So many beauties do not need full sun to thrive
Shaded corners can be a difficult area to traverse in a garden and choosing plants that still thrive away from the sun can be a real headache.
Thankfully, there is a plethora of choice, with scores of outstanding beauties ready to make a real impact when planted in the shade.
Here are a handful of varieties that we simply love and know you will too!
An all-time favourite for adding height and colour to borders, even those in shaded spots.
This boasts striking dark green and glossy foliage, which provides good coverage and a neutral backdrop for coloured and fragrant spiked blooms.
Outstanding beauty will particularly be seen when this mix bursts to life in June and July.
This variety is not only pleasing to the eye, but also produces a strong fragrance to attract bees and butterflies.
One of the first examples that springs to mind when thinking about shade-thriving beauties is the ever-popular Lily of the Valley.
Fragrant white bells rise on strong arching stems from clumps of dark green foliage, forming a striking colour contrast to add fascination to any garden in the later stages of spring.
The perfect problem solver for brightening up shady borders, this delightful beauty will continue to flourish year after year, only returning bigger and better.
An eye-catching example of a Begonia, the ‘Amber Delight’ is primed to impress in pretty much any garden scenario.
Featuring a profusion of flowers in a range of autumnal shades, from orange, gold, and yellow, to a rich red.
This is a great choice when looking to add colour to a shaded area during the warm summer months, as it will first spring to life in May and add interest all the way up to November, offering seven months of beauty.
A go-to solution for the front of shaded borders, the ‘Alba’ is known for being a very easy to grow perennial, requiring virtually no maintenance and offering any gardener maximum impact from minimum effort.
This variety produces a mass of white, heart-shaped flowers each year in the late months of spring.
‘Alba’ is a particularly good option for traditional English cottage style gardens and can be planted alongside rose bushes to accompany blooms fantastically.
Hellebore ‘Double Ellen Pink Spotted’
A tried and tested proven performer that will thrive in lower light and shady spots.
The outstanding Hellebore ‘Double Ellen Pink Spotted’ boasts an exotic look with pale pink double flowers coated in purple freckles.
A welcome sight in any winter garden, this variety bursts to life from January, when others are looking tired.
Hardy perennial flowers rise upwards from leathery evergreen leaves to add interest.
A great option for adding certain festive cheer to the garden of any Christmas fanatic!
Flowering from December all the way through to the start of spring, ‘Yuletide’ earns its name with festive red and green colours.
When in full flow, an abundance of remarkable red blooms grow with clusters of golden yellow stamens in the centre of each.
A fully hardy plant that is so easy to grow and performs well in sheltered and partially shaded positions, away from the wind.
Mahonia eurybracteata ‘Soft Caress’
Year-round interest and colour can be achieved with this outstanding specimen plant that performs admirably even when planted in light shade.
A great addition to any garden alongside other shade-tolerant plants, this ‘Soft Caress’ Mahonia boasts sprays of butter-yellow flowers, followed by blue berries from August to October.
This plant’s pedigree is clear to see, as a previous winner of the coveted Plant of the Year award at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, while it has also been commended by the RHS as a ‘Plant for Pollinators’, so will attract bees and butterflies.
Japanese Acer palmatum ‘Festival’ Mix
A show-stopping Japanese Acer tree that bursts to life with three outstanding-coloured plants in a single growth.
These small deciduous trees are particularly loved for their graceful habit, autumnal colour, and impressive foliage.
Very versatile, this variety would make a splash as a patio feature or in borders, where the foliage can contrast well against perennial flowers.
Leaves of this Acer travel from green and red, to fiery shades of orange and yellow as autumn progresses, with the colours developing best when located in shade.
Caster Oil Fatsia japonica ‘Spider’s Web’
Another great plant that will perform remarkably well, even in the most shaded areas of the garden.
A standout feature of this evergreen shrub are the serrated glossy-green leaves highlighted with frosted lacework.
‘Spider’s Web’, also known as the Japanese aralia or castor oil plant, will grow exotic umbrellas of creamy white flowers followed by deep purple berries when fully mature.
What’s more, this variety is a top choice for any gardener, regardless of ability.
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