It is challenging to grow flowers in shade, but annual impatiens usually works and so does any type of hellebore, which is perennial.
The degree of shade is the most important factor, and usually for flowers, partial shade is the best type. Perennial geranium, for example, and dicentra, commonly known as bleeding heart, work well in part shade.
Filtered or dappled shade works for Cerastium, which has the common name of snow in summer.
There are many varieties of Lamium with flowers that are pink, purple, and white and it likes filtered shade, too, as does creeping thyme and heuchera (coral bells).
Shrubs such as Itea and Rose of Sharon are also good choices, and underplant them with perennial candytuft (Iberis).
Remember, too, that many early spring bloomers will thrive under trees that have not yet leafed out, so use wildflowers there such as Virginia Bluebells as well as daffodils and other early flowering bulbs.
Light or open shade, under tall trees or near buildings, will usually be appropriate for lingularia, coryadalis, most types of begonias, violets, lily of the valley, annual torenia, coleus, astilbe, and Lady's mantle. But deep, full shade is challenging for all flowers.
This is Moya Andrews, and today we focused on degrees of shade.
