Full Shade Perennials

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. Unlike annuals, perennials come back year after year, so your shady beds improve over time.

At Garden Crossings, we select full shade perennials for strong, reliable performance in low-light conditions. You’ll find options with colorful blooms, bold foliage, and interesting textures that keep your shade garden looking lush all season. These plants grow naturally in shade, so they stay healthy and vibrant even where other plants struggle.

Shadowland hosta with varigated leaves and purple blooms
A large 'Blueberry Muffin' Hosta with striking blue-green leaves grows in a bed. Thick, textured leaves feature wavy edges and prominent veins - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Top-down view of 'Blueberry Muffin' Hosta, with broad blue-green leaves in a shade garden - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Blueberry Muffin' Hosta

$19.99
$19.99
Close-up of four delicate, light purple 'Bowles Me Away' Wallflower (Erysimum) blooms with yellow centers and green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.A cluster of tall, lilac colorted blooms with slender stems and green leaves grows by a gravel path, showcasing the beauty of 'Bowles Me Away' Wallflower (Erysimum) - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.

'Bowles Me Away' Wallflower (Erysimum)

$17.99
$17.99
A cluster of 'Captain Kirk' Hosta with bold green leaves and striking variegation, grows in soil near the base of a tree - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.The 'Captain Kirk' Hosta features large, variegated green leaves with yellowish centers and is sun tolerant, making it a standout among perennial shade plants with diverse leaf patterns and colors - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Captain Kirk' Hosta

$18.99
$18.99

A close-up of 'Etain' Perennial Violet (Viola) shows its fragrant yellow blooms edged in light purple, set among green leaves with a dark purple pansy in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of 'Etain' Perennial Violet (Viola) features pale yellow flowers with purple edges and soft green leaves, bringing lasting charm and beauty to any garden setting - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Etain' Perennial Violet (Viola)

$17.99
$17.99

A lush clump of bright green 'Fire Island' Hosta grows low to the ground, set against larger blue-green hostas in a shade garden among pine needles and soil - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Close-up of ‘Fire Island’ Hosta features bright yellow-green overlapping leaves with prominent veins and a smooth texture, set against darker green foliage - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Fire Island' Hosta

$20.99
$20.99
Close-up of 'Fronds Forever' Lady Fern (Athyrium) shows its delicate, feathery green fronds in focus. The blurred natural background highlights the plant's striking foliage - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A close-up of the 'Fronds Forever' Lady Fern (Athyrium) displays its delicate, feathery green fronds against a blurred backdrop with a touch of purple - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

'Fronds Forever' Lady Fern (Athyrium)

$19.99
$19.99

A close-up of 'Gold Heart' Bleeding Heart (Dicentra) displays its pink flowers on a curved stem, surrounded by vibrant gold-green foliage, flourishing in the sunlight of a shade garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A shade garden highlights 'Gold Heart' Bleeding Heart (Dicentra) with vibrant yellow-green leaves and pink, heart-shaped flowers on arching stems. Wooden lattice fencing and plant labels appear among the foliage in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Gold Heart' Bleeding Heart (Dicentra)

$18.99
$18.99

Close up of dense clusters of green and yellow variegated foliage, 'Golden Feathers' Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium) adds vivid texture and striking color as an eye-catching perennial for shady garden spots - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.Close-up of a group of light purple flowers with yellow centers rise above the variegated foliage of 'Golden Feathers' Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium) - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Golden Feathers' Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium)

$20.99
$20.99

Top-down view of 'Halo Sky Blue' Perennial Violet (Viola) blooms, featuring fragrant blue-violet flowers with green leaves, thriving in bright sunlight - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.A black, ribbed planter filled with fragrant 'Halo Sky Blue' Perennial Violet (Viola) blooms sits on a patio, surrounded by green foliage and a softly blurred outdoor background - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

'Halo Sky Blue' Perennial Violet (Viola)

$17.99
$17.99

Close-up of delicate pink and yellow spidery flowers with long, thin petals bloom above green, heart-shaped leaves—Hugs And Kisses' Barrenwort (Epimedium) is a deer-resistant perennial ideal for lush shade gardens - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.Delicate pink flowers with long, thin petals and yellow centers bloom on arching stems among green leaves of 'Hugs And Kisses' Barrenwort (Epimedium). Flower pot and yellow flowers are blurred in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Hugs and Kisses' Barrenwort (Epimedium)

$21.99
$21.99

A lush ‘Island Breeze’ Hosta, a shade perennial with broad, heart-shaped leaves that have light yellow centers and dark green edges, grows closely together over pine needles - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of ‘Island Breeze’ Hosta features large, overlapping leaves with bold veins and striking variegated light and dark green color along a stone or brick border - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Island Breeze' Hosta

$20.99
$20.99
Close-up of small, bright blue flowers with yellow centers bloom above the silvery-white veined leaves of 'Jack Frost' Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera), a striking perennial and perfect shade groundcover for a vibrant garden - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A top-down view of small blue flowers with yellow centers blooming above green leaves with silvery veins. 'Jack Frost' Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera) is a beautiful perennial ideal as shade groundcover among lush foliage and pine needle mulch - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Jack Frost' Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera)

$18.99
$18.99

Close-up of 'Liberty' Hosta, a shade perennial with striking variegated leaves—yellow edges, green centers, and wavy shapes give this ornamental plant a lush, layered look that showcases its distinctive color pattern - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of a cluster of 'Liberty' Hosta plants with large green leaves edged in bright yellow provides striking ornamental foliage in a mulched garden bed - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Liberty' Hosta

$20.99
$20.99

Close-up of lush green leaves with clusters of bright yellow 'Night Light' Moneywort (Lysimachia) flowers. This vibrant shade garden perennial forms excellent ground cover with multi-petaled blooms and layers of leafy bracts - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.Close-up of lush green and purple-tinged leaves with clusters of small, bright yellow flowers. 'Night Light' Moneywort (Lysimachia) is a healthy, dense ground cover ideal for any shade garden perennial display - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulture, Inc.

'Night Light' Moneywort (Lysimachia)

$25.99
$25.99

The 'Old Glory' Hosta features broad, heart-shaped green leaves and tall flower stalks - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.‘Old Glory’ Hosta features large, textured leaves with bright yellow centers and green edges, forming a lush cluster in mulched soil - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Old Glory' Hosta

$18.99
$18.99
'Orange Slices' Spigelia is a bushy perennial with clusters of bright red, tubular flowers and green leaves, thriving in gardens among lush foliage - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.‘Orange Slices’ Spigelia is a bushy perennial with clusters of vibrant red, tubular flowers and green leaves, thriving in garden beds alongside mulch and other plants - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Orange Slices' Spigelia

$21.99
$21.99

‘Praying Hands’ Hosta features dense clumps of unique, wavy green leaves edged in creamy white - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.‘Praying Hands’ Hosta features dense, wavy green leaves and clusters of light purple tubular flowers. This unique foliage hosta is a standout in a shade garden creating vibrant texture among lush greenery - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Praying Hands' Hosta

$18.99
$18.99

Large, heart-shaped leaves with silver-white surfaces and dark green veins form a dense cluster in 'Queen of Hearts' Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera), creating a striking mounding ground cover among surrounding greenery - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.'Queen of Hearts' Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera) features large, heart-shaped green leaves with silvery-white veins and a slightly rough texture - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Queen of Hearts' Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera)

$19.99
$19.99

Close-up of Ragin Cajun' Spigelia features dense clusters of bright red and yellow tubular flowers and pointed green leaves, creating a striking hummingbird plant in the garden with blurred foliage in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A dense cluster of 'Ragin Cajun' Spigelia, a native perennial prized for attracting hummingbirds, displays upright bright red flower spikes amid other blooms in a vibrant garden - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Ragin Cajun' Spigelia

$20.99
$20.99

A close-up of the vibrant 'Rebecca Cawthorne' Perennial Violet (Viola) showcases its purple and white blooms with green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Top-down view of 'Rebecca Cawthorne' Perennial Violet (Viola) with ruffled petals in shades of deep violet, lavender, and creamy yellow-white, accented by green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

'Rebecca Cawthorne' Perennial Violet (Viola)

$17.99
$17.99
'Rise and Shine' Chinese Astilbe features tall clusters of vibrant hot pink blooms above lush green foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.'Rise and Shine' Chinese Astilbe features tall, feathery hot pink blooms above lush green foliage that fills the frame. Blurred greenery and a wood fence in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Rise and Shine' Chinese Astilbe

$18.99
$18.99

Top-down view of 'Seasons in the Sun' Hosta forming a dense cluster of large, bright golden-yellow leaves in the garden bed - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.‘Seasons in the Sun’ Hosta features lush, golden-yellow leaves that brighten shaded gardens bordered by soil and mulch - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Seasons in the Sun' Hosta

$20.99
$20.99
Close-up of ‘Spot On’ Lungwort (Pulmonaria) features green leaves with white spots and clusters of small pink and purple flowers - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A cluster of 'Spot On' Lungwort (Pulmonaria) shows green leaves with white spots and purple-blue and pink blooms, thriving in mulched soil with a yellow-green shade plant in the background - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

'Spot On' Lungwort (Pulmonaria)

$19.99
$19.99

Sun King' Golden Japanese Spikenard (Aralia) - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCSun King' Golden Japanese Spikenard (Aralia) - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

'Sun King' Golden Japanese Spikenard (Aralia)

$18.99
$18.99