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Perennial Shade Garden
Starter Set
12 different perennial plants, at least 19 plants in total
1. Astilbe x arendsii 'Brides Veil' ('Brautschleier') – 1 pot – aka false spirea. Zones: 4-9. Perennial.
Part sun to full shade. Prefers part-shade with moist, humusy soil, but handles more sun with watering.
Add sphagnum peat moss to soil when planting, also use as mulch. Height: 16-24”, Spread: 12-24”.
Propagation: when clump becomes crowded every 3-4 years, divide in spring as growth begins. Blooms:
early to mid summer. Deep green foliage. Feathery plumes of elegant, welll-branched spikes of white
flowers gently droop at the tips, lending a frothy look. May be fresh cut or dried. Flower stalks may be left
for winter interest or deadheaded to enhance look of foliage. Tolerates: rabbit, deer, heavy shade, black
walnut.
2. Astilbe x arendsii 'Spinell' – 1 pot – aka false spirea. Same as above, with differences as follows.
Height: 24-36”, Spread: 12-24”. Blooms: early to mid summer. Striking foliage emerges deep red in
spring, matures to reddish-green. Flowers are fine, narrow, carmine-red plumes with a triangular mass.
3. Dicentra spectabilis – 3 plants in one pot – aka common pink bleeding heart. Zones: 2-9. Perennial.
Part sun to full shade. Prefers moist, humusy, well-drained soils, protection from strong winds, ample
water in spring/early summer. Intolerant of wet soils in winter and dry soils in summer. Add sphagnum
peat moss to soil when planting. Mulch in summer to keep soil moisture at appropriate levels. Height: 30”,
Spread: 30”. Propagation: seed, root cuttings, or division in spring/late summer (use caution as roots are
brittle). Blooms: late spring/early summer. Rose pink, nodding, heart-shaped flowers with white inner
petals hanging in a row from long, arching, stems above the blue-green foliage. Foliage will go dormant
during dry conditions in summer, so plant through a loose ground cover, among later developing
perennials such as hostas and ferns, or summer annuals which will fill in as the bleeding heart foliage
begins to die back. Tolerates: rabbit, heavy shade. Toxicity: Repeated contact with sap may cause minor,
short-lived skin irritation. If eaten in large quantities, may cause trembling, staggering, vomiting,
diarrhea, convulsions, labored breathing. Has proved fatal to cattle. Toxic principle: several isoquinolone
alkaloids.
4. Dicentra spectabilis 'Alba' – 3 plants in one pot – aka white bleeding heart. The flowers are white,
otherwise the plant is similar to above.
5. Galium odoratum – 2 sm pots – aka sweet woodruff, our lady's lace, sweetscented bedstraw.
Zones: 4-8. Perennial, Herb, Groundcover. Part to full shade. Prefers moist, humusy, well-drained soils.
Height: 4” foliage, 6-12" in bloom, Spread: 24” or more. Propagation: crown division, separation of the
rooted stems, or digging up of the barely submerged perimeter stolons. Blooms: loose clusters of white
flowers in late May/early June. Spreads slowly by both creeping roots and self-seeding to form an
attractive mat-forming groundcover in moist, shady areas. Trails and fills in among other plants. Edge
plant to control the spread, if needed. Hot, dry conditions may induce summer dormancy, but it will
sometimes revive with a flush of new growth with the coolness of Autumn. Note: Historically used for
stuffing pillows/mattresses. Has had many medicinal, aromatic, and culinary uses, such as:
sachets/potpourris, perfumes, flavoring teas and cold fruit drinks, making May wine (a punch made from
white wine flavored with woodruff, orange and pineapple). Tolerates: heavy shade, black walnut.
6. Hosta ‘Golden Tiara’– 1 pot – aka plantain lily. Zones: 3-9. Perennial. Part sun to full shade. Moist,
humusy, well-drained soil. When planting, set the crown just below the soil surface. Height: 10-18”,
Spread: 12-18”. Propagation: division in early spring or fall. Blooms: July-August, lavender bell-shaped
flowers, without fragrance. The small, lightly wavy leaves are spear shaped with apple-green centers and
a yellow margin. Rapid grower, mound-like habit, makes a great groundcover. Attracts hummingbirds.
Tolerates: heavy shade, dry soil, black walnut. Toxicity: Ingestion by dogs, cats and horses may cause
vomiting and diarrhea. Toxic principle: saponins.
7. Alchemilla mollis – 1 pot – aka Lady's Mantle. Zones: 3-8. Perennial. Sun to shade, preferring
afternoon shade in hot summers else leaves may scorch. Easy to grow in average, well-drained soil;
requires more moisture when grown in sun. Height: 12-18”, Spread: 18-30”. Propagation: division of
clump in spring; may self-seed freely – dead-heading after bloom decreases seedlings and may promote
later bloom. Blooms: tiny, star-shaped, chartreuse flowers form in loose clusters on stalks above the
leaves, May-June; may be used in dried arrangements. The velvety, grayish-green and deeply-lobed
foliage forms a mound, adding texture to the landscape. The leaves tend to catch and hold dew and water
droplets, which then sparkle like tiny crystals in the sun. Note: In the Middle Ages, dew drops collected
from it's leaves were said to hold healing properties. In the 17 th century, the plant was used for medicinal
purposes. Use on border edges, in rock gardens, as ground-cover under trees. Tolerates: rabbit, deer.
8. Athyrium niponicum var. pictum – 1 sm pot – aka Japanese fern. Zones: 4-7. Perennial fern. Part
to full shade, moist organic soil. Does not tolerate dry. Height: 12-18”, Spread: 12-18”. Propagation:
spring or fall division, spores. Moderate growth rate, low maintenance. Soft metallic gray fronds suffused
with red, blue or aquamarine. Adds color to shade gardens. Tolerates: rabbit, heavy shade.
9. Heuchera micrantha ‘Purple Palace’ – 1 sm pot – aka purple palace coral bells. Zones: 3-9.
Perennial. Full sun to full shade, best color with some sun. Moist, well-drained soils. Height: 12”, Spread:
18”. Propagation: seeds, crown division. Divide every 3-4 years, discarding woody central portion,
replanting younger shoots with crowns well-covered in soil and mulch. Blooms: June, may rebloom if
deadheaded. Small, creamy bell-shaped flowers on tall, thin stalks create a wispy effect over the basal
clump of deep crimson-purple foliage which slowly bronzes through the summer. Good in borders, beds or
naturalized areas. Named after the 18th century German botanist Johann Heinrich von Heucher.
10. Polemonium reptans – 1 pot – aka Jacob’s Ladder, Greek valerian. Zones: 3-8. Perennial. Full sun
to part shade. Prefers moist, humusy, well-drained soil in part-shade. Height: 12-18”, Spread: 12-18”.
Propagation: self-seeds. Blooms: April-June, light blue bell-shaped flowers in loose clusters on sprawling
stems. Attractive to bees and butterflies. The pairs of opposite leaflets on the compound leaves were said
to resemble a series of steps on a ladder in a dream by the biblical Joseph, hence the common name.
Tolerates: deer.
11. Tanacetum parthenium 'Ultra Double White' (previously classified as Chrysanthemum
parthenium 'Ultra Double White') – several plants in 1 sm pot - aka white feverfew. Zones: 4-8. Biennial
or short-lived Perennial, Herb. Full sun to part shade, wide range of soils but prefers moist, humusy soils
with good drainage. Height: 1-3’, Spread: 1-2’. Propagation: seed, division. Self-seeds freely - deadhead
some flowers if need to decrease seedlings next season. Blooms: throughout summer, deadhead to
encourage more blooms, trim back if becomes shaggy. Small white button-like double flowers which can
be used as a filler flower in arrangements much as baby's breath is used. Aromatic, fern-like foliage.
Attracts butterflies. Species plants have been used in the past in the treatment of a variety of medical
problems including toothache, arthritis, headaches and fever. Tolerates: drought, deer, rabbit.
12. Mertensia Virginica – several plants in 1 sm pot - aka Virginia Bluebells. Zones: 3-9. Native
Perennial, woodland wildflower. Part shade to shade, prefers moist, cool, humusy soils with good
drainage. Height: 1-2’, Spread: 1-2’. Propagation: division in spring, self-seeds – cut back flowers after
bloom if need to decrease seedlings next season. Blooms: April-May, loose clusters of pendulous,
trumpet-shaped pink/purple/blue flowers. Smooth, oval foliage emerges as eggplant purple then turns
bluish-green. Plant goes dormant with foliage completely dying back by mid-summer – it will come back
next year, so mark it's place in your garden. May be overplanted with annuals or used in conjunction with
perennials such as ferns or hosta which will expand as the bluebells die back. Tolerates: black walnut,
rabbit.