Free Garden Catalogs

colorful plants that grow well in the shade?

we have a side garden that gets little to no shade and the only plants we have in there are green. i seriously think it needs color and for my moms birthday i wanted to plant some colorful plants to brighten it up a little. so are there any really pretty colorful plants that you can think of that will grow well in the shade?? please and thank you =] sorry, it gets little to no sun***

Public Comments

1. columbine and marigolds
2. I'm confused. You said your garden gets NO shade, but what plants grow well in the shade. So I will have to guess. I have seen morning glories do well in the shade and in places that have no shade. Same is true of bouganvillia. These both grow well on fences. Pansies are very colorful, inexpensive, and grow well in shade. I will check back later and see if you have clarification on shade or no shade.
3. Impatiens have great color and thrive in the shade. Ask your local greenhouse what they have for shade lovin plants in your area. Good luck ,your mom will love it.
4. I like astilbe's, they can be bought now and planted. http://images.google.com/images?q=astilbe+image&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7SUNA&um=1
5. even though a lot of tags say geraniums need full sun, mine do well in shade. I bring them in as a houseplant during the winter and they still flower. There's many varieties too. Good luck on whatever You decide!
6. Impatiens come in lots of pretty colors and are shade friendly. Haustas and astilbe, although not overly colorful, are shade lovers and can be very lush and green.
7. I'm not sure what soil you have or which zone you are in so most of this list is composed of plants that I've grown in partial shade, but will tolerate shadier conditions. 1. Masterwort (zones 4-8) Cute flowers that resemble pincushions. 2. Astilbe (zones 4-9) Produces dozens of soft, feathery flowers on spikes. 3. Forget-Me-Not (zones 3-8) Very cute flowers that come in white, pink, blue, and sometimes even striped blue and pink. 4. Jacob's Ladder (zones 4-8) I grow this one mainly for the foliage but the flowers are nice enough in their own respect. 5. Helleborus (zones 4-9) I love these flowers for their resemblance to single rose blooms, however, because they are downward-facing, they're usually overlooked. 6. Iris (zones 4-8) These are nice because of the extensive color varieties available. 7. Queen of the Prairie (zones 3-8) A very nice native that has blooms much like an astilbe's. 8. Oxalis Crassipes (zones 5-10) I grow this one for the foliage, which resembles shamrocks, but the little pink flowers are a nice bonus. 9. Columbine (zones 3-9) Beautiful flowers that I'm sure you're familiar with. 10. Hosta (zones 3-8) Most commonly thought of as a foliage plant, they do produce nice flowers for the shadiest of areas. 11. Coral Bells (zones 4-9) I also grow these mainly for their foliage but they do produce quite a few blooms. 12. Viola Tricolor (zones 4-9) These are the wild relatives of the more popular, larger-bloomed garden pansy. I prefer the wild form because they are usually hardier and bumblebees find the smaller petals much easier to hang onto. 13. Lungwort (zones 4-9) Usually have very bright flowers and nice, mottled foliage. 14. Lady's Mantle (zones 4-8) With both the flowers and foliage being green, it can seem rather boring, but wait until the early morning when the dew is shining on the leaves. The leaves repel every last bit of water that touches them and since some of the leaves on any one plant will be slightly cupped, the dew can stay there shimmering for quite awhile! 15. Bleeding Heart (zones 3-9) This is an old-fashioned favorite with gorgeous flowers that resemble their namesake. Hope that helps!
8. Hey there :) Coleus are very pretty and they love the shade! They come in a variety of colors everything from red to rainbow colors. Impatiens, lady slippers, begonias, hosta's and godetia are some other colorful flowers that love shade. Good luck and have fun! :)
9. Hosta is lovely http://www.hostaonline.com/
10. If you have an acid soil: try azaleas or rhododendrons. Camellias in a neutral to acid soil. Hellebore's as an underplanting with Hostas (if the climate is right) or plants such as liriope or mondo grass (in variegated colours). You didn't say which zone your in so check to see if any are suitable for your climate. Look at variegated plants to lift the darkness of shade areas.
11. Could always plant a lot of colourful annuals in tubs or large pots and move them into the side garden when they are in flower... and have more coming on to take their place as they fade. That way you always have colour available and some nice colourful pots make a lasting birthday present.