‘Cutting Edge’ foamflower. Regarded as queen of the shade garden, and it’s easy to see why. Other perennial species are a good choice for a mixed border. Breeders are working to develop other mildew-resistant forms, which will soon become available to home gardeners. Beets are one vegetable that grows in shade that people choose for their roots and greens. 4. Photo by Proven Winners. Shadowland® ‘Autumn Frost’, ‘Patriot’, ‘Blue Angel’, ‘Golden Tiara’, or ‘June’. Remove the leaves and cut the heads off at ground level. Photo by Janet Loughrey. Plant expert Kerry Ann Mendez introduces you to a wide variety of perennials, flowering shrubs, annuals, bulbs and flowering vines for shade gardens in Zones 3 to 8. They go well in soups and salads. Plant the root crowns early in the spring, and let it grow a full year before you harvest it to allow it to establish strong roots. While the shade may impact the size of your beetroots, the plants … Foamflower tolerates deep shade, but performs best with dappled light that simulates their native woodland habitat. With warmer temperatures and direct sunlight, lettuce will go to seed. ColorBlaze® Rediculous™ coleus. Foxgloves prefer rich, moist soil and bloom best when receiving at least part-day sun. Warmer temperatures cause the roots to turn woody, so keeping them in the shade will help prolong your harvest time. Photo by Proven Winners. Most prefer regular water and rich amended soil, though oakleaf hydrangea (H. quercifolia) is drought-tolerant in some areas once established. If you put it in a place that gets partial shade, you’ll get a lot of leafy greens all summer long. Turnips by Dandelion Salad / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. Naturalize in a woodland setting, plant at the front of a mixed border, or in containers. Photo by Janet Loughrey. You can start transplants indoors before the ground thaws, or you can directly sow the seeds after the final frost of the season finishes. New Guinea impatiens (I. hawkeri), SunPatiens® (I. xhawkeri), jewelweed (I. capensis). Cauliflower by UnconventionalEmma / CC BY-NC 2.0, This is a long-seasoned vegetable that grows in shade, and the roots have a slightly nutty flavor to them. For the greens, you’ll want to harvest them around the 30 day mark. You want to plant fall lettuce under trees in the later summer months, and it’ll do very well once the cooler temperatures set in. Horseradish-0257 by graibeard / CC BY-SA 2.0. Thanks to recent breeding breakthroughs, the most commonly grown species (H. xhybridus)—which blooms from late winter into spring—comes in a dizzying array of colors and patterns. Get design tips and plant combinations that will have you eager to plant up the shady spots in your garden. There are dozens of other garden-worthy species, all of which perform best in cooler climates. Get planting advice, garden design tips and trends, monthly checklists for your area, product specials and more in our weekly newsletter. It sweeteners after it frosts. Common foxglove (D. purpurea), strawberry foxglove (D. xmertonensis), rusty foxglove (D. ferruginea), sunset foxglove (D. obscura). Common foxglove. As far as vegetables that grow in shade go, Mizuna is a Japanese green that will give you a slight mustard flavor with a bitter taste. Here are some of the best shade plants to get you started on the road to a lush, shady oasis: On this page: Foliage Plants | Flowering Plants | Trees | Online Learning. Fresh mustard greens by VitaminGreen / CC BY-NC 2.0. Root vegetables that grow well in the shade include: Turnips; Radishes; Carrots; Rutabagas; Potatoes; Beets; Growing root vegetables in partial shade may take a little longer for them to reach full maturity, but it also keeps them from bolting as quickly. They do best when they grow in cooler temperatures, and you want to harvest them in the fall after the first frost because this will give them a sweeter flavor. The easy-care nature of this semi-evergreen perennial—including tolerance of a wide variety of light and soil conditions—makes this an ideal choice for most landscapes. They’re ready to go when the stalks reach a ½-inch in diameter. Directly sow your beet seeds in fall or spring. Use as a backdrop or focal point in a mixed border, or as a stand-alone focal point in a lawn. Growing it as a perennial allows the roots to get touch and fibrous during the second growing season. This deciduous perennial grows in low, mounding clumps. The variety you pick will determine the harvest time. Japanese primrose (P. japonica), candelabra primrose (P. beesiana), drumstick primrose (P. denticulata), cowslip (P. veris). Photo by Proven Winners. Chinese witch hazel. You can add them to spring soups, put the leaves into a salad, or saute them in other dishes. They will take longer to mature and grow smaller in the shade, but you’ll get a sweet crop. From lemon yellow to nearly black, there’s a hue to match every garden palette, making this a landscape designer’s dream plant. 4. Directly sow the seeds in the spring as early as you can work the ground, and you want to succession sow every two weeks. This vegetable that grows in the shade as a very sweet and mild flavor profile to it. Some of the most popular garden plants are reliable standbys for a reason: with the right location and care, they provide season-long enjoyment even for novice gardeners. A. palmatum ‘Bloodgood’, A. palmatum ‘Sango-kaku’, A. japonicum ‘Aconitifolium’, A. palmatum ‘Shishigashira’. Dicentra spectabilis), a spring ephemeral that dies back in summer. Kale by rocor / CC BY-NC 2.0. For natural woodland appeal, birch (Betula) trees make a valuable addition to the landscape for their elegant stature, fall color, and ornamental bark that is particularly attractive in winter. By Joe / CC BY 2.0, This vegetable that grows in shade is a leafy green that gives you harvests in early spring. Pick the leaves from the outside of the plant and leave the interior to encourage new growth. You can eat the leaf stalks raw, dip them in sugar, or sweeten them up and use them in baked goods, syrup, jelly, and pies. Plant near a stream or pond, in a row to divide garden spaces, group as an allée, or use a single specimen as a backdrop in a mixed border. Broccoli is also a great choice for a fall garden. It grows crinkled leaves with an elongated, tall head. Foamflower (Tiarella), a classic woodland plant indigenous to North America, makes a welcome addition to any native garden. However, it quickly goes to seed if it gets too warm. It’s most valuable for adding vibrant color to the darkest corners of your yard where bright colors can be scarce. These deciduous trees are fast growing and perform best in rich, well-draining soil with regular water and at least part-day sun. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive regular updates. By choosing the right shade-loving plants, it’s possible to have a beautiful landscape even in limited light. You can cut the greens off, wash them, and eat them too. Naturalize in a woodland setting, plant in front of a mixed border, or in containers. Swiss Chard by Rachel / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, This is an Asian vegetable that grows in shade, and it has spoon-shaped, small leaves that grow on a plant that has a rosette shape. Plant the root cuttings or crowns in the early spring months.