9 Top Shade Plants to Brighten Your Garden

Polka Dot Plant

These colorful plants shine with pink, red, or white-patterned leaves, thriving in sun or shade, indoors or outdoors. They require little maintenance and add vibrant spots of color to any setting.

Pineapple Sage

With aromatic foliage and deer-resistant properties, this shade garden favorite offers lively color and texture. It serves as a bright filler in landscapes or containers and may produce red flowers in warmer climates.

Begonia

Surefire Begonias are versatile, flourishing in various degrees of shade and requiring less water than impatiens. They're perfect for large containers, window boxes, or filling gaps in landscapes.

Coleus

Known for their fabulous foliage, ColorBlaze Coleus sets few to no flowers, making them low-maintenance and ideal for shaded areas. They provide vibrant color from spring through fall without constant pinching.

Wishbone Flower

Often overlooked, Torenias offer snapdragon-like flowers in cool shades of purple, white, pink, and yellow. They thrive in partial to full shade and can be used as fillers in containers or groundcovers.

Caladium

Add an exotic touch to shady areas with the large heart-shaped leaves of caladium. Available in various patterns and colors, they thrive in part shade and bring a unique look to shade gardens.

Impatiens

Masses of miniature rosebud-like blooms light up shady areas with Rockapulco Impatiens. They thrive in deep shade and can be paired with colorful coleus, caladium, or sweet potato vine for added vibrancy.

Heartleaf Brunnera

With huge patterned leaves and lovely blooms, Brunneras are shade-tolerant perennials that thrive in full shade and moist soils. They bring a woodland charm to shade gardens.

Goatsbeard

This low-maintenance perennial produces frothy sprays of creamy white flowers above ferny foliage, similar to astilbe but more drought-tolerant. It adds elegance to shaded areas and blooms in late spring to early summer.