8 Best Shade-Loving Plants for Gardens That Get Less Sunshine
Find out how to create an amazing garden atmosphere using a limited palette of plants that thrive in the shade
Ketaki Godbole Randiwe
5 March 2018
Many small garden spaces are overshadowed by tall buildings, boundary walls or overhanging trees. Some are cast in complete shade all the time, others get a short period of sunlight before lapsing into shade again, and many are shady in parts. At such times, it can be quite a task to maintain a thriving garden. Well, you need not worry anymore because, unbeknownst to most of us, there’s a range of plants that will flourish in small, shady spaces (both damp and dry). Here are a few shade-loving staples that are a must-have for such green spaces.
A garden that gets less sunshine can seem like an impossible challenge but the limitations it confers can also be used to its advantage. Plants suitable for shady spots offer a symphony of textures and shades of green. Fine-textured ferns, arching grasses, spring-flowering plants and other shade-tolerant species, when combined, create a subtle and calm space.
Additionally, evergreen shrubs are invaluable shade ‘fillers’. Their smooth gleaming green foliage will give those shady areas an attractive lustre all year round. Here are eight wonderful plants that will survive and thrive in low light conditions.
Additionally, evergreen shrubs are invaluable shade ‘fillers’. Their smooth gleaming green foliage will give those shady areas an attractive lustre all year round. Here are eight wonderful plants that will survive and thrive in low light conditions.
1. Paperplant (Fatsia japonica)
Paperplant shrubs have a useful role to play in the landscape. They give a very tropical feel, they love shade and are pretty tolerant to cold temperatures. This is a good (and rare) combination to find among plants. When planted under tree canopies, in shadowy corners and in shaded side yards, the paperplant quickly fills the spaces in with its luxurious glossy foliage.
Ideal climate types: Tropical
Best for: Excellent choice for that near-sunless corner in a typical urban or suburban garden.
Paperplant shrubs have a useful role to play in the landscape. They give a very tropical feel, they love shade and are pretty tolerant to cold temperatures. This is a good (and rare) combination to find among plants. When planted under tree canopies, in shadowy corners and in shaded side yards, the paperplant quickly fills the spaces in with its luxurious glossy foliage.
Ideal climate types: Tropical
Best for: Excellent choice for that near-sunless corner in a typical urban or suburban garden.
2. Shell ginger (Alpinia zerumbet)
The way the light plays upon this plant can be magical. Just the way highlights and lowlights in hair colour can bring it alive, a swathe of shell ginger can bring a garden to life. Leafy, arching stems create a lush, tropical effect with boldly striped yellow- and-green foliage. Its large drooping clusters of white-and-pink shell-like flowers are sweetly fragrant.
Ideal climate types: Tropical
Best for: Foliage filler to plump up the garden.
The way the light plays upon this plant can be magical. Just the way highlights and lowlights in hair colour can bring it alive, a swathe of shell ginger can bring a garden to life. Leafy, arching stems create a lush, tropical effect with boldly striped yellow- and-green foliage. Its large drooping clusters of white-and-pink shell-like flowers are sweetly fragrant.
Ideal climate types: Tropical
Best for: Foliage filler to plump up the garden.
3. Foxtail fern (Asparagus densiflorus ‘Myers’)
Foxtail asparagus ferns have an unusual, symmetrical look. These fern-like plants have arching plumes of tightly packed, needle-like leaves that look soft and delicate. Foxtail fern plants bloom with white flowers and produce red berries. The plants appear fragile and may cause gardeners to shy away from them, expecting difficult and extensive care. Don’t let their appearance deceive you. In reality, foxtail ferns are tough and hardy specimens, flourishing with limited care.
Ideal climate types: Tropical
Best for: Excellent choice for hanging baskets, containers and border planting.
Foxtail asparagus ferns have an unusual, symmetrical look. These fern-like plants have arching plumes of tightly packed, needle-like leaves that look soft and delicate. Foxtail fern plants bloom with white flowers and produce red berries. The plants appear fragile and may cause gardeners to shy away from them, expecting difficult and extensive care. Don’t let their appearance deceive you. In reality, foxtail ferns are tough and hardy specimens, flourishing with limited care.
Ideal climate types: Tropical
Best for: Excellent choice for hanging baskets, containers and border planting.
4. Lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina)
For finely textured foliage in the shady to sunny garden or a naturally designed wooded corner in a garden, consider growing lady fern plants. Lady ferns are reliable, and easy to grow in a moist, partially shaded location.
Ideal climate types: Tropical
Best for: Excellent choice for shrub borders, along a waterbody or pond, or as a filler or volume plant.
For finely textured foliage in the shady to sunny garden or a naturally designed wooded corner in a garden, consider growing lady fern plants. Lady ferns are reliable, and easy to grow in a moist, partially shaded location.
Ideal climate types: Tropical
Best for: Excellent choice for shrub borders, along a waterbody or pond, or as a filler or volume plant.
5. Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)
Boston ferns need a cool place with high humidity and indirect light. When you care for Boston fern plants, it’s a good idea to provide additional humidity for them, especially in dry weather. For bringing in extra humidity, set your fern’s pot in a tray of pebbles filled with water. You can also lightly mist your fern once or twice a week to help it get the humidity it needs.
Ideal climate types: Tropical
Best for: Excellent choice for mild areas in part or full shade. Plant them in bright indirect light with no direct sun.
Boston ferns need a cool place with high humidity and indirect light. When you care for Boston fern plants, it’s a good idea to provide additional humidity for them, especially in dry weather. For bringing in extra humidity, set your fern’s pot in a tray of pebbles filled with water. You can also lightly mist your fern once or twice a week to help it get the humidity it needs.
Ideal climate types: Tropical
Best for: Excellent choice for mild areas in part or full shade. Plant them in bright indirect light with no direct sun.
6. Blue lilyturf (Liriope muscari)
When outdoor space is at a premium, limiting the lawn and instead planting low-growing lawn alternatives such as the blue lilyturf is a much better solution. Such low-growing plants (also called ‘ground covers’) ensures that you can get the most out of your limited garden space, by complementing the lawn area. This low-growing, evergreen perennial forms dense, grassy clumps that are covered in spiky purple-blue flowers in summer and autumn.
Ideal climate types: Tropical
Best for: Excellent choice for shrub borders, in containers, or as a filler or volume plant.
When outdoor space is at a premium, limiting the lawn and instead planting low-growing lawn alternatives such as the blue lilyturf is a much better solution. Such low-growing plants (also called ‘ground covers’) ensures that you can get the most out of your limited garden space, by complementing the lawn area. This low-growing, evergreen perennial forms dense, grassy clumps that are covered in spiky purple-blue flowers in summer and autumn.
Ideal climate types: Tropical
Best for: Excellent choice for shrub borders, in containers, or as a filler or volume plant.
7. Dwarf umbrella tree (Schefflera arboricola ‘Variegata’)
This is a lovely spreading shrub with beautifully variegated leaves with ivory-and-yellow blotches and splashes. Dwarf umbrella trees are medium-light plants, which means that they need bright but indirect light. A common complaint about Schefflera plants is that they get leggy and floppy. This problem is caused by too little light. Always ensure that it has a balance of shade and indirect light. On the other hand, you do not want to place a Schefflera houseplant in bright direct light, as this will burn the leaves.
Ideal climate types: Tropical
Best for: Excellent choice as a filler/volume plant, as a hedge plant or simply somewhere to show off its attractive foliage.
This is a lovely spreading shrub with beautifully variegated leaves with ivory-and-yellow blotches and splashes. Dwarf umbrella trees are medium-light plants, which means that they need bright but indirect light. A common complaint about Schefflera plants is that they get leggy and floppy. This problem is caused by too little light. Always ensure that it has a balance of shade and indirect light. On the other hand, you do not want to place a Schefflera houseplant in bright direct light, as this will burn the leaves.
Ideal climate types: Tropical
Best for: Excellent choice as a filler/volume plant, as a hedge plant or simply somewhere to show off its attractive foliage.
8. Purple shamrock (Oxalis triangularis)
Purple shamrocks are highly ‘photophilic’, which means that they open and close not just their flowers but also their leaves in response to light. At night, an Oxalis triangularis plant with its neatly folded leaves looks like a cluster of little purple butterflies, which then open wide to the morning light. Both the vivid purple colour of its leaves and this constant slow motion seems to enchant all who grow it – even ‘non-gardeners’ fall in love with this charming beauty. To capitalise on its unusual colouring, containers in silver are especially effective.
Ideal climate types: Tropical
Best for: Excellent choice for cool shaded spots in the garden, with plenty of indirect light.
Special note: Known to be toxic to cats and dogs: garden lovers with pets need to take special care, if selecting this plant.
Purple shamrocks are highly ‘photophilic’, which means that they open and close not just their flowers but also their leaves in response to light. At night, an Oxalis triangularis plant with its neatly folded leaves looks like a cluster of little purple butterflies, which then open wide to the morning light. Both the vivid purple colour of its leaves and this constant slow motion seems to enchant all who grow it – even ‘non-gardeners’ fall in love with this charming beauty. To capitalise on its unusual colouring, containers in silver are especially effective.
Ideal climate types: Tropical
Best for: Excellent choice for cool shaded spots in the garden, with plenty of indirect light.
Special note: Known to be toxic to cats and dogs: garden lovers with pets need to take special care, if selecting this plant.
Picture this
Armed with this new knowledge, the plight of shade gardeners is no longer the same. We can look with satisfaction at our beautiful shady garden, and, with the proper care, even make it an object of envy for those gardeners who have full sun.
Read more:
6 Mistakes to Avoid in Your Balcony Garden
A Beginner’s Guide to a Beautiful Butterfly Garden
Tell us:
If you enjoyed this story, like it, bookmark it and share your thoughts in Comments below. Join the conversation!
Armed with this new knowledge, the plight of shade gardeners is no longer the same. We can look with satisfaction at our beautiful shady garden, and, with the proper care, even make it an object of envy for those gardeners who have full sun.
Read more:
6 Mistakes to Avoid in Your Balcony Garden
A Beginner’s Guide to a Beautiful Butterfly Garden
Tell us:
If you enjoyed this story, like it, bookmark it and share your thoughts in Comments below. Join the conversation!
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Extremely useful article, but I wish the writer had given the common Hindi names for these plants, because most nursery salesmen do not know the botanical or English names of these plants.
yes i agree too, Hindi names would help us