Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!
Every garden owner knows of shady spots in the garden where nothing wants to grow. That is why they are usually treated very neglectfully. But even shady locations offer a surprising number of design options. However, not all shadows are the same and there are subtle differences. While there is very little sun in the full shade, areas in partial or scattered shade enjoy up to five hours of sun a day with constantly changing interplay of light and shade.
shadow flowers
Low
- Günsel, Galgelkraut, Gildengünsel (Ajuga reptans)
- Alpine silver mantle (Alchemilla alpina)
- Dwarf Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla erythropoda)
- Rock Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla saxatilis)
- Native wild garlic, wild garlic (Allium ursinum)
- Radiated anemone (blue) (Anemone blanda)
- Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa)
- Dwarf Columbine (Aquilegia flabellata var. kurilensis 'Rosea')
- Native hazel root (Asarum europaeum)
- Bald dwarf spar (Astilbe glaberrima var. saxatilis)
medium high
- Maple leaf (Aceriphyllum rossii)
- Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla mollis)
- Large wood anemone (Anemone sylvestris)
- Iberian spring anemone (Anemone palmata)
- Double Garden Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris 'Plena')
- Common Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris)
- Veined Arum (Arum italicum)
- Red flowering masterwort (Astrantia carniolica 'Rubra')
- Great masterwort (Astrantia major 'Lars')
blooming garden
High and very high
- Silver Cohosh (Actaea acerina)
- Japanese mock anemone (Anemonopsis macrophylla)
- Long-spurred bee tack (Aquilegia caerulea hybrid)
- Arend's splendor spar, (Astilbe Arendsii hybrid 'Fanal')
- Korean Bellflower (Campanula takeshimana)
- Nettle-leaved Bellflower (Campanula trachelium)
- Peach-leaved Bellflower (Campanula persicifolia 'Grandiflora')
- Giant fescue (Festuca gigantea)
- Knotweed (Persicaria virginiana 'Painter's Palette')
- Meadow rue (Thalictrum rochebrunianum)
- White Forest Bellflower (Campanula latifolia)
- Kamchatka forest goat's beard (Aruncus dioicus var. kamtschaticus)
- Columbine (Aquilegia formosa)
Other flowers for shady places are explained in more detail below.
Shade flowers that remain small
Christmas roses (Helleborus)
When the garden is still in hibernation, they have their big entrance, the Christmas roses also known as snow roses. Depending on the variety, they open their snow-white, reddish or black-bluish flowers in the middle of winter. They only grow to 10 - 30 cm and feel most comfortable in semi-shady to shady places, under trees that shed their leaves.
Christmas rose
Tip: At locations where the Christmas rose feels particularly at home, it can reach an age of over 30 years.
Hepatica (Hepatica nobilis)
The unusual liverwort, which is related to anemones, blooms relatively early, from February/March to April. In the evening and when it rains, its flowers close. The bracts grow a little longer each day, almost doubling their original size by the end of the flowering period. Towards the end of the flowering period, the new leaves are formed. The 5 - 10 cm small shade flowers love partially shaded and shady places and are perfect for under and intermediate plantings.
Hepatica, Hepatica transsilvanica
Tip: All parts of liverworts are poisonous when fresh, but non-toxic when dried.
Busy Lizzies (Impatiens)
In shady locations, the busy Lieschen shows what it's made of and surprises with an abundance of flowers. It lives up to its name with a flowering period from May until frost, with flowering increasing in summer. The flowers can be single or double, white, pink, red, orange or purple. The plants reach growth heights between 20 and 35 cm.
Busy Lizzie, Impatiens walleriana
White Elf Flower (Epimedium x youngianum Niveum)
As a groundcover or underplanting of trees and shrubs, these flowers are the star of the shadeflowers. With its delicate shoots, heart-shaped leaves and, in particular, the radiant white flowers sitting in multiples on filigree flower stalks, it brings color into dark corners of the garden. It was perennial of the year 2014. Flowering time is from April to May and the plant height is 15 - 25 cm. We recommend 9 pieces per square meter.
Elf Flower, Epimedium
Elf Flower 'Orange Queen'
A real eye-catcher in shady locations are these evergreen elfin flowers with their intense orange flowers, for example as a compact ground cover. They also bloom from April to May. Its growth height is between 25 and 30 cm, so it is slightly larger than the white elf flower. These flowers are generally very undemanding in terms of location and care.
Tip: Due to their vigour, these shade flowers can easily overgrow competitors in the bed.
Grape Lily 'Monroe White'
This grape lily is one of the few lilies that bloom even in the shade. In addition to the widespread purple variety, 'Monroe White' with its pure white flower clusters is a real rarity and a brilliant point of light for shady places. The white flowers, resembling a rosette, make a striking contrast to the evergreen, grassy foliage. The growth height of these shadow flowers is between 20 and 30 cm.
Lily cluster, Liriope muscari
Medium tall shade flowers
Hostas/heart lilies (Hosta)
- Foliage is the greatest ornament of these plants
- Leaves can be heart-shaped or lanceolate
- Foliage dark green, yellow-green, creamy white or steel blue
- depending on the variety also multicolored or white variegated
- Flowering period from June/July to August/September
- white to purple inflorescences
- Flowers are on almost bare stems
- Growth height of the smallest varieties at 15 - 20 cm
- Inflorescences of the largest varieties rise up to 90 cm
Hostas, Hosta
Japanese toad lily (Tricyrtis hirta)
The toad lily, also known as the tiger star, comes from Japan and is a very noble and filigree-looking shade plant that is reminiscent of an orchid on the outside. These flowers delight with their heart-shaped leaves. Above all, however, with its whitish to light violet and reddish-purple dotted flowers and a relatively long flowering period. This ranges from July/August to October. The growth heights are between 30 and 50 cm.
Japanese toad lily, Tricyrtis hirta
Dwarf Masterwort 'Ruby Wedding'
This profusely flowering, 30 - 40 cm high dwarf masterwort thrives particularly well in partially shaded or shady places. The advantages of this plant lie in its relatively rare blood-red coloring of the flowers. The main bloom is usually followed by a second bloom. With its long flower stalks, this masterwort is also very good in a bouquet.
Great masterwort, Astrantia major
Double autumn anemone (Anemone japonica hybrid)
Planted in groups from August to October, this attractive, profusely flowering autumn anemone forms dense carpets of dark green leaves and an abundance of pink, double flowers. It loves semi-shady and shady places and reaches heights of 70 - 90 cm. Together with grasses, ferns and other shade flowers, it sets extraordinary accents.
Autumn anemone, Anemone japonica
Fuchsias (Fuchsia)
The most spectacular thing about these flowers are their delicate and predominantly multicolored bell-shaped flowers, which differ in both shape and color depending on the variety. They bloom incessantly throughout the summer and into autumn, and according to their origin, they feel particularly comfortable in rainy summers. The growth heights vary between 20 and 500 cm depending on the variety.
Fuchsia, fuchsia
Tip: Fuchsias usually do not tolerate frost and must therefore overwinter in a frost-free area.
Tall and very tall shade flowers
Foxglove (digitalis)
The foxglove is one of the rather short-lived shade flowers, as it only grows every two years. He feels most comfortable in partial shade or shade. In the first year it forms an evergreen, basal leaf rosette with approx. 20 cm long stalked leaves. In the second year, from June to August, this leaf rosette develops white, yellow, pink, red or violet inflorescences that are up to 150 cm high.
Foxglove, Digitalis
Notice: All parts of this plant are highly poisonous.
Silver Cohosh Actaea (Cimicifuga)
- grows in the light shade of trees, bushes or hedges
- Flowering time from June to October, depending on the variety
- white, cream or pink fragrant flower spikes
- growth heights of 40 - 200 cm are reached during flowering
- Leaves green or reddish, pinnate and ovate to oblong
- can be easily combined with other types of silver candles
- ideal plant partners for ferns and ornamental foliage perennials
Silver Cohosh, Cimicifuga ramosa
Mountain monkshood 'Snow White' (Aconitum napellus 'Snow White')
The white monkshood, also known as monkshood, is a very graceful perennial that is well suited to shady spots. Its loose, yellowish-white flower clusters, which are up to 150 cm high, come into their own particularly well against dark backgrounds in cool locations. Each flower cluster consists of many large, helmet-shaped individual flowers. Flowering time is in midsummer from July to August. The leaves of these flowers are dark green, slit and shimmering silver. The monkshood can be combined well with starwort, goat's beard or forest bellflower.
Mountain monkshood, Aconitum napellus
Tall goat's beard (Aruncus dioicus)
The tall forest goat's beard is an impressive perennial for both shady and partially shaded garden areas. The most striking thing about this attractive plant is its large, cream-colored, feathery flower spikes, which adorn the plant from early June to late July. Originally a garden plant, it can now be found in many gardens. It grows spreading and upright, 150 - 180 cm high and up to 100 cm wide. Good planting partners for these shadow flowers are e.g. aconite, foxglove, spiers and ferns.
Forest goat's beard, Arunculus dioicus
Meatberry/Upright Slimeberry (Sarcococca confusa)
- upright slimeberry very tolerant of shade
- blooms from mid/late January to March
- small creamy-white flower clusters with an intense fragrance
- Growth bushy, upright, well branched
- after about 10 years it reaches a height of 150 cm and a width of 200 cm
- Leaves shiny dark green, ovate-elliptic
- Fruit decoration, 5 mm large, shiny black berries
- Berries not suitable for consumption
Upright slimeberry, Sarcococca confusa
Tall meadow rue 'Elin' (Thalictrum rochebruneanum 'Elin')
The greatest adornment of this filigree, high-growing, magnificent perennial are its panicle-like, fragile, pink to soft violet inflorescences. They appear to be floating above the silvery-green, bluish shimmering foliage. The individual flowers, 5 - 10 cm in size, are attached to branched, lilac-colored flower stalks that are up to 250 cm high. Flowering time is from July to August.
Columbine meadow rue, Thalictrum aquilegiifolium