Shade gardening used to be all about ferns, ferns, and more ferns. But now, more homeowners are learning about the wide variety of plants that can actually grow in the shade, and that range includes everything from herbs to tropical plants. But why bother? After all, “Plants love the sun,” right? Actually, plants do love sunlight, but they also love moisture, so shade plants have a leg up on their sun-loving counterparts. Plus, shade plants can add color and interest to any yard while reducing the need for irrigation.

No matter how many houseplants you keep, you’ll have occasional problems finding shade-loving plants. If you’re stuck in an area with less-than-ideal growing conditions, consider these plants that do well in the shade.

Foxglove 

Fox Gloves are richly decorative houseplants commonly found in the kitchen. They produce beautiful round clusters of grey, silvery, or dark green leaves that resemble a fox’s tail. Foxgloves are often referred to as “Smocks,” “Foxworts,” or “Foxgloves.”

Foxglove is a sturdy flowering perennial that hails from Europe. It thrives in shady areas and thrives in moist soil. Foxglove makes a great addition to borders and can easily be incorporated into a cottage garden. If you are growing foxglove, you will first want to plant it in rich, well-draining soil. The foxglove flower grows best when the soil is moist, so it is important to plant foxglove early in the season. Otherwise, the plant may be wiped out by the weather’s late frost.

Oakleaf Hydrangea

Hydrangeas are one of the most popular flowering plants around. They’re beautiful, easy to grow, and require very little care. A perfect plant for any home, the Oakleaf Hydrangea is a durable shrub that is great for cutting. Plus, the Oakleaf Hydrangea thrives in the shade, making it a perfect plant to grow in the shade. Growing Oakleaf Hydrangeas isn’t difficult, either, since their versatility makes them perfect for container gardening. 

Oakleaf hydrangea is a showy flower that grows only in cool weather. This perennial shrub which grows to about 2.5 to 4 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide, gets its name from the shape of its leaves. The leaves are oval, shiny, broad, and look like oak leaves. The flowers grow upright along the branches, in clusters, from midsummer into fall.

Begonia

Begonia is a plant that grows in the shade. This plant has large leaves that grow in clusters. Each leaf is hairy, and when mature, the clusters can look like small volcanoes. The plant grows well in filtered sunlight and needs moist soil to prosper. Begonia is a perennial plant from the genus Begonia, which is most often grown indoors. They bloom flowers with colors ranging from red, blue, and white to pink. The most common name for this genus is African Begonia, but there are also some species that are native to Asia, South America, and North America.

Conclusion 

Spring is coming, and it’s time to dust off that greenhouse. Whether you’re growing flowers, vegetables, or both, there are plants for every sunny spot in your garden and sun-loving plants for every shady spot. We hope that with this article, you got to learn more about which plants love the shade, and if you have any more you’d like to suggest, don’t forget to share with us in the comment section down below!