Tell us your Favorite Shade Plants

By dave
January 20, 2016

We're putting together a list of the ATP members' favorite shade plants! Come on in and read how to nominate your favorites! We will later publish a final article on the top picks.

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Jan 24, 2016 9:09 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Jeanie
Minnesota (Zone 4a)
Replace your lawn with a garden!
Bee Lover Enjoys or suffers cold winters Sedums Garden Procrastinator Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Native Plants and Wildflowers
Region: Minnesota Hostas Heucheras Butterflies Cat Lover Daylilies
I can't pass up the opportunity to put in a plug for cranesbills. I have several varieties and find them to be the single most useful plant in my gardens. They will grow virtually anywhere, even in dry shade on a hillside under large shrubs. Many varieties have fragrant foliage. They are a wonderful ground cover. Some varieties like like Rozanne, Tiny Monster, and Pink Penny will weave up through other plants. They look great with hostas, coral bells, and under hydrangeas. I got many of mine from a friend who handed me a black garbage bag full of dead looking brown rhizome type roots. Lo and behold, I stuck them in the soil and now have a hillside full of lovely bigroot geraniums.

Geraniums (Geranium)

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Old gardeners never die. They are just pruned and repotted.
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Jan 24, 2016 10:40 PM CST
Name: Dirt
(Zone 5b)
Region: Utah Bee Lover Garden Photography Photo Contest Winner: 2014 Photo Contest Winner: 2015 Photo Contest Winner: 2016
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Hurray!
I second that plug Thumbs up
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Jan 25, 2016 6:55 AM CST
Name: Debbie
Manitoba, Canada (Zone 3a)
Amaryllis Dog Lover Dragonflies Foliage Fan Hostas Houseplants
Native Plants and Wildflowers Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Enjoys or suffers hot summers Daylilies Critters Allowed Annuals
Yup, add my vote too! There's a cranesbill for almost any situation: mounding, sprawling, lower border types or taller background types. Lots of variety in the foliage color and bloom color; and most have attractive changes to their foliage color for fall/ cooler weather.
. Love this one. Stays in a nice mound.
. Foliage is very attractive.
. Brightens up a shady spot.
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Jan 25, 2016 12:41 PM CST
Name: Neal Linville
Winchester, KY (Zone 6a)
Bulbs Charter ATP Member Cottage Gardener I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Irises Roses
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Ideas: Level 2
I agree Jeannie! Geraniums are so adaptable- shade, sun, moist, dry- they take it all and manage to be bright and lovely!
"...and don't think the garden loses its ecstasy in winter. It's quiet, but the roots are down there riotous." Rumi
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Jan 26, 2016 2:14 PM CST
Name: Leon
Indiana (Zone 5a)
Light is the shadow of God!
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Region: United States of America Region: Indiana Vegetable Grower
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Have to agree with these plants: So versatile, very hardy, very nice!

Even a fool, when he shuts his mouth, is counted (as being) wise.Proverbs 17:28
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Jan 26, 2016 2:55 PM CST
Name: Leon
Indiana (Zone 5a)
Light is the shadow of God!
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Region: United States of America Region: Indiana Vegetable Grower
Garden Ideas: Master Level Peonies Hummingbirder Cat Lover Dog Lover Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Even a fool, when he shuts his mouth, is counted (as being) wise.Proverbs 17:28
MY BLOG
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Jan 26, 2016 2:59 PM CST
Name: Leon
Indiana (Zone 5a)
Light is the shadow of God!
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Region: United States of America Region: Indiana Vegetable Grower
Garden Ideas: Master Level Peonies Hummingbirder Cat Lover Dog Lover Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Another in white. The close up was in light rain. This also comes in burgundy/red/maroon. Mine seems to have disappeared. Sad

Even a fool, when he shuts his mouth, is counted (as being) wise.Proverbs 17:28
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Jan 27, 2016 1:52 AM CST
Name: Deb
Planet Earth (Zone 8b)
Region: Pacific Northwest Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level
I love geraniums, but never really thought of them as a shade plant. Mine are all in either dappled shade or sun and seem to do well there.
I want to live in a world where the chicken can cross the road without its motives being questioned.
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Jan 27, 2016 7:46 AM CST
Name: Mika
Oxfordshire, England and Mento
Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Foliage Fan Critters Allowed Daylilies Irises Roses
Hostas Birds Multi-Region Gardener Cat Lover Dog Lover Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Geraniums are real workhorses in our garden and we have dozens of them, in both sun and shade. I particularly love Rozanne, for its easy style and seemingly endless bloom period, and for deep shade Geranium x oxonianum Wargrave Pink - another one that has non-stop flowers, this time in a pearly pink that is great for adding light to a dark corner.

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Jan 27, 2016 11:12 AM CST
Name: Leon
Indiana (Zone 5a)
Light is the shadow of God!
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Region: United States of America Region: Indiana Vegetable Grower
Garden Ideas: Master Level Peonies Hummingbirder Cat Lover Dog Lover Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Geranium sanguineum 'John Elsley' This has been around my place for years: At least since 2005. It forms neat mounds usually not more than 10-12 inches high and 24 inches across. In posting this I happened to notice someone had uploaded the first image from Davesgarden.com to Pinterest without asking permission. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/...
I had apparently placed it in the data base at DOG in 2006. I've not been a member at DOG since 2009 so it's hard to tell what they've done to the data base and all the pictures. Anyway, it is a very nice geranium with little or no care, and it grows anywhere in sun or shade as long as the soil is well drained.

Even a fool, when he shuts his mouth, is counted (as being) wise.Proverbs 17:28
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Last edited by TBGDN Jan 27, 2016 11:46 AM Icon for preview
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Jan 27, 2016 11:18 AM CST
Name: Debbie
Manitoba, Canada (Zone 3a)
Amaryllis Dog Lover Dragonflies Foliage Fan Hostas Houseplants
Native Plants and Wildflowers Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Enjoys or suffers hot summers Daylilies Critters Allowed Annuals
That is a lovely cranesbill, Leon. I particularly like the two toned flowers.
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Jan 27, 2016 11:40 AM CST
Name: Leon
Indiana (Zone 5a)
Light is the shadow of God!
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Region: United States of America Region: Indiana Vegetable Grower
Garden Ideas: Master Level Peonies Hummingbirder Cat Lover Dog Lover Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Thanks Debbie, It is so easy and self seeds. I find new seedlings in various spots like this one I didn't know I had. And I wonder which plant it came from since the colors are different.

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Even a fool, when he shuts his mouth, is counted (as being) wise.Proverbs 17:28
MY BLOG
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Jan 27, 2016 11:50 AM CST
Name: Terri
Lucketts, VA (Zone 7a)
Region: Mid-Atlantic Region: Virginia Dog Lover Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Deer Ponds
Foliage Fan Ferns Hellebores Irises Peonies Amaryllis
Rozanne doesn't seem to do well in the shade for me at all. I'll have to give Wargrave Pink a try.
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