When it comes to selecting plants for your garden, the options are seemingly endless for varieties that flourish in full to partial sun. But finding options for the shady corners of your landscape is more challenging. If you’re tired of looking at bare patches of soil and want to fill in these spaces quickly, you’re in luck. We asked gardening experts to share their favorite fast-growing perennials that thrive in shade gardens. Not only will these plants add interest to your garden, but they also return bigger and better every year, so you never have to lament over the shaded pockets of your garden again.
Meet Our Expert
Damon Abdi, assistant professor of landscape horticulture at Louisiana State University AgCenter
Linda Vater, plant expert for Southern Living Plant Collection
Kelly Funk, president and CEO of Jackson & Perkins
Related: 10 Fast-Growing Annuals That Will Fill Your Garden With Color in a Flash
01 of 06
Lungwort
Credit: Courtesy of Jackson & Perkins
Lungwort (Pulmonaria) is a beautiful perennial that adds charm to shady gardens. For a fast-growing variety, Kelly Funk, president and CEO of Jackson & Perkins, recommends ‘Raspberry Splash.’ “This compact perennial features large green leaves splashed with silvery-white spots and raspberry-pink flowers in late spring to early summer,” she says. “It delivers multi-season interest, showy blooms, bold foliage, and strong disease resistance.” Plus, it is slug- and mildew-resistant and is a great companion to ferns and hostas.
Size: 12 inches tall x 24 inches wide
Care requirements: Full shade to partial sun; well-draining soil
02 of 06
Inland Sea Oats
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Inland sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) is a perennial grass with unique seed heads that resemble oats, bringing welcome texture to shade gardens. “The blue-green foliage emerges in spring and adds a nice color to the garden,” says Damon Abdi, assistant professor of landscape horticulture at Louisiana State University AgCenter. This quick-growing grass reaches 2 feet tall by late spring. Abdi recommends cutting it back in late winter to allow for regrowth next season.
Size: 2 to 4 feet tall x 1 to 3 feet wide
Care requirements: Full shade to partial sun; moist soils
03 of 06
Elephant Ear
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Elephant ear (Caladium) is identified by its heart-shaped leaves that appear in multiple shades, such as pinks, whites, and greens. “This plant grows from a tuber, which in warmer regions of the country, should be fine to overwinter in the landscape,” says Abdi. “In colder areas, consider digging up the tubers and bringing them inside to avoid the worst of winter.” He notes that this plant should reach maturity in one growing season.
Size: 12 to 24 inches tall x 12 to 30 inches wide
Care requirements: Full shade to partial sun; well-draining soil
04 of 06
Hosta
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One of the most popular perennials in the garden, hostas are known for their striking foliage that give way to pink-purple flowers in spring. When this fast-growing plant outgrows its space it can easily be dug up and divided to add more plants to the landscape. “Keep this in mind when planting it as an understory specimen—it can be advantageous to plant just a few and then divide them every few years to fill out the area, rather than make an upfront investment,” says Abdi.
Size: 1 to 2 feet tall x 2 to 5 feet wide
Care requirements: Full shade to partial sun; well-draining, organic-rich soil
05 of 06
Begonia
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Begonias are extremely versatile, growing in various habits, from upright and mounding to trailing out of a container. “Their leaves are a work of art, so vibrant and asymmetrical,” says Linda Vater of Southern Living Plant Collection. “Begonias come in a range of colors, from classic green to deep maroon, black, and even striking variegated patterns.” She notes that nursery-grown begonias typically mature within one growing season.
Size: 6 to 24 inches tall x 9 to 12 inches wide
Care requirements: Full shade to partial sun; well-draining, slightly acidic, lightweight soil
Related: How to Propagate Begonias So You’ll Never Run Out of Lush Blooms
06 of 06
False Forget-Me-Not
Credit: Courtesy of Jackson & Perkins
False forget-me-not (Brunnera macrophylla) is a hardy shade perennial that thrives in full shade. Funk recommends the ‘Sea Heart’ variety, which has bright blue spring flowers and heart-shaped silver leaves that last all season. “By mid-spring of the first year, the flowers are opening all over ‘Sea Heart’, facing straight up on slender stems carried above the foliage,” she says. This plant flowers earlier than other Brunnera varieties, offering an extra week or two of beauty.
Size: 12 inches tall x 24 inches wide
Care requirements: Full shade to partial sun; well-draining soil
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