Colorful Plants for an Easy to Maintain Shade Garden

Wander around any garden store and it's to see all the vibrant colorful flowers that love full sun. Not so obvious are the shade loving plants. They are there but sometimes it takes a bit more looking to find them. Here are 10 favorites.

1. Virginia Bluebells have small blue blooms that dangle from the ends of 12-24" tall stems. These are long-lived and an easy wildflower to grow. Does well with morning sun but prefers shade. Plant 12-18" apart, zones 3-9.

2. Sister Therese Hydrangea have large white flowers up to 4-5" across with foliage mounds 4-6' high and 4' wide. Makes a dramatic hedge when planted together but also looks great when planted as a single. Zones 5-9.

3. Ostrich Ferns have fronds that grow to 24-36" long and 18" wide. It's a very popular choice for shady areas near foundations. Zones 3-9, partial to full shade.

4. Pink or White Bleeding Hearts have a mid-to-late spring blooming season. The long arching branches just drip with dozens of pink or white heart-shaped flowers. These are hardy plants that grow 2-3' high and 3' wide. Zones 2-9, partial to full shade.

5. Daylily - there are many varieties of daylilies. Most grow 18-24" high, love partial shade and are very easy to take care of. They come in many colors but the most common seems to be yellow. I prefer the pink or red ones for something different. Zones 3-9.

6. Forget-Me-Nots are great for edging along borders. It's a low-growing perennial plant with hundreds of bright blue flowers in bloom from early spring through summer. Fast growing to 6-8" high and very easy to take care of. Zones 3-8, partial shade.

7. Beacon Silver Lamium has variegated silver-white foliage that radiates color appears to glow in the evening. It has a long blooming season from mid-spring to mid-summer. Pink flowers. Grows 9-12" high. Zones 4-8, partial to full shade.

8. Yellow Perfection Viola has bright yellow, pansy shaped blooms that cover the 6-8" high plants from early spring through summer. Easy to take care of. Zones 5-9, partial shade.

9. Lily-of-the-Valley simply thrives in the shade. The flowers are clustered dainty white bells on 8-10" stems. It spreads rapidly for a beautiful ground cover of emerald foliage. Blooms mid-to-late spring. Zones 2-8, partial to full shade.

10. Red Coral Bells have bell shaped miniature blooms with fringed petals on 15-20" spikes that rise up from mounds of soft green foliage 12-15" across. Blooms late spring to mid-summer. Zones 3-8, partial to full shade.