I was so frustrated when I realized my north-facing garden gets almost zero direct sunlight. I thought I’d never be able to grow anything beautiful there, but I was completely wrong. After some research and experimentation, I discovered there are actually amazing plants that either prefer shade or tolerate it beautifully.
So I’m excited to share these 11 beautiful plants I’ve personally had success with in my own north-facing garden. Growing these has completely transformed my once-dreary shady corner into a vibrant, colorful oasis that I now adore spending time in.
Whether you’re looking for stunning bedding annuals, flowering perennials, climbers, ground-covers, or shrubs, I’ve found options that suit every category. In my experience, they all thrive in the challenging conditions along north-facing zones where most sun-loving plants would simply struggle and fade.
I also love that some of these tolerate a bit of sun, so I’ve successfully grown them along my east-facing and west-facing borders too. Keep reading to discover my personal favorites and the tips I’ve learned along the way!
#1 Common Bleeding Heart
I was absolutely enchanted the first time I saw my bleeding heart’s delicate pink and white flowers dangling like tiny lanterns along arching stems. In my garden, it grows happily against my north-facing wall, putting on its spectacular show every spring. I do find that in sunnier spots, I need to water it more frequently to keep it looking its best.
#2 Hosta
I consider hostas the absolute backbone of my shade garden because their lush foliage is simply unmatched. I find them incredibly easy to grow and care for, which makes them perfect if you’re just starting out with shady areas. One of my favorite gardening ideas is dividing the root clumps every few years to propagate new plants for free.
#3 Tuberous Begonia
I am obsessed with how tuberous begonias light up my darkest corners with their huge neon-bright flowers and bold tropical leaves. I learned quickly that they cannot tolerate much direct sun, so I always place them in dappled shade or spots with gentle reflected light. I personally feed mine regularly with fertilizer because I’ve found that’s the secret to keeping them blooming profusely all season long.
#4 Bugleweed
I planted bugleweed as a ground cover experiment and was amazed at how rapidly it spread into a thick, lush mat. While it blooms more heavily in sun, I think it makes an excellent shady ground cover at just 6 to 9 inches tall. I personally love that it’s so adaptable, performing well in both full sun and part shade depending on what my garden needs.
#5 Impatiens
I rely on impatiens more than any other plant for injecting color into my shadiest spots. They produce such a profusion of blooms with an incredibly long season that I never feel like my garden looks bare. I have grown them in nearly complete shade with great success, though I find they also tolerate sunnier locations as long as I keep the soil consistently moist and well-drained.
#6 Climbing Hydrangea
I was thrilled to discover climbing hydrangea because finding a well-behaved vine for shade felt impossible. From May through July, my wall explodes with gorgeous white flower clusters that stop neighbors in their tracks. I make sure to plant it in rich, moist, well-drained soil, and it has rewarded me with stunning growth year after year.
#7 Wax Begonia
I love wax begonias because they are so incredibly versatile, handling both full sun and part shade in my garden. Their mounds of waxy leaves range from deep green to rich bronze, topped with loose clusters of cheerful little flowers that bloom nonstop. I use them as bedding plants, mass plantings, and edging borders, always making sure they have rich, moist, well-drained soil for the happiest growth.
#8 Lilyturf
I turned to lilyturf specifically for a tricky dry shade area where nothing else seemed to thrive. While I noticed it flowers more generously with extra sunlight, I think it still performs admirably in my darker spots. I personally love its grass-like texture and the delicate flowers that peek through the foliage in late August and September.
#9 Flowering Quince
I was surprised by how tough and adaptable flowering quince is in my garden, tolerating almost any soil I plant it in. It grows beautifully in both full sun and part shade, which gives me so much flexibility with placement. I eagerly await March and April every year when it erupts in white to scarlet blooms before the leaves even open.
#10 Creeping Myrtle
I find creeping myrtle to be one of the most reliable shade ground covers I’ve ever grown. I love tucking it around my bleeding hearts and beneath shrubs where it forms a beautiful living carpet. In May and June, it rewards me with charming little flowers that make the whole area feel like a woodland wonderland.
#11 Yew
I added yew to my shade garden for year-round structure and have never regretted it. This needle-bearing evergreen doesn’t flower, but I think its pretty red berries more than make up for that. I always make sure to give it medium moisture and well-drained soil, and it has become one of the most dependable shrubs in my entire garden.
