Plants for partial shade with winter interest

Plenty of plants, of a variety of shapes, sizes and colours, thrive in shade, so it’s perfectly possible to create a full and attractive border with year-round interest in these sometimes challenging conditions

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Winter interest border in partial shade
Winter interest border in partial shade

Quick facts

  • Winter colour and flower helps to extend the border’s interest further into the year
  • Yellow and white can help to brighten slightly shady areas
  • Many winter interest plants also provide valuable wildlife resources

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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 design includes plants that, once established, will thrive in partial shade to provide interest throughout the year, but especially in winter. 

Plants for partial shade with winter interest

© James Lawrence

Choosing plants for partial shade with winter interest

The Mahonia, Cornus, Sarcococca and Cotoneaster are good for attracting pollinators and other wildlife into the garden helping to increase natural biodiversity.

Once established, the spreading Cotoneaster and Cryptomeria will provide groundcover. This will reduce soil erosion and evaporation of moisture from the soil surface, as well as making it harder for weed seeds to grow.

Until the plants have filled out, an organic mulch, preferably homemade compost, can help to lock in soil moisture and suppress weeds. Mulches should be spread when the soil is already moist to help trap some of that moisture before it dries out in summer. 

1 - Cornus sericea ‘Flaviramea’ 
2 - Mahonia x media ‘Lionel Fortescue’
3 - Sarcococca hookeriana var. digyna ‘Purple Stem’
5 - Cryptomeria japonica ‘Vilmoriniana’
5 - Cotoneaster procumbens ‘Queen of Carpets'
1 - Cornus sericea ‘Flaviramea’ displays thickets of bright yellow stems in winter, after an autumn show of red-orange leaves. Clusters of small off-white flowers develop into white berries. 

2 - Mahonia x media ‘Lionel Fortescue’ is an evergreen shrub with structural spiny leaves. It has bright yellow, scented flowers, held in starburst-shaped clusters in late autumn and winter, followed by blue-black berries. 

3 - Sarcococca hookeriana var. digyna ‘Purple Stem’ is an evergreen shrub with glossy leaves on purple stems. Delicate light red and white flowers with a sweet scent appear in the leaf axils in winter.  

4 - Cryptomeria japonica ‘Vilmoriniana’ is a dwarf slow-growing conifer with short, grey-green needles that turn reddish-purple in winter. 

5 - Cotoneaster procumbens ‘Queen of Carpets’ is a low-growing evergreen shrub with small, glossy green leaves and many pinkish white flowers that are attractive to bees. These develop into bright red berries, which are enjoyed by birds.

About shade gardening

By choosing plants that are adapted naturally to shade, we can help to promote strong plants that are less likely to suffer from pest and diseases. In their preferred conditions, plants establish better and need fewer additional resources such as water 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 can make it hard for plants to grow and develop. Unless they’re adapted to such conditions, plants grow weakly or fail to flower.

Shady conditions might also be dry if the shade is created by surrounding trees or shrubs, and it can be hard to plant in root-filled ground. Dry conditions make it tough for plants to establish, so even plants that are naturally suited should be monitored and watered during their first spring and summer while they establish. 
 

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.

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The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.