Shade Plants
Anemone is a must for your part sun garden- this perennial blooms in the early fall when not too many plants are in bloom. Keep Anemone well watered especially the first few years.
Mock Orange (Philadelphus coronaries) has citrus scented blossoms in the spring and works well for part sun, especially if planted in the ground.
Helleborus has many amazing qualities: Evergreen, early bloomer, drought tolerating and so many different varieties- you have to collect them all!
Bleeding Heart is a shade and cold loving perennial that blooms early in the spring and dies off in the summer. Plant with Hostas or Japanese Forest Grass to fill in later in the season.
Camellia is an evergreen shrub with beautiful blooms early spring or late fall. They can feel old fashioned, but if you want a blooming evergreen that works in part sun, this is the shrub for you.
Any Japanese Maple looks good in the fall. My favorites are: Acer palmatum ‘Sango Kaku’, ‘Bloodgood’, v. diss. Crimson Queen and ones with “moon”, “butterfly” and “waterfall'“ in the name.
Mahonia media/bealei is one of my favorite unusual evergreen. The bright yellow flowers become light blue berries hanging from this extra spikey shrub. Extremely hardy and not to mess with.
Lily of the Valley is a great ground cover for full shade and has the famous “Breaking Bad” poisonous berries that Walt used to poison Jesse’s girlfriend’s son. The flowers are also very fragrant and a very low maintenance plant.
Pyracantha is one of my favorite shrubs because of the orange berries in the fall. It looks great espaliered and can keep any intruders away with its super thorns.
Here is a list of Shade plants I love:
Hydrangea a. petiolaris
Kalmia latifolia (coolest flowers ever)
Schizophragma hydrangeoides ‘Moonlight’
Acanthus spinosus
Acorus griminess ‘Ogon’
Brunnera macrophylla
Chimicifuga ramosa
Polygonatum
Tricyrtis
I love the dark foliage on this Elderberry- Sambucus nigra. Black Leaves- need I say more?
Tassel Fern is very sweet. Happy in Deep shade, looking very fragile but it is actually very hardy.
English Ivy can be invasive, but look how pretty it can be climbing up a brick wall.
Phlox always surprise me with how they can bloom in part sun. They also bloom later in the summer when you need some color in the garden.