20 of the best plants for shade – including a designer’s recommendations

By Molly Blair

Published: Friday, 22 July 2022 at 12:00 am

The best shade loving plants for the garden including picks from Chris Moss’ garden design in rural West Sussex

A shady spot in the garden is an opportunity to create something special, a tranquil retreat to retire to on hot, summer days.

Plants typically suited to shade will often be early to flower, but will continue the season with foliage that has a lush appearance. Chris’ designs mix ferns with ornamental grasses and classic woodland perennials, with the aim of creating a shady tapestry of contrasting texture, shape and form. He prefers to be generous with his quantities of shady plants, creating rivers of single species that flow into one another.

“I like to layer the planting to create a shade understorey. This helps to cover the soil, offering protection, while adding interest.” By way of example, he indicates a Vinca minor that gently scrambles among some shade-loving hellebores, a less vigorous species than Vinca major and better behaved in a shady, woodland setting. Plant selection is key to success  with shade in the garden and ongoing pruning of the canopy above and around the site is essential.

As the planting matures, canopies will require lifting and thinning (usually best completed in winter) to prevent light levels from becoming too low. In dry but shady areas, the use of organic mulch will help, although additional irrigation may be required during any prolonged hot weather.

Best plants for shade

Shade loving plants chosen by Chris Moss

 Dryopteris affinis

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© Jason Ingram

Dryopteris affinis, also known as a golden male fern is a perennial garden fern with dramatic foliage. These ferns prefer a moist, shady site, making them one of the best plants for shaded areas in the garden. It is a robust plant that forms rosettes of fine arching fronds in shuttlecock-like clusters. The fronds are bright green when they appear in spring which contrasts well with the brown midribs. The colour matures to a rich green later in the season and can sometimes last through winter. Dryopteris affinis has an RHS Award of Garden Merit and grows to approximately 1.2 metres.