Most gardeners dream of creating a beautiful perennial garden full of long-blooming, colorful flowers with glorious green foliage. However, not all of us are blessed with a sun-drenched area to plant coreopsis, rudbeckia and roses.

 

Those of us with small shaded properties, or those who happen to have neighbors with towering redwoods, must work a bit harder in choosing the right plants to create a colorful perennial garden.

 

Shade perennial beds can be created in many sizes, from a small north-facing entry to a deeply shaded backyard. An entry garden may have just a few plants that, if well chosen, will soften the architecture and welcome your guests. Think of the beautiful Victorians in Old Town Napa that are anchored by a glorious hydrangea or colorful camellias planted many years ago.

 

A larger perennial garden is often built in layers, with large evergreen shrubs providing structure and a green backdrop in winter when most of the perennials are dormant. Good choices for background shrubs in the shade garden include rhododendron, camellias, abutilon and evergreen viburnums such as ‘Spring Bouquet.’ When choosing shrubs and perennials for your shade garden, make sure they have similar requirements regarding their soil, feeding and water needs.

 

The following is a partial list of shade-loving perennials that do well in the Napa Valley. Several plant species come in many varieties, so check with your local garden center as to which varieties they recommend.

 

Acanthus mollis (bear’s breech) can reach five feet tall when in bloom and needs to be located near the back of the border. It is a bold plant with large, deeply lobed leaves and produces tall flower spikes in late spring or summer.

 

Astilbe (false spiraea) is a mainstay for the shady perennial border. It produces plume- like flower clusters in shades of white, pink or red and has attractive foliage. It will produce blooms from late spring through summer.

 

Bergenia crassifolia (winter-blooming bergenia) is an evergreen perennial that blooms in winter or spring. It has large, dark-green leaves and rose or purple flower clusters on erect stems that stand above the leaves.

 

Clivia miniata can be a real show stopper in spring. It produces brilliant large clusters of funnel shaped orange flowers that appear above the foliage. It can, however, be damaged by freezing temperatures. To eliminate the risk, grow it in a pot and bring it indoors during winter.

 

Heuchera sanguinea (coral bells) sends up clusters of bell-shaped blooms on slender stems in spring and summer. It looks good massed in the border or in containers. Its foliage is attractive, forming neat tufts. Several varieties have variegated leaves.

 

Helleborus orientalis (Lenten rose) blooms in late winter and early spring. It is a great plant to add to the border for winter color, with the added bonus of having striking foliage. Flowers are two to four inches wide and come in a variety of colors.

 

Hosta (plantain lily) is known for its foliage. Leaves vary greatly in shape and color. Color choices range from light green to yellow to blue. Several varieties have variegated leaves. All varieties go dormant in winter so keep in mind that there will be a bare spot in the garden during the winter months.

 

Lamium maculatum (dead nettle) is a low-growing plant that spreads by rhizomes or underground stems. Its leaves have a central white stripe, and it produces pink or white flowers in spring or summer. It makes an excellent groundcover in shady areas and can lighten up darker areas of the garden.

 

Liriope muscari (blue lily turf) has tufts of evergreen grass-like leaves and produces flowers in spike-like clusters during summer. Colors include white and purple. It looks good edging a path. There are many varieties, several of which have variegated leaves.

 

During its first year, a perennial garden will typically have many bare spots. Fill these open areas with shade-loving annuals that will provide one season of growth, leaving the perennials to fill in the following year. One shade-loving annual for the cool season is primrose; for the warmer months, consider impatiens. Both will provide great color and be an asset to any shade garden.