Plants for Shade & Woodland

Q: What plants grow well in shade?

{"type":"root","children":[{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Ferns, tree ferns and many bold foliage plants thrive in shade, along with shade-tolerant grasses and ground cover. The plants in this collection are all chosen to do well out of direct sun, from damp shade to drier, deeper shade."}]}]}

Q: What can I grow on a north-facing patio or balcony?

{"type":"root","children":[{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Shade-loving plants in pots are ideal. Ferns, foliage plants and tree ferns bring lush greenery to a north-facing balcony, patio or courtyard, exactly the spots where sun-lovers struggle. Use a moisture-retentive compost and keep pots watered in summer."}]}]}

Q: What grows in deep or dry shade?

{"type":"root","children":[{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"The toughest ferns, such as Dryopteris and Polystichum, cope best with deep or dry shade once established. Improving the soil with organic matter and watering well in the first year helps them settle in where little else will grow."}]}]}

Q: Do shade plants need watering?

{"type":"root","children":[{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"While establishing, yes, keep the soil consistently moist. After that, most shade plants in the ground are fairly self-sufficient except in dry spells, while plants in pots dry out faster and need regular summer watering."}]}]}

Q: Can shade plants be evergreen?

{"type":"root","children":[{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Many are. Evergreen ferns and foliage plants keep a shady spot furnished all year, which is especially useful in a courtyard or balcony you see every day. A mix of evergreen and deciduous gives winter cover and fresh spring growth."}]}]}

Hardy plants for shade and woodland corners in UK gardens. Ferns, tree ferns, shade-loving Fatsia and elegant ground-cover choices that thrive out of direct sun, from north-facing borders to deep shady beds.

54 products

Sort

White-Edged Hosta

Hosta 'Francee'

£10.99

1

Giant Blue Hosta

Hosta 'Elegans'

£10.99

1

Golden Japanese Rush

Acorus gramineus 'Ogon'

£7.99

1

Variegated Sweet Flag

Acorus calamus 'Argenteostriatus'

£7.99

1

Golden Japanese Maple 'Orange Dream'

Acer palmatum 'Orange Dream'

£16.99

1

Purple Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum 'Atropurpureum'

£15.99

1

Yellow Bark Japanese Maple 'Bi Hoo'

Acer palmatum 'Bi Hoo'

£39.99

1

Yellow Japanese Maple 'Anne Irene'

Acer palmatum 'Anne Irene'

£39.99

1

Full Moon Maple (Shirasawa Maple)

Acer shirasawanum 'Moonrise'

£49.99

1

Upright Japanese Plum Yew

Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Fastigiata'

£27.99

1

Heavenly Bamboo 'Gulfstream'

Nandina domestica 'Gulfstream'

£34.99

1

Japanese Tassel Fern

Polystichum polyblepharum

£8.99

1

Dryopteris affinis 'Crispa'

£8.99

1

Deer Fern

Blechnum spicant

£16.99

1

East Indian Holly Fern

Arachniodes simplicior Variegata

£68.99

1

Previous 1 2

The GrowTropicals Guide to Shade Plants

What plants grow well in shade?

Shade is often treated as a garden problem to solve, but many of the most elegant hardy plants prefer it. Tree ferns and hardy ferns thrive in the cool damp conditions of a north-facing bed. Fatsia japonica gives bold, glossy foliage in dry shade. Brunnera, hostas, hardy Begonia grandis and the shade-tolerant Fargesia bamboos all handle real shade well. The key is understanding whether you have moist shade (usually easier) or dry shade (trickier but manageable). Read our honest guide to what to expect from hardy exotics through the seasons before ordering.

Care essentials for shade plants

Position: Partial to full shade. Note whether the shade is dry (under mature trees) or moist (north-facing corner) and choose species accordingly.
Soil: Humus-rich, moisture-retentive, well-drained. Mulch generously each spring with leafmould or garden compost. Water in dry shade through summer.
Hardiness: Most shade-tolerant plants stocked here are RHS H5 to H7 (fully hardy across the UK).
Watering: Dry shade is the hardest condition in the garden. Water deeply once a week through the first two summers to establish, then rely on mulch to hold moisture.
Spring tidy: Cut back tired old fronds and leaves in early spring before new growth pushes through. Do not prune otherwise.

Explore the shade range

Combine shade plants with hardy ferns and tree ferns for a woodland effect, or with hardy perennials for seasonal colour. See the full Hardy Exotics range for shade-tolerant companions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What plants grow well in shade?

Ferns, tree ferns and many bold foliage plants thrive in shade, along with shade-tolerant grasses and ground cover. The plants in this collection are all chosen to do well out of direct sun, from damp shade to drier, deeper shade.

What can I grow on a north-facing patio or balcony?

Shade-loving plants in pots are ideal. Ferns, foliage plants and tree ferns bring lush greenery to a north-facing balcony, patio or courtyard, exactly the spots where sun-lovers struggle. Use a moisture-retentive compost and keep pots watered in summer.

What grows in deep or dry shade?

The toughest ferns, such as Dryopteris and Polystichum, cope best with deep or dry shade once established. Improving the soil with organic matter and watering well in the first year helps them settle in where little else will grow.

Do shade plants need watering?

While establishing, yes, keep the soil consistently moist. After that, most shade plants in the ground are fairly self-sufficient except in dry spells, while plants in pots dry out faster and need regular summer watering.

Can shade plants be evergreen?

Many are. Evergreen ferns and foliage plants keep a shady spot furnished all year, which is especially useful in a courtyard or balcony you see every day. A mix of evergreen and deciduous gives winter cover and fresh spring growth.

Plants that thrive in shade

A shady corner is not a problem, it is an opportunity. The right plants turn the dim, north-facing spots where little seems to grow into the lushest, greenest part of a garden. This collection brings together hardy, shade-loving exotics, from ferns and tree ferns to bold-leaved foliage, all happy out of direct sun.

Shade plants for patios, balconies and courtyards

Shade is the rule, not the exception, in many city gardens, on a north-facing balcony or in a basement courtyard. Happily, shade plants are some of the best for these spots. Grown in pots they bring cool, leafy greenery to a space the sun never reaches, and many ferns and foliage plants positively prefer the shelter.

Filling a shady border

In a larger garden, layer shade plants for a woodland feel: tree ferns and tall foliage for height, shield ferns and broad leaves for the middle, and ground-covering plants to carpet the soil. Mixing leaf shapes and textures is what makes shade planting feel rich rather than flat.

Caring for shade plants

Most shade plants enjoy a soil improved with organic matter that holds moisture without waterlogging. Water well while they establish, mulch in spring, and they largely look after themselves. Deep, dry shade is the trickiest, so improve the soil and choose tougher ferns for those spots.