This Beginner-Friendly Shade Garden Is Filled with Easy-Care Plants

When you're just starting out in gardening, it's a good idea to go slow and keep things simple. For example, if you have a shady corner of your yard that you're looking to fill, this perennial shade garden plan weaves together a handful of low-maintenance, easy-to-grow plants to create a beautiful display that's practically foolproof. A witch hazel shrub serves as a focal point, especially when it begins blooming in late winter before its leaves appear. The cheerful flowers of astilbe and false forget-me-not keep up the floral show in spring, while the striking variegated leaves of hosta and Solomon's seal ensure that the garden looks colorful even when nothing is blooming.

Plants for Creating the Beginner Shade Garden

• Witch hazel (Hamamelis x intermedia): Zones 5-9
• Hosta (Hosta 'Patriot'): Zones 3-9
• False forget-me-not (Brunnera macrophylla): Zones 4-8
• False spirea (Astilbe chinensis 'Visions'): Zones 4-7
• Solomon's seal (Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum'): Zones 3-8

If you aren't able to find the exact cultivars listed above, substitute with others that have similar colors, shapes, and sizes. And because some plants can become overly aggressive and spread out of control in certain climates, always check which species are considered invasive in your area before planting.

Get the Free Beginner Shade Garden Plan

The garden plan for this design includes an illustrated version of the planted garden, a detailed layout diagram, a list of plants for the garden as shown, and complete instructions for installing the garden.

More Shade Garden Plans to Try

• Cold-Climate Shade Garden Plan
• Bold Shade Garden Plan
• Woodland Garden Plan