Great Plants and Flowers for Your Shade Garden

Have you got a shady spot in your landscape that could use some color and splash? Don't worry, there are plenty of flowers and plants that can make it look gorgeous.

Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas are fabulous shrubs which produce large globe-shaped flowers made up of individual florets. They are well suited for many different area of your garden. Most Hydrangeas will do well in areas from shady to sunny. They come in a large variety of colors and variety as well.

Hydrangeas can grow quite large, so make sure that you have room for them to expand. Some varieties can grow to six feet tall and wide, so be sure to check the species before you purchase to be certain that you will have enough room.

Hydrangeas have large heart-shaped leaves which can be variegated or dark green. The foliage is lovely as well as the flowers. The colors of Hydrangeas can range from red to blue, pink and white. They are a perfect addition to your shade garden and will bloom from mid summer on.

The color of your Hydrangea flowers will depend of the species you purchase, but also on the acidity of your soil. If you purchase a pink Hydrangea, and find that it's flowers are actually blooming in blue, then you can bet you have acidic soil. If the reverse is true, and your blue Hydrangea is blooming pink, then you probably have a very alkaline soil. You can purchase soil additives at most garden centers to adjust the ph of the soil if you are not please with the color of your Hydrangea blooms.

For the best results in shady areas, plant Hydrangeas in rich soil and keep well-watered but not soggy. Hydrangeas bloom on last year's wood, so do not prune branches back unless they are damaged or rotten. For links to beautiful Hydrangeas, try Spring Hill Nursery: http://springhillnursery.com/search.asp?ss=hydrangea&x=0&y=0.

Ferns

Ferns are also beautiful plants for your shade loving garden. They come in many varieties. Their fronds range from dark green to variegated and some species have fronds which grow to thirty inches or more. They also make great cuttings to add to your home grown flower arrangements.

Ferns like to be cool and moist, so plant them where they will be in the shade and will retain moisture. You may want to mulch them to help keep the moisture in as well. For great ferns to add to your shade garden, click here: http://springhillnursery.com/search.asp?ss=fern&x=0&y=0.

Hostas

Hostas are a fabulous addition to any shade garden. They have myriad uses and are a plus to any shady spot in your landscape.

Hostas tend to be low-growing and so can be terrific for borders. They have very large heart-shaped leaves and come in a variety of colors. The leaves can grow quite large, depending on the species. They range from yellow-green to dark green to variegated. Hostas also produce spikes which will form flowers in the mid summer.

Hostas love the shade and will want to be well-watered, but not soggy. They are terrific as edging plants or will fill in empty spaces in your shade garden nicely. They also grow quickly and can easily be divided to create more plants as they mature. For some great hostas for your shady landscape, try here: www.jacksonandperkins.com.

Bleeding Hearts

Bleeding Hearts are delicate looking plants that will look beautiful in your shade garden. They can grow to about two to three feet tall, have fern-like foliage and stalks which produce the flowers. The flowers look like hearts dangling above the foliage and come in pink and white.

Bleeding hearts will do well in shade or partial shade and are among the first plants to bloom in the spring. They like to be well-watered, but will not do well if left soggy, so make sure to put them in a well-drained spot. The plants may die back in the mid summer heat, so try to plant them next to something like hostas which will help hide the gap in your shade garden. To purchase bleeding hearts for your shade garden, try this link: http://springhillnursery.com/search.asp?ss=bleeding+heart&x=0&y=0.

Beautify your Shady Garden

Try these plants to spruce up the shady spots in your garden. With a little care, you should have a spectacular garden to show off. Try to mix the bloom times of each segment of your garden so that you will have beauty all season long.