SHADy situations
Shade gardens can be vibrant and compelling, dark and mysterious and a joy to work on
Hard-Working Shade Classics
If you want dramatic colors and reliable textures that return year after year, these are the gold standards for New England gardens.
- Hostas: The ultimate shade plant. They come in endless varieties—from the massive, blue-grey 'Empress Wu' to bright chartreuse and variegated options. They love Massachusetts' moist, rich soil.
- Astilbe: Known for its feathery, fern-like foliage and plumy flowers in shades of pink, red, purple, and white. They prefer a spot that stays consistently moist.
- Coral Bells (Heuchera): Grown primarily for its stunning foliage, which ranges from deep burgundy and chocolate to neon lime and caramel.
- Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis): A classic spring bloomer with arching stems lined with romantic, dangling, heart-shaped flowers. (Note: It often goes dormant and disappears by mid-summer, so plant it near hostas that can fill the gap).
Flowering Shrubs
If you need height or want to cover a foundation wall in the shade, try these woody shrubs:
- Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia): Thrives in partial shade, offers massive white flower panicles, and has oak-like leaves that turn a spectacular mahogany-red in autumn.
- Catawba Rhododendron or Mountain Laurel: Native evergreen shrubs that thrive in acidic New England soil and partial shade, bursting with massive pink, purple, or white flower clusters in late spring.
- Japanese Andromeda (Pieris japonica): A great evergreen shrub for foundation plantings. It features cascading clusters of bell-shaped white or pink flowers in early spring, and deer generally leave it alone.
Ferns & Ornamental Grasses
To give your shade garden depth, you need texture. Ferns and shade grasses add movement and a classic "woodland" feel.
- Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides): A dependable, rugged native fern that stays green even through a snowy Massachusetts winter.
- Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris): Grows tall and feathery (up to 3–5 feet) and mimics a tropical look. It spreads via runners, making it great for filling large empty spaces.
- Japanese Painted Fern (Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum'): A showstopper with metallic silver, burgundy, and green fronds.
- Hakone Grass (Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola'): Also called Japanese Forest Grass, this cascading, bright yellow-and-green variegated grass looks like a waterfall of light in dark spaces.
Native Perennials
These plants are adapted to local forests, meaning they are incredibly low-maintenance and support New England pollinators.
- Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia): A beautiful groundcover with heart-shaped leaves and frothy spikes of white or pinkish flowers that brighten up dark corners in spring.
- Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense): Features rich, dark-green, velvety, heart-shaped leaves. It creates a lush, slow-spreading carpet that suppresses weeds.
- Zigzag Goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis): Unlike most goldenrods that demand baking sun, this unique native loves the shade. It brings a late-summer burst of bright yellow to the understory.
- Blue-stemmed Goldenrod (Solidago caesia): Another shade-tolerant goldenrod featuring unique dark blue/purple stems contrasted against bright yellow late-summer flowers.
