1Primrose
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Primrose is one of the first to brighten up a shady garden in early spring. Its cheerful blooms come in a range of colors and thrive in cooler temps. Keep the soil evenly moist and give it a spot with protection from harsh afternoon sun.
2Ligularia
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With its large, dramatic leaves and bright yellow blooms, ligularia makes a statement in the shade. It loves moisture, so it’s perfect for those damp, low-light areas. Just don’t let it dry out, especially during warmer days.
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3Alternanthera
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Want to add a little variety to your garden? Alternanthera, also known as “Purple Knight,” has gorgeous, deep purple leaves that bring instant contrast to blooms in beds, borders, or containers. It does best in partial shade with consistently moist soil.
4SunPatiens
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This low-maintenance hybrid was literally designed to thrive in partial shade. A cross between traditional impatiens and New Guinea impatiens, SunPatiens are more heat-tolerant and bloom longer than the classic varieties. Just give them regular water and well-draining soil and they’ll keep the color going all season.
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5Flowering Tobacco
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Nicotiana, or flowering tobacco, is known for its soft, star-shaped blooms and sweet fragrance. It comes in a range of colors, from pink and red to white and lime, and grows well in partial or dappled shade. Plant it in well-draining soil and keep it consistently watered for the best blooms.
6Diamond Frost Euphorbia
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As its name suggests, these white flowers look like clusters of fluffy snow and are so easy to grow! Diamond Frost is a hybrid perennial that can grow in partial shade. It’s known for its narrow, gray-green to bright green leaves and tiny white flowers that bloom from spring to frost.
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7Toad Lily
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You can really add some style to your shaded garden with this speckled flower! The easy-to-grow and elegant toad lily boasts white to light purple six-petaled flowers that closely resemble orchids. You can plant this one in the spring for late summer or fall blooms. Just remember that they’re toxic to cats.
8Columbine 
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Not only is this perennial so lovely to look at, but it’s super easy to care for, too! The unique, dangling bell-shaped blooms of columbine come in a variety of colors to liven up even the shadiest parts of your yard. Plus, the early summer bloomers are loved by birds and butterflies but aren’t likely to be enjoyed by deer.
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9Lungwort 
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Thanks to the lungwort’s eye-catching silvery dotted leaves that last through the season and pretty clusters of pink, white, or blue flowers that pop up for a for a short period of time, it’ll add bright color to your shady garden for months! While planting it in late summer or early autumn will give you the best results, spring planting should also work.
10Bigroot Geranium 
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The bigroot geranium is one tough (and pretty) plant! With thicker rhizomes and stouts than other geraniums grown as annuals, these colorfully blooming perennial plants with their sprawling stems will definitely add lasting looks to your garden. They make for easy ground cover and produce pretty summer flowers. Their woodsy-scented foliage will even offer great color in the fall.
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11Torenia
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Hummingbirds can’t resist the purple, white or pink blooms of this trailing annual. Torenia looks amazing draping out of window boxes and hanging baskets, and you won’t have to deadhead, or remove faded flowers, to keep it blooming.
12Fuchsia
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These exotic-looking annuals come in shades of white, hot pink, pale pink and deep purple. Fuchsia is another plant hummingbirds can’t resist, so plant it in a hanging basket and wait for the show as hummers whiz and buzz by you on the way to sip the nectar.
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13Caladium
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Large heart-shaped pink, red, white and green leaves make caladium a real show-stopper in the shade. They grow from tubers, which you can leave in the ground in zones 8 and warmer, and they’ll return next year. But in cool climates, dig up the bulbs after the first frost and save to replant next spring.
14Lobelia
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Lobelia is an annual with tiny, delicate flowers of pink, purple or white. It looks smashing in mixed containers, draping over the edges. However, it doesn’t like heat, so when nighttime temperatures stay in the 70s, it stops blooming well. Shear it back, and it should rebound when it cools down again in the fall.
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15Heuchera
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Heuchera is another plant grown for its colorful foliage. This perennial grows well in ground or in pots, and it comes in every color from lime green to dark burgundy. Bunnies and deer tend to leave it alone, too.
16Nemesia
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Nemesia resembles tiny snapdragons and comes in cheery colors including pink, purple, white, orange and sunny yellow. These annuals also prefer cooler temperatures, so give them a light haircut if they’re looking scraggly, and they should perk up for fall. Bonus: The flowers are beautifully fragrant!
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17Browallia
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This heat tolerant annual has pretty star-shaped purple or white flowers. Browallia will bloom all season long, and it’s often used as an alternative to impatiens.
18Rex Begonia
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This gorgeous begonia with striking leaf shapes and stunning patterns is grown for its foliage, rather than its flowers. The Jurassic series is especially beautiful. Bonus: In fall, you can bring it indoors as a houseplant.
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19Pulmonaria
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The pretty speckled leaves and pink and purple flowers of this perennial shine in late spring. Pulmonaria is super cold-hardy, too, and you’ll enjoy the pretty foliage all season long after the flowers fade.
20Brunnera
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Heart-shaped leaves dusted with white are topped by delicate bright blue flowers in spring. Brunnera is a must-have perennial for any shade garden with its good looks and cold-hardiness. It’s also deer resistant.
Arricca Elin SanSone is a writer, editor, and content creator who specializes in lifestyle and gardening. With a background in health reporting, she applies these same research skills when writing about the science of growing things. She trials new plants in her expansive garden, and her houseplant collection consists of 60+ varieties. Arricca has written thousands of articles for publications such as Country Living, House Beautiful, Good Housekeeping, Prevention, VERANDA, Southern Living, and more. She’s happiest when digging in the dirt, baking, or spending time with the people and dogs she loves.
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