Hostas are the quintessential shade perennial and can be the focal point of your shade garden. They come in petite varieties and others can grow up to six feet wide. They come in green, blue, white, chartreuse, gold and variegated colors.
Heuchera (Coral Bells) – are grown for their evergreen-like foliage providing color literally all year round. Their fabulous foliage comes in a wide range colors like silver, black, red, orange and marron.
Bleeding Heart gets its name for the shape of its bloom that looks like a heart that has opened up and has a drop coming out of it. The most common bloom color is pink but is also available in white.
The blooms of Astilbe remind me of feather plumes and add a ton of spectacular color to your shade garden coming in shades of pink, red, burgundy, white and lavender. The foliage is defined by it’s fine delicate lines and their waxy leaves.
Ajuga is best for ground cover because of its attractive foliage that comes in green, pink, purple, brown, black and variegated with purple blue flowers for a short time in the spring. They only grow to about 6” tall and spread across the ground.
The Shasta Daisy brings the sunshine to any garden with its white pedals and bright yellow center. They are basically fool-proof and thrive in sunny, dry areas and can even handle a cold snap.
Sedum are an excellent selection for dry, sandy soils. They come in all sorts of colors, shapes, textures and sizes. If you’ve seen roofs full of plants they were most likely sedum and are also perfect for rock gardens, raised beds, hillsides, and containers.
Peonies bloom in late spring with exquisite large blooms and have a luscious fragrance. Their bushy plants have glossy dark foliage that is beautiful all season long.
Dianthus remind me of tiny carnations because of their fringed edges and are often called “pinks” reminding people of pinking shears. The foliage is narrow almost like grass and is evergreen-like and is lovely against the snow. Blooms in late spring and again in the fall.
Daylily are the choice if you want a flower you plant and forget about it. Most blooms last one day – thus his name but have no fear they keep blooming from early to midsummer.