Perennials are a wonderful way to add color to your garden without having to replant each year. Listed below are hardy bloomers that prefer a shady location. Many of these can also be grown in morning sun or dappled light, but avoid hot afternoon sun unless noted. Tip: Flowers and foliage with white, silver, or light colors really brighten up a shady spot. Perennial flowers typically bloom most during one particular season but may overlap into another season. For instance, a late spring blooming perennial may continue on into summer. If you want color throughout the growing season, be sure to plant spring, summer, and fall blooming perennials, or supplement your plantings with annual flowers. Perennials for shade are listed below by the season in which they typically BEGIN blooming. Note: Perennial groundcovers for shade are in the 'groundcovers' section). Click here for a listing of ALL types of perennials by bloom time.
** Please Note: Availability of specific varieties listed below will vary depending upon time of season and sales. Please visit us to view current varieties. **
Spring Bloomers - Perennials For Shade
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Bleeding Heart --Old Fashioned Types (Dicentra spectabilis)
Height: 3'
Spread: 2-3'
Bloom Color: Arching sprays of heart-shaped white or pink flowers
Season of Bloom: Spring
Other Notes: Unique blossoms, hardy, long lived perennial.
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Bleeding Heart -- Fern Leaf Type
Height: 8"-12"
Spread: 12"-18"
Bloom Color: Pink or Magenta
Season of Bloom: Spring with potential to bloom all season
Other Notes: Compact long-blooming bleeding heart. Fern-like foliage is blue-gray. Provide consistent moisture for best display.
Varieties:
Luxuriant: Pink heart shaped flowers bloom hardest in Spring with potential for lighter re-bloom in summer and fall.
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Columbine (Aquilegia)
Height: Dwarf types 12", Medium Height 18"-20", Tall types 36"
Spread: 12"
Bloom Color: Blues, yellows, pinks, reds, purples, whites
Season of Bloom: Late Spring to early summer
Other Notes: Deadhead to prolong bloom. Grow in bright shade at lower elevations. May be planted in full sun at higher elevations where summers remain cool.
Varieties:
Denver Gold
Rocky Mountain Blue
Origami Series
...and other assorted varieties
Denver Gold Photo Courtesy Plant Select
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Coral Bells (Heuchera)
Height: 12"-24"
Spread: 12"
Bloom Color: sanguinea has bright red blooms. Hybrids mostly have white, light pink, or maroon flowers. All have flowers on long wands.
Season of Bloom: Late Spring to Early Summer depending on variety
Other Notes: Flowers are held above scalloped, low growing foliage. Many, many striking foliage combinations.
Varieties will vary during the season...but we offer a wide range of colors from deep maroon to lime green to amber tones similar to those pictured.
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False Spirea (Astilbe)
Height: 12"-35"
Spread: 24"-30"
Bloom Color: White, Pink (all shades), Red, Peach
Season of Bloom: Late Spring to Early Summer
Other Notes: Requires consistent moisture
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Ferns
Height: 12"-36"
Spread: 12"-36"
Season of Bloom: no—but foliage adds texture to the shady perennial garden
Other Notes: Colorado's semi-arid climate is not ideal for most ferns. However, hardy varieties listed below do well when planted in shade and given consistent moisture.
Ostrich Fern Varieties:
Japanese Painted Fern (Athyrium)
Autumn Fern (Dryopteris) 'Brilliance'
Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia)
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Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis)
Height: 6"-8"
Spread: 6"-8"
Bloom Color: Small, single true blue flowers.
Season of Bloom: Late Spring to Early Summer
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Heartleaf Brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla)
AKA: False Forget Me Not, Siberian Bugloss, or Heartleaf Alkanet
Height: 12"-18"
Spread: 12"-18"
Bloom Color: Small blue 'forget-me-not' blooms are held in sprays above the leaves
Season of Bloom: Late Spring to Early Summer
Other Notes: Heart-shaped foliage add interest even when not in bloom. Light and airy when adorned with blue flowers. A wonderful plant for a woodland setting.
Varieties:
Jack Frost
Silver Heart
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Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla mollis)
Height: 18"
Spread: 18"
Bloom Color: Yellow blooms held in sprays above the foliage
Season of Bloom: Early Summer
Other Notes: Prefers consistent moisture. Plant in bright shade. Lovely creased leaves catch dew.
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Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis)
Height: 6"
Spread: 12" but has potential to spread more in a moist shady setting
Bloom Color: Fragrant, small, bell-shaped white flowers
Season of Bloom: Spring
Other Notes: Short and sweet perennial. Foliage typically dies back during the summer heat.
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Lungwort (Pulmonaria)
Height: 12"
Spread: 16"-24"
Bloom Color: Stunning small, raspberry-pink flower clusters
Season of Bloom: Late Spring to Early Summer
Other Notes: Silvery spotted shimmery leaves
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Pig Squeak (Bergenia cordifolia)
Height: 8”
Spread: 12”-15”
Bloom Color: Pink
Season of Bloom: Spring
Other Notes: Mostly grown for green thick foliage that turns shades of red in fall. Leaves are semi-evergreen and hold well into the winter. Shade to part sun. May also be grown in sun.
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Viola / Violet (Perennial Viola)
Height: 6"-8"
Spread: 8"-10"
Bloom Color: Lavenders, purples, yellows, creams
Season of Bloom: Spring (some varieties will bloom all season)
Other Notes: Most varieties are also fragrant
Varieties:
Etain a soft purple, yellow, cream blend
Rebecca
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Summer Bloomers - Perennials For Shade
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Bigleaf Ligularia / Ragwort (Ligularia)
Bloom Color: Golden yellow blooms
Season of Bloom: Late Summer to Early Fall
Other Notes: Huge scalloped leaves
Varieties:
The Rocket: black stems with yellow flowers. up to 5' high x up to 3' wide
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Hosta / Plantain Lily (Hosta)
Height: 6"-36"
Spread: 12"-36"
Bloom Color: Usually white or lavender spikes held above the foliage
Season of Bloom: Summer
Other Notes: Grown primarily for the foliage. Forms lush clumps of lance shaped, or rounded leaves with a wide variety of coloration.
Varieties Will Vary throughout season -- Pictures offer a representation of colors offered:
Blue Angel
Guacamole
Patriot
Rainforest Sunrise
Wide Brim
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Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium)
Height: 18"
Spread: 15" (in bloom)
Bloom Color: Lavender
Season of Bloom: Summer
Other Notes: Fern-like foliage is held low in neat mounds
Varieties:
Brise D'Anjou: variegated creamy yellow/green foliage with lavender-blue flowers
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Japanese Anemone - Windflower (Anemone)
Height: 2'-3'
Spread: 2'
Bloom Color: Pink or white
Season of Bloom: Late Summer into Fall
Other Notes: Looking for late season color? These are cottage
garden favorites. Grow in well-drained, organic rich soil. Provide consistent moisture. (avoid extremes of VERY dry and boggy). Does best in a bright morning sun or dappled light location.
Varieties:
Sylvestris: White flowers
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Rose Campion (Lychnis coronaria)
Height: 28”-36”
Spread: 24”
Bloom Color: Hot pink or white
Season of Bloom: Summer—long bloom time
Other Notes: Will grow in sun, part sun or shade. Good choice for dry shade.
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