Shrubs Made for the Shade

Add structure and a year round framework to your shady landscape with shrubs.

Smooth hydrangeas’ white snowball flowers generate fond memories for many, while blending nicely with hostas and ferns.

The large native witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana) shrub can be grown in full sun or shade. The fragrant yellow flowers are revealed in fall after the yellow fall leaves drop. Its shade-tolerant cousin Fothergilla, produces fragrant white flowers in spring and colorful leaves in fall. Summersweet (Clethra) is another shade tolerant shrub. It produces fragrant flowers in summer, golden brown leaves in fall and tolerates wet areas in the landscape.

And don’t forget the dogwoods. This diverse group of small to large shrubs and small scale trees provide spring flowers, fruit for the birds and in many cases fall color.

The same goes for the viburnum. The four-season interest and shade tolerance make this a must-have plant for the shade gardener.

A bit more information: Some of you may remember popping the fruit on snowberries (Symphoricarpos). Many new hybrids of this shade tolerant shrub are being introduced. And Virginia Sweetspire (Itea) will grow in sun or shade. The fragrant white flowers appear in early summer and the leaves turn a brilliant red in fall.