Most perennials do best in sun, although some don't do well in full midday sun. Many perennials also tolerate partial shade well. Absolute shadow, however, means a great challenge for the garden planner. Find out here which perennials thrive on the perennial bed in the shade.

As a typical forest plant, the wood anemone also thrives in the shade

Total shadow versus light shadow

Is there total shade on your perennial bed, so the plants get absolutely no sun, or is there light shade, so is the perennial bed under a tree, for example, with sunbeams falling through the foliage? More perennials thrive in light shade. An overview of perennials that grow in partial shade or light shade can be found here.

Perennials that thrive in the shade

Basically, most perennials whose names begin with "forest-" thrive very well in the shade. Ferns and decorative green perennials also mostly like shade. In the following we have put together the most beautiful shade-tolerant perennials for your perennial border with flower colour, flowering time and special features.

shrub flower color heyday particularities
wood anemone White March to April Hardy spring bloomer, ground cover
fat man White, yellow, pink, red April to May Evergreen, groundcover
elf flower yellow April to May Very filigree flowers
Japanese toad lily Spotted purple and white August to October The flowers resemble orchids
Caucasus forget-me-nots blue April to May Pretty tough
Small periwinkle Bluish - violet or white May to September Evergreen, groundcover
liverwort Bluish March to April Is under nature protection
lily cluster Purple, reddish or white August to October periwinkle
foam flower White May to June ground cover
Black snake beard Rather inconspicuous, white flower June to August Evergreen, beautiful black leaves
silver candle White September to October Beautiful, long flowers
forest goat's beard Inconspicuous, white June to July Edible wild vegetables
woodruff White April to May Scented and edible
Waldsteinia yellow April to June Also available as ground cover and evergreen
dwarf hosta Inconspicuous, violet July to August Very nice foliage

Pros and cons of a perennial bed in the shade

A perennial bed in the shade has a big advantage: you don't have to water it as often. Since the sun does not dry out the earth so much here. However, this can also become a disadvantage during a heavy rainy season. It is better not to mulch a shade bed, otherwise the soil and roots can begin to mold or rot due to the moisture. To discourage weed growth, you can plant one or more of the beautiful groundcovers mentioned above.

Category:

Garden design