Great shade perennials

There are a number of perennials that will flower well in light shade as well as multiple plants that will bloom in somewhat deep shade as well. Many hardy shade perennials are native woodland plants that will typically flower very early in the growing season and produce blooms that appear in delicate and muted tones.

Although many perennials will only bloom for a few short weeks, the accompanying vegetative foliage can still be a critical part of any shade garden. In fact, many shade perennials are planted more for the eye-catching leaves rather than for the flowers they produce. Ferns are a good example of a perennial that doesn't produce flowers but creates such attractive foliage.

In deep shade, perennials are often used as groundcover. Some shade perennial ground covers are quite hardy while some, like periwinkle, require a cover of snow to protect them through the winter. Some of the shade perennials can also survive in situations where there is dense root cover which other types of plants would find impossible to survive in.

Here's a short list of some of the top shade perennials that will thrive in most shade gardens:

• Hostas: Hostas are excellent shade perennials and will prosper in the deepest shade. Besides surviving in the shade, hostas are grown for their attractive and dense foliage. Leaves vary in color from green to almost bluish and some species that display two colors are also common. Hostas, depending on species, also produce either glossy or dull colored leaves that can be rounded, heart-shaped, or long and slender in appearance.
• Asiatic lilies: Asiatic lilies are shade perennials that will withstand filtered shade. They will also thrive near trees and hedges and are often used in landscaping design. They produce large flowers that sit atop stems that are about three feet tall. Blooms appear in a wide range of colors and can be picked to complement any previous color scheme in place.
• Lady's mantle: Although once considered a weed, lady's mantle is now very popular and considered one of the easiest shade perennials to grow. It resists nearly all pests and produces yellow blooms, shaped like inside-out umbrellas, which rest on 18-inch stems. They bloom in June and continue through August but also produce attractive green foliage when not blooming.
• Foxglove: Foxglove produces flowers in late spring through early summer. The delicate blooms display themselves on tall stems which can be found with a variety of colors. As a shade perennial, they grow best in dappled shade and can be grown both as a perennial or biennial. Foxglove stems should be cut back to about 6 inches after the flowers fade.
• Virginia Bluebells: Virginia bluebells are ideal as shade perennials that can be planted under shrubs and trees. They produce flowers that can be either pink or white but will eventually turn to blue as the blooms age. Virginia Bluebells will bloom around April or May but will go dormant when the heavy heat of summer arrives.
• Astilbe: Astilbe is ideal for shade gardening because the sun will fade the beautiful flowers it produces. Blooms appear in pink, red, and purple hues and sit on stems that will rise to about 2 feet in height. These will need to be divided every couple of years and they prosper best in a soil that will stay lightly moist.
• Bleeding hearts: Bleeding hearts are a shade perennial that produces pink flowers and ferny vegetative foliage. It grows very well in shady environments and will grow to around 3 feet tall. The spring bloom period for bleeding hearts is a short, but dramatic, one.

  Hardy perennials for your garden are easy to find and, after planted, to care for. Perennials that will survive in nearly any type of growing situation offer ample opportunities to grow a garden no matter the location.