Plants for shade with spring flowers and ferns

Plenty of plants thrive in shade, and the season of spring can provide interest through emerging fresh foliage and seasonal flowering, which can help to brighten shady areas

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Ferns and <i>Pulmonaria</i> in partial shade
Ferns and Pulmonaria in partial shade

Quick facts

  • Always choose plants that are suited to the conditions as they will perform better
  • Using ground cover plants can reduce any unwanted plants from establishing
  • Using contrasting foliage textures in plant choices can add interest

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The planting plan

James Lawrence, RHS Principal Horticultural Advisor, has designed this simple, attractive, and most importantly, sustainable border design for you to try at home with plants that are easy to grow, widely available and look good together.

This planting design provides a range of plants including spring flowers and ferns that, once established, will thrive together in shade. A simple planting plan helps to create depth, interest and good coverage in a border.

Plants for shade with spring flowers and ferns

© James Lawrence

Choosing plants for spring interest in shade

The dark evergreen leaves of the Mahonia provide year-round structure, while the Viburnum, Pulmonaria and Narcissus open early in the season, before deciduous trees are in leaf. The Dryopteris, Polystichum and Brunnera are well-suited to the cooler, damper conditions provided by shade.

The Pulmonaria and Brunnera provide some ground cover and will help prevent erosion of bare soil. Ground cover plants can also help to reduce moisture evaporation from the soil surface and suppress growth of unwanted seedlings. Using an organic mulch, preferably homemade compost, while the plants establish can help to provide the same benefits.

1 - Mahonia x wagneri ‘Pinnacle’ 
2 - Dryopteris affinis 
3 - Viburnum carlesii ‘Aurora’
4 - Polystichum polyblepharum
5 - Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ 
6 - Narcissus 'Tête-à-tête'
7 - Pulmonaria ‘Diana Clare’ 
1 - Mahonia x wagneri ‘Pinnacle’ is an evergreen shrub with glossy dark green leaves, often with coppery tints. Dense clusters of bright yellow flowers are borne in the spring, followed by blue-black berries.

2 - Dryopteris affinis is a semi-evergreen fern forming a rosette of upright fronds, bright yellow-green when young and unfurling, later turning rich green with persistent golden scales on the stems.

3 - Viburnum carlesii ‘Aurora’ is a deciduous shrub with dark green oval leaves that are coppery when young, and rounded trusses of red buds opening to highly fragrant pale pink flowers in spring.

4 - Polystichum polyblepharum is an evergreen fern forming a ‘shuttlecock’ of spreading, glossy, dark green fronds. These provide beautiful spring and early summer interest.

5 - Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ is a herbaceous perennial with large, heart-shaped silver leaves edged and veined with green. Sprays of small bright blue flowers are produced in spring.

6 - Narcissus ‘Tête-à-tête’ is a dwarf daffodil for additional spring cheer. Each bulb reliably produces one to three flowers, forming good-sized clumps over the years.

7 - Pulmonaria ‘Diana Clare’ is a semi-evergreen perennial with narrow silver-green leaves, lightly speckled with dark green near the margins. Violet-blue flowers appear from late winter to late spring.

About partial shade

Partial shade can be common near mature trees, garden structures such as sheds, or buildings or walls. Choosing plants that are adapted to partial shade will keep your border looking good, growing well, and once the plants are established, will reduce the need for additional resources such as watering and fertilisers.

A simple planting plan helps to create depth, interest and good coverage in a border.
 

The challenge of growing in partial shade

Low light levels make it hard for plants to grow and develop, unless those plants have adapted to naturally grow in these conditions. Plants that are not adapted to shade can be paler, stunted, lacking in flower or fruit and more prone to failure. Even plants that naturally prefer shade may need careful monitoring and watering during their first spring and summer to get them well established.
 

Why choose a sustainable planting combination?

Using the ethos of ‘right plant, right place’ to create a sustainable planting combination is great for the environment. It helps to avoid waste and the use of products and practices needed to try and help ailing plants, such as applying fertiliser. It also creates robust, long-lived planting that benefits soil health and garden biodiversity. For more information about sustainable gardening, please see the RHS Sustainability Strategy.

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