These shade-loving perennials provide early garden color for weeks of spring blooms in the garden. At a time when shade gardens can otherwise suffer, before hostas and caladiums fill in the gap, these spring-flowering perennials provide color and interest.
Brunnera or False Forget-me-Not
A recently popular perennial, brunnera has actually been around for quite some time. New cultivars with frosted looking foliage and longer-lasting spring blooms have made recent introductions a hit in spring gardens and spring container arrangements. All Siberian Bugloss, or False Forget-me-Not, prefers light to full shade and moist growing conditions. These tendencies make brunnera an excellent perennial choice for a shady, woodland garden area.
- Jack Frost Brunnera – A popular brunnera with frosted green leaves that look as though they've been etched in silver. Large, light leaves are a backdrop for bright blue flowers that last several weeks in the spring. Grows about 18 inches tall and wide.
- Gold Strike Brunnera – Similar blue, forget-me-not like flowers that appear for weeks in the spring, the Gold Strike has vibrant chartreuse foliage that brightens shady gardens.
- Variegated Brunnera – One of the original variegated forms, this brunnera has heart-shaped green leaves with thick white edges.
Bleeding Heart (Dicentra) for Spring Shade Flowers
A familiar cottage-garden plant, bleeding heart got its common name from the drooping flowers that dangle on arching flower stalks each spring. Growing dicentra is relatively easy when the plants are given the right conditions, namely, moist soil and dappled shade. Bleeding heart foliage tends to fade in the heat of summer so in warmer areas, more shade will be required to prolong the showy foliage. Even in areas with short springs, the delicate flowers are a spring eye-catcher for shade gardens.
- Gold Heart Dicentra – This bleeding heart has bright yellow foliage that is a eye-catching contrast to the pink flowers.
- Alba Dicentra or White Bleeding-Heart – As the name implies, this dicentra has a pure white flower each spring, instead of the pink flowers of the typical bleeding-hearts. The white flowers stand out in a shade garden and help brighten a dark corner.
These spring flowering plants are jewels for a shade gardener's landscape as the color and interest they provide early in the season helps to fill the gap between hellebores and hostas. Try brunnera and dicentra in any moist, shade garden for weeks of spring color!
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Angela England - Angela England is a problogger, mother of four (yes I know what causes that), speaker, teacher, labor doula, gardener and so much more.
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