Plants for Full Shade Gardens

Plants for full shade thrive in spots that get fewer than four hours of direct sun per day. Whether you're working under a tree canopy, along a north-facing bed, or in a cool shaded corner, the right plants make all the difference. They transform those shadowy spots into standout garden features. Full shade doesn't mean a boring garden, it means a lush, layered landscape full of color and texture.

Our full shade plant collection spans annuals, perennials, and shrubs. We hand-pick every variety for reliable performance in low-light conditions. You'll find options with vibrant blooms, bold foliage, and interesting form. That means you can design a shade garden that looks great from spring through fall.

Purple leaved heuchera in a mulched garden bed
Shadowland® 'Gigantosaurus' Hosta, a giant with broad green leaves edged in yellow, thrives in shade near a wooden lattice fence, surrounded by lush greenery and dappled sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Shadowland® 'Gigantosaurus' Hosta shows off its oversized green leaves with yellow edges in a shady garden spot near a wooden lattice fence, with soil and small plant markers visible in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Shadowland® Giant Collection 'Gigantosaurus' Hosta

$30.99
$30.99
Shadowland® 'Hudson Bay' Hosta features large, textured green leaves and pale, drooping flowers in a shaded garden bed with pink daylilies. A plant label with information sits in front of this shade-loving perennial - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Shadowland® 'Hudson Bay' Hosta features large, variegated green and yellow leaves and tall stalks of pale purple flowers, making it a standout accent for shade gardens - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Shadowland® Giant Collection 'Hudson Bay' Hosta

$30.99
$30.99

Shadowland® 'Humungosaurus' Hosta features oversized, bright green leaves and pale purple flowers, making this shade perennial a standout among ornamental grasses and other hosta varieties in the garden - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A person's hand wearing a black ring rests on the large, deeply veined leaf of Shadowland® 'Humungosaurus' Hosta, surrounded by lush shade perennials in a garden - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Shadowland® Giant Collection 'Humungosaurus' Hosta

$18.99
$18.99
Top-down view of Shadowland® 'Lone Star' Hosta features large green leaves with yellow edges, some brown spots, and pronounced veins - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A close-up of lush green Shadowland® 'Lone Star' Hosta leaves shows prominent veins and yellow edges. This Proven Winners perennial forms dense, vibrant foliage with broad, slightly wavy leaves - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Shadowland® Giant Collection 'Lone Star' Hosta

$21.99
$21.99
Shadowland® 'Sound of Music' Hosta features large, broad leaves with yellow centers and wavy edges. Topped by clusters of pale lavender, bell-shaped flowers, this variegated hosta makes a striking addition to any shade garden - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.A black baseball cap with a white D logo rests on large, green Shadowland® 'Sound of Music' Hosta leaves covered in water droplets - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.

Shadowland® Giant Collection 'Sound of Music' Hosta

$13.19
$21.99 $13.19
A large Shadowland® 'Wu-La-La' Hosta is a giant shade perennial with broad blue-green leaves edged in yellow, thriving among leafy plants in a garden bed mulched with pine straw - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.The Shadowland® 'Wu-La-La' Hosta, a giant shade perennial, features large ribbed green leaves in a mulched garden bed with surrounding greenery and dappled sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Shadowland® Giant Collection 'Wu-La-La' Hosta

$21.99
$21.99

Southgate Fuchsia features pale pink, bell-shaped flowers with long stamens on green leafy stems; some buds are closed while others bloom - Photo Courtesy of Ball Horticulure, Inc.A hand holds a Southgate Fuchsia with delicate pink and white ruffled petals and long stamens, surrounded by green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Southgate Fuchsia

$10.99
$10.99

Large green leaves with dark edges and pinkish-red centers from the Space Age™ Black Hole™ Rex Begonia are shown in front, while small clusters of purple flowers appear in the background for a striking shade garden display - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCClose-up of Space Age™ Black Hole™ Rex Begonia leaves with jagged edges, displaying silvery-green tones, deep pink, and dark purple veins—an eye-catching shade garden plant - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Space Age® Black Hole™ Rex Begonia

$14.39
$15.99 $14.39

A close-up of Space Age™ Europa™ Rex Begonia leaves with silvery-green centers, dark purple edges, and pinkish veins reveals unique spiral patterns and rich texture - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCClose-up of Space Age™ Europa™ Rex Begonia leaves. The green, pink, and purple foliage with textured surfaces and bold veins forms an eye-catching, colorful pattern - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Space Age® Europa™ Rex Begonia

$15.99
$15.99
Large, textured green leaves with white speckles and veins overlap, while small pink and yellow flowers emerge between the leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCThe Space Age™ Triton™ Rex Begonia features large green leaves with striking white spots that create a frosted look - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Space Age® Triton™ Rex Begonia

$15.99
$15.99
A neatly trimmed, round Sprinter® Boxwood (Buxus) with dense foliage grows in a landscaped garden bed, surrounded by mulch and other similar evergreen shrubs in the background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A dense, round Sprinter® Boxwood (Buxus) with glossy green leaves grows in a square metal planter near light-colored siding and another potted plant in the background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Sprinter® Boxwood (Buxus)

$22.99
$22.99

A close-up of Stonehenge Dark Druid® Yew (Taxus) shows lush, soft needle-like leaves. The lighter green new growth contrasts with the dark, mature foliage of this evergreen shrub that thrives in sun or shade - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A close-up shows the Stonehenge Dark Druid® Yew (Taxus), a potted evergreen with dense, needle-like green foliage and lighter new growth - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Stonehenge Dark Druid® Yew (Taxus)

$22.99
$22.99

A tall, narrow Stonehenge Skinny® Yew (Taxus), an evergreen shrub with dense, dark green needles, grows in a tidy garden bed bordered by mulch and grass, with other shrubs and trees visible in the background. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA Stonehenge Skinny® Yew (Taxus), an upright, columnar yew with dense needle-like foliage, stands in a mulched garden bed, sunlight illuminating its vibrant green branches. Other plants are softly blurred in the background. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Stonehenge Skinny® Yew (Taxus)

$22.99
$22.99

A tall Stonehenge® Yew (Taxus) evergreen shrubs stands amidst smaller shrubs, landscape fabric visible around its base - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.

Stonehenge® Yew (Taxus)

$22.99
$22.99

Summer Wave® Large Amethyst Wishbone Flower (Torenia) features vibrant pink blooms with white centers and green leaves. The delicate, slightly ruffled petals make this plant ideal for shade gardens and hanging baskets outdoors - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Close-up of Summer Wave® Large Amethyst Wishbone Flower (Torenia) shows trumpet-shaped, vibrant purple blooms and lush green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Summer Wave® Large Amethyst Wishbone Flower (Torenia)

$10.99
$10.99
Close-up of Summer Wave® Large Blue Wishbone Flower (Torenia) showcasing vibrant purple blooms with soft, rounded petals and green leaves - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.A lush green plant with many vibrant purple flowers, the Summer Wave® Large Blue Wishbone Flower (Torenia), thrives in shade and is shown here in a glossy dark blue ceramic pot against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Summer Wave® Trailing Large Blue Wishbone Flower (Torenia)

$10.99
$10.99

Three vibrant blooms of Summer Wave® Large Violet Wishbone Flower (Torenia) display deep purple centers and white throats among green leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.A close-up of the Summer Wave® Large Violet Wishbone Flower (Torenia), a shade-loving annual with velvety purple-violet petals, a dark center, and lush green foliage trailing around it - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Summer Wave® Trailing Large Violet Wishbone Flower (Torenia)

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of vibrant Surefire Red Begonia blooms with yellow centers, set against glossy dark green leaves—delicate, overlapping petals form dense clusters - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc.The Surefire Cascade Red Begonia, in a beige ceramic pot, features lush dark green leaves and vibrant red blooms that stand out against a white background - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Decorative pot not included.

Surefire Cascade™ Red Begonia

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of Surefire® Cherry Cordial™ Begonia features bright red flowers and dark green, glossy leaves - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCSurefire® Cherry Cordial™ Begonia boasts vibrant red flowers and dark glossy green leaves, creating a lush display among green foliage and purple blooms beside a light-colored fence - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Surefire® Cherry Cordial™ Begonia

$10.99
$10.99

A cluster of Surefire® Red Begonia, a drought-tolerant annual with shiny green leaves and yellow-centered red blooms, offers a long-lasting floral display in outdoor gardens - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCA large black planter filled with Surefire® Red Begonia—an annual with glossy green leaves and long-lasting red blooms—sits on mulch by a sidewalk, scattered petals nearby and lush greenery visible in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC. Decorative pot not included.

Surefire® Red Begonia

$10.99
$10.99

Clusters of bright pink Surefire Rose Begonia flowers with yellow centers stand out among green and purple foliage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCThe Surefire® Rose Begonia, with striking pink blooms and deep green leaves, complementing greenery and hydrangeas in any landscape - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Surefire® Rose Begonia

$10.99
$10.99

A lush garden bed features Surefire® White Begonia with white flowers and yellow centers, surrounded by green foliage and other flowering plants in the background - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLCMasses of Surefire® White Begonia, with white blooms and rounded green leaves, flourish in front of yellow-green foliage and are bordered by lush grass at the bottom of the scene - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Surefire® White Begonia

$10.99
$10.99

Close-up of Sweet & Lo™ Sweet Box (Sarcococca), an evergreen shrub with clusters of small, white star-shaped flowers with pink tips amid glossy green leaves. Dense blooms adorn this shade-loving plant’s vibrant foliage. - Photo Courtesy of Proven Winners, Inc. Top-down view of the The Sweet & Lo™ Sweet Box (Sarcococca) with dense, pointed green leaves in a white container, set outdoors on concrete with other plants in the background. - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC

Sweet & Lo™ Sweet Box (Sarcococca)

$21.99
$21.99

Sweet Caroline Red Hawk™ Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea) features pointed, lobed leaves in purples and pinks, forming dense ground cover. Some leaves may show light green or brown hues and minor holes from slight damage - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.Sweet Caroline Red Hawk™ Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea) features overlapping dark red leaves, framed by green foliage in the upper left and small, bright pink flowers with yellow centers at the bottom right, all highlighted by sunlight - Photo Property of Garden Crossings LLC.

Sweet Caroline Red Hawk™ Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea)

$10.99
$10.99

FAQs

Hosta, Japanese Painted Fern, Foamflower (Tiarella), Rex Begonia, and Japanese Forest Grass all perform well in low-light beds and borders. These varieties earn their place through textured, colorful foliage as much as through flowers, which is what keeps a shade garden interesting all season. Most also handle the moist, cooler soil typically found in shaded spots.

Rex Begonias lead the way with bold leaf patterns in deep purples, silvers, and pinks that read as vividly as any flower. Hosta offers blue, gold, and variegated options in every size from miniature to statement piece, while Japanese Forest Grass brings bright chartreuse and gold to darker corners. For flowers specifically, Astilbe adds feathery plumes in white, pink, and red above finely cut foliage.

Hellebore, Bugleweed, and Sedge (Carex) handle drier shade better than most, and Autumn Fern is more forgiving than Lady Fern or Japanese Painted Fern once established. Dry shade is common under mature trees, where roots pull moisture from the soil before other plants can reach it. Checking each plant's water needs before buying helps match your selection to the actual conditions in your bed or border.

Full shade means a planting area gets zero to four hours of direct sun, while part-shade areas receive four to six hours. Plants suited for full shade, like Hosta and Lady Fern, tolerate low light better than part-shade varieties, which often need some morning or filtered sun to perform well.

Yes, low-growing options like Bugleweed spread readily and work well as groundcover beneath trees where grass struggles. These plants tolerate root competition and low light while filling in bare spots with dense foliage, making them a practical choice for shaded areas under mature trees and shrubs.