While most perennials are sun worshipers and love the heat, the fact is that established landscapes with majestic trees often have more shade than sun. When I was on the hunt for shade-loving perennials to add to my own garden, it didn’t take me long to find what I was looking for. I settled on three plants perfect for growing in my Southeast shade: Hosta, Heuchera and Helleborus.
Though green-and-white variegated hostas are quite popular, many gardeners are attracted to the more distinctive blue-gray varieties.
Photo Credit: Lane Greer
The bright foliage of Heuchera is accented by contrasting vein colors in the leaves.
Photo Credit: Lane Greer
Stalks of vividly colored coral bells mark where the hidden Heuchera is below.
Photo Credit: Sarah Landicho
The nodding flowers of Helleborus brighten the garden in late winter – and offer an early sign of spring.
Photo Credit: Lane Greer
Hosta is a traditional favorite in the Southeast (and beyond), and it’s so easy to grow. Some homeowners feel that the plant’s “too common” for them, but don’t be too fast to dismiss it from your garden! These perennials come in many foliage colors, textures and sizes (some reaching up to 30 inches wide). And some avid gardeners collect them all.
The most common hosta types are the green-and-white variegated varieties. But you might try seeking out hostas with striking blue-gray or lime-colored foliage, too. No matter which hosta you go with, it’ll look great by itself or with just about any color or plant combo!
While hostas are known for their lovely leaves, they do have flowers, too. In late spring and summer, the trumpet-shaped flowers bloom along a tall spike, and each plant grows more than one. Flower color can range from white to a deep purple, depending on the hosta you grow.
I chose Heuchera to pair with my hosta. This is another shade lover known for its amazing foliage. In fact, leaves can range from a light green to a deep purple – some types are even variegated. What’s more, the foliage has an interesting crinkly texture, and when it’s combined with its color – BAM! You’ve got instant depth to your shady (and even partly sunny) spots.
Heuchera is a low-grower and spreads into only about a 12- to 16-inch-wide clump. It mixes nicely with taller perennials. One of its common names is coral bells – and if you’ve ever seen the lovely, little, bell-shaped flowers seemingly floating above the foliage, you’ll understand why. Some varieties do, indeed, have deep coral flowers, but others are various shades of pink, or even white.
Early-blooming Helleborus, also known as Lenten rose or hellebores, was my third shade-loving perennial pick for my garden. Unlike the others, this one’s known for its flowers, which pop up in late winter to early spring. (And who doesn’t want to add something interesting to the garden that time of the year?) The colors range from white to deep purple, with numerous shades of pink and rose in between. But that said, the plant’s foliage is nothing to wave off: The dark green leaves are segmented, resembling a star. Hellebores are typically compact plants that grow 1-2 feet tall and wide.
No matter which one of these shade-loving perennials you add to your garden, one thing’s for sure: You’ll find they brighten up even the darkest spots in your yard!
