy geraniums will not let the shade cast a shadow on your gardening dreams. Hardy geraniums, the workhorses of the shaded garden, offer robustness and a parade of blooms from early summer to autumn. With a palette ranging from soft blues to vibrant pinks, these low-maintenance plants spread cheerfully, filling gaps and suppressing weeds.
Buy nowBRUNNERA
Brunnera, nicknamed ‘Siberian Bugloss’, stands out for its stunning foliage and forget-me-not-like flowers. Heart-shaped leaves, which often display dramatic silver variegation, bring a splash of light in dark corners. Clouds of tiny blue flowers in spring create a dreamy, ethereal effect. Truly captivating!
Buy nowHELLEBORUS
Known also as the Christmas or Lenten rose, hellebores are darlings of the winter garden. Blooming in the coldest months, the rose-like flowers in tones of cream, pink, red and even purple offer a sight for tired winter eyes when little else is stirring. These evergreen perennials are ideal for bringing life and colour to the winter and early-spring garden.
Buy nowFERNS
For texture and architectural flair, few plants compare to ferns. Their myriad forms and sizes bring an element of lush, green elegance to any gloomy spot. Whether you opt for delicate small ferns or the stately large ferns, these versatile plants are crucial for creating a serene and inviting woodland feel.
Buy nowMECONOPSIS
The allure of the rare and exquisite ‘blue poppy’ (meconopsis) in your garden is something to imagine. In cooler, dimmer conditions, these spectacular blooms in vibrant sky-blue turn any garden into a showcase of stunning, unusual beauty.
Buy nowLAMIUM
For ground cover, lamium proves invaluable. Leaves, which are often silver or variegated, brighten the floor of your shade garden while sporting modest yet charming flowers in shades of pink, purple or white. This plant is perfect for weaving around taller perennials or under shrubs.
Buy nowJAPANESE ANEMONE
Japanese anemones bring perfect late-summer and autumn drama. Graceful flowers on tall, swaying stems burst with colour when many other plants are fading. Whether white, pink or rosy-purple, these beauties inject a refreshing elegance into the garden’s later seasons.
Buy nowHEUCHERAS
Heucheras are known for their fabulous foliage, spanning a spectrum from gold to chocolate to ruby red, and nearly every shade in between. These plants are outstanding for adding year-round colour, with their delicate bell-shaped flowers on slender stalks adding an extra layer of charm in early summer.
Buy nowASTILBE
Astilbe, last but certainly not least, makes a statement with feathery, plume-like flowers in vivid whites, pinks and reds. Thriving in moist spots where the sun does not shine, the fern-like foliage of these plants provides a perfect backdrop for their showy blooms.
Buy nowTurn your shaded garden areas from ‘a challenge’ into ‘my glory’ with these ten fabulous plants. Each variety brings its own unique beauty and character to create a lush, inviting garden which flourishes without full sun. Start planting today and watch the forsaken parts of your garden come alive with colour and life, courtesy of some very shady characters indeed. Who needs the sun?
