Full Shade Perennials

If you have a north-facing garden or trees that block the sun, you can still achieve a lush, beautiful oasis. All you need are shade-loving plants! These tough perennials love low-light conditions, providing strong, reliable performance year after year.

At Garden Crossings, you’ll find options with colorful blooms, bold foliage, and interesting textures that keep your shaded garden looking lush all season. Browse our perennial shade plants!

Shadowland hosta with varigated leaves and purple blooms
A close-up shows a person holding a Honeymoon® 'French Kiss' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) with pale purple petals, dark purple edges, and clustered white and dark purple stamens; the background has blurred people and shaded gardens - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A close-up of Honeymoon® 'French Kiss' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) flowers featuring pale white and purple petals with yellow-green centers and fine purple veining, ideal for brightening shade gardens - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Honeymoon® 'French Kiss' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99
A close-up of a light green Honeymoon® 'Irish Luck' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) with five petals, dark purple center markings, and pale yellow stamens. Two fingers gently hold this shade perennial; green leaves appear in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Honeymoon® 'Irish Luck' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99
A close-up of the Honeymoon® 'New York Night' Lenten Rose (Helleborus), displaying its dark purple-black petals and bright yellow-green center, gently held by a person's fingers among green leaves in a shade garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of Honeymoon® 'New York Night' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) with dark purple blooms and pale yellow stamens, showcased among green leaves in a shady garden - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Honeymoon® 'New York Night' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99
A hand holds a Honeymoon® 'Paris in Pink' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) with five pink petals and a yellow-white center, shown close-up against a blurred green background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of several pale purple and white Honeymoon® 'Paris in Pink' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) flowers with yellow centers and delicate petals, surrounded by green leaves and darker parts, arranged closely together - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Honeymoon® 'Paris in Pink' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99
A close-up of a Honeymoon® 'Rio Carnival' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) shows cream-yellow petals with maroon-purple splotches and a green, spiky center, framed by lush green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A cluster of pale yellow Honeymoon® 'Rio Carnival' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) flowers with bold dark purple splotches and speckles, featuring prominent yellow-green stamens, set against a dark background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Honeymoon® 'Rio Carnival' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99

Three Honeymoon® 'Romantic Getaway' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) flowers display white petals with deep maroon centers, yellow-green stamens, and are framed by green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Honeymoon® 'Romantic Getaway' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99

A close-up of Honeymoon® 'Rome in Red' Lenten Rose (Helleborus), a deep burgundy perennial with yellow stamens, surrounded by green leaves and softly blurred background foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of the Honeymoon® 'Rome in Red' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) features clusters of deep purple blooms with yellow-green centers and bright stamens - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Honeymoon® 'Rome in Red' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99

A hand gently holds a Honeymoon® 'Sandy Shores' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) bloom, its creamy pink petals with maroon speckles standing out against a backdrop of lush green shade perennial foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.The Honeymoon® 'Sandy Shores' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) features pale cream blooms with deep purple centers, yellow-tipped stamens, and is surrounded by green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Honeymoon® 'Sandy Shores' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99

Close-up of the Honeymoon® 'Spanish Flare' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) features pale yellow blooms with broad petals and white-tipped stamens, nestled among green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Cream-colored flowers with dark maroon centers and yellow-green stamens cluster on a dark backdrop, highlighting the unique beauty of Honeymoon® 'Spanish Flare' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Honeymoon® 'Spanish Flare' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99

A hand holds a Honeymoon® 'Swiss Alps' Lenten Rose (Helleborus), its white petals with dark maroon centers and creamy yellow stamens contrasted against green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Honeymoon® 'Swiss Alps' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$21.99
$21.99

Honeymoon® 'Tropical Sunset' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) features pale yellow flowers with purple-edged petals and bright yellow stamens - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A close-up of Honeymoon® 'Tropical Sunset' Lenten Rose (Helleborus) with yellow petals edged in dark red, veined details, and a central cluster of stamens amid green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Honeymoon® 'Tropical Sunset' Lenten Rose (Helleborus)

$18.99
$18.99

Close-up of Boulevard® Kitty™ Clematis, a white compact flower with large petals and pale pinkish-purple stamens, set against a blurred green background - Photo Courtesy of Donahue's Clematis

Kitty™ Boulevard® Clematis

FREE
FREE
Close-up of ‘Mouseketeer’ Hosta's large, oval leaves featuring dark green edges and bright yellow-green centers - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A close-up of 'Mouseketeer' Hosta, a slug-resistant shade perennial with large green leaves streaked with yellow, surrounded by grass and foliage. Water droplets glisten on its hardy variegated leaves - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Mouseketeer' Hosta

$18.99
$18.99
A close-up of Noble Native' Sedge (Carex)—with dense, long, narrow green leaves edged in white—emerges from the ground amid brown mulch and other shade groundcovers - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Noble Native' Sedge (Carex) features clusters of green, strappy leaves and grass-like foliage in mulched soil, forming a lush shade groundcover with dark purple and green leafy plants providing a striking background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Noble Native Sedge (Carex)

$11.99
$19.99 $11.99

An Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia) grows tall in a sunny garden with its green fronds on display. A wooden lattice fence stands behind it, and the surrounding ground is covered with bare soil - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A dense cluster of Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia) with feather-like fronds grows behind a low brick border in a garden, set against additional greenery and a brick wall in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia)

$18.99
$18.99

Close-up of Pink Chablis® Dead Nettle (Lamium), featuring cotton candy pink flowers and green leaves edged and veined in silvery white, with similar blooms and foliage filling the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Pink Chablis® Dead Nettle (Lamium) features clusters of cotton candy pink flowers and dense, textured foliage with silvery-patterned green leaves edged in dark green - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Pink Chablis® Dead Nettle (Lamium)

$17.99
$17.99

A close-up of Prima Belarina® Carnival Primrose (Primula) displays vibrant double yellow blooms with ruffled petals and green centers, surrounded by lush leaves - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.The Prima Belarina® Carnival Primrose (Primula) features ruffled double yellow and red blooms amid green leaves, growing low to the ground in early spring, brightening gardens with vibrant color - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Prima Belarina® Carnival Primrose (Primula)

$18.99
$18.99
A Prima Belarina® Spring Sun Primrose (Primula) potted shade perennial displays many bright yellow, ruffled double flowers and green leaves, set against blurred green foliage and hints of purple blooms - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Close-up of Prima Belarina® Spring Sun Primrose (Primula) features bright yellow double flowers with layered petals and dark green textured leaves, making it an ideal shade perennial for vibrant spring color - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Prima Belarina® Spring Sun Primrose (Primula)

$18.99
$18.99
Close-up of two Heuchera types: the top shows vivid pink leaves, while below are ruffled, nearly black Primo® 'Black Pearl' Coral Bells - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Primo® 'Black Pearl' Coral Bells (Heuchera) features dark leaves and tall stems topped with pinkish-white flowers along the garden bed edge, creating striking contrast beside green grass - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Primo® 'Black Pearl' Coral Bells (Heuchera)

$18.99
$18.99

Primo® 'Mahogany Monster' Coral Bells (Heuchera) features ruffled, deer-resistant leaves in deep purple and bronze hues, creating a striking perennial display for your garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of overlapping reddish-brown leaves with ruffled edges and visible veins; Primo® 'Mahogany Monster' Coral Bells (Heuchera) creates a dense, textured foliage pattern - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Primo® 'Mahogany Monster' Coral Bells (Heuchera)

$18.99
$18.99
Primo® 'Peachberry Ice' Coral Bells (Heuchera) with ruffled reddish-bronze leaves and delicate white flowers on slender stems, thriving in soil with green foliage as a backdrop - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Primo® 'Peachberry Ice' Coral Bells (Heuchera) with ruffled, lobed red and pink leaves, thriving in mulch-covered soil among pine needles - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Primo® 'Peachberry Ice' Coral Bells (Heuchera)

$18.99
$18.99

A vibrant outdoor garden showcases Primo® 'Pistachio Ambrosia' Coral Bells (Heuchera), its lush light green foliage in soil and surrounded by diverse plants with varied leaf shapes and colors - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.Primo® 'Pistachio Ambrosia' Coral Bells (Heuchera) features clusters of bright yellow-green, rounded leaves that grow close to the soil, contrasting with surrounding darker foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Primo® 'Pistachio Ambrosia' Coral Bells (Heuchera)

$18.99
$18.99

Primo® 'Wild Rose' Coral Bells (Heuchera) is a striking perennial with deep pink and burgundy leaves featuring visible veins, topped by delicate white flowers on tall stems above the vibrant foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A cluster of Primo® 'Wild Rose' Coral Bells (Heuchera) leaves shows vibrant purple and pink shades with ruffled texture and distinct veins. Green and purple foliage from more Coral Bells appears in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included.

Primo® 'Wild Rose' Coral Bells (Heuchera)

$18.99
$18.99
A close-up of 'Shade Fanfare' Sedge (Carex) shows long, narrow leaves with yellow-ish variegation and brown tips, growing in soil outdoors. Blurred greenery in the background highlights this striking groundcover - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Close-up of Shade Fanfare' Sedge (Carex) with dense, green pointed leaves featuring light yellow stripes - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Shade Fanfare' Sedge (Carex)

$19.99
$19.99
Purple Heuchera, a colorful choice among full shade perennials

Made for the Shade

Full-shade perennials form the backbone of gardens that get little to no direct sun. They thrive in spots that receive fewer than four hours of sunlight per day, including dappled shade under trees and areas with gentle morning light. Perennials come back every year, so your shady beds improve over time. Try planting perennials:

  • Under nearby tree canopies
  • Next to your property fence 
  • Beside your garden shrubs, especially full-shade shrubs
  • Beneath your deck or patio (they’re perfect for structural overhangs)
Brilliance autumn fern perennial shade plants

Brighten Even the Darkest of Garden Beds

Perennial full-shade plants grow naturally where sunlight is limited. This means they stay healthy and vibrant, even where other plants struggle. From shade-loving flowers and variegated foliage to drought-tolerant varieties, every perennial in our selection at Garden Crossings is chosen for quality and shipped with care to ensure performance for gardeners around the country. Shop online!

FAQs

To choose your best shade perennials, consider:

  • USDA Plant Hardiness Zone: Understand which plants are most likely to survive winter in your location.
  • Soil: Matching the right soil type to your plant ensures survival.
  • Moisture Levels: Tree roots dry soil out quickly. Low spots hold moisture.

Top shade-loving perennials include:

  • Hostas for bold foliage
  • Ferns for rich texture
  • Coral bells for colorful leaves

These plants all thrive in low-light and woodland areas.

These flowers are low-maintenance once established. Ensure they thrive by checking the soil for moisture, watering as needed, lightly fertilizing with a slow-release formula, and applying mulch.