If you want a gorgeous garden but your yard doesn’t get a lot of natural sunlight, don’t be disappointed! You will be happy to know that there are several different plants and flowers that grow very well in very little sunshine and even in blankets of shade. In fact, you may be surprised to learn what kinds of flowers actually prefer shade to sun, and how your shady yard can become a mecca of beautiful blooms. So whether your yard sees only slivers of sunshine or none at all, plant these gorgeous flowers and enjoy them for years to come.
Forget-Me-Not
This five-petaled blue flower with tiny green leaves flourishes in shady conditions, and grows especially well underneath taller plants. This beauty is quite low maintenance, but does require its soil to stay moist, and benefits from some fertilizer on occasion.
Impatiens
Many gardeners adore these colorful plants not just for their many varieties of gorgeous colors, but because they are so easy to care for. They do well in even full shade, and only need regular watering. Other than that, just enjoy the intense colors of pinks, reds, purples, orange and whites, as well as their shiny leaves, which make this plant very attractive even when no longer blooming.
Lily of the Valley
Although this flower looks fragile, do not be fooled. Despite its delicate bell-shaped flowers, this flower is actually very robust and can thrive in heavily shaded environments. Other than keeping this romantic flower moist, keep them planted 3 to 4 inches apart as they tend to spread quite quickly.
Wild Violet
This wild flower can grow even in the most unexpected areas. You can find it blooming among other flowers on a prairie, in wetlands, or even on the darkest forest floor. Although it lives up to its name, it’s colors can range from the purple, white, pink and oranges, as well as several other colors, and emit a gloriously sweet scent.
Fushia
This lovely flower shows in many vivid colors, but the most popular is the bright red and pink variety. With its graceful florets that droop toward the ground, it does best in partial shade for the majority of the day. It does require occasional fertilizer to keep it healthy and be sure to keep the soil moist but not over watered.
You don’t need land with lots of sunlight to grow beautiful flowers. And whether you have a yard that is mostly shade covered, or don’t have the time to attend to needy plants, with a little research, you can find many flowers and plants that grow better in partial sun to mostly shade than they do in areas rich in sunshine. So ditch your sunglasses and start planting!