Plants of Merit
list for Shade Gardens

(These are plants that do well in a variety of shade situations. They are listed in order of bloom time and are hyperlinked to the www.mobot.org plant finder.)

Annuals

--Begonia 'Bepared' DRAGON WING RED - Begonia  (May, June, July, August, September, October to frost) – part to full shade

 [back to top]

Perennials

--Helleborus orientalis - Lenten rose (February, March, April) – part to full shade

--Epimedium x versicolor 'Sulphureum' – Epimedium (April) – part to full shade

--Brunnera macrophylla - Siberian bugloss (April, May) – part shade only

--Heuchera 'Chocolate Ruffles' - Coral bells (May, June) – part shade (takes some sun, but only with consistent moisture)

--Astilbe chinensis var. pumila - Chinese astilbe (May, June, July, August) – part to full shade

--Hosta (Tardiana Group) 'June' – Hosta (July, August) – part to full shade

--Hosta (Tardiana Group) 'Halcyon' – Hosta (August) – part to full shade

--Actaea matsumurae 'White Pearl' – Bugbane (August, September) – part to full shade
  
--Tricyrtis formosana – Toad lily (August, September) – part to full shade
  
--Polystichum acrostichoides - Christmas fern (non-flowering, evergreen) – part to full shade

[back to top]

Shrubs and Vines

--Rhododendron 'Girard's Rose' - Evergreen azalea (April, May) – part shade only

--Rhododendron ‘My Mary’ – Azalea (April, May) – part shade only

--Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris - Climbing hydrangea (May, June, July) – part to full shade

--Aesculus parviflora - Bottlebrush buckeye (June, July) – part to full shade

--Hydrangea arborescens - Smooth hydrangea (June, July, August, September) – part shade only

[back to top]

Trees

--Carpinus caroliniana - American hornbeam (February) – part to full shade

[back to top]