Shade-Loving Plants Perfect for Ontario Backyards
As an Ontario homeowner, you've likely faced the common gardening dilemma: what to do with a shady yard. While sun-drenched gardens often steal the spotlight, those elusive shady spots can be transformed into serene, verdant retreats with the right plant choices. Far from being a limitation, shade offers a unique opportunity to cultivate a landscape rich in texture, interesting foliage, and subtle beauty.
This guide from Gauld Nurseries will help you navigate the world of shade gardening, providing you with the expertise to turn those challenging dark corners into your garden's most captivating features.
Gauld Nurseries is your go-to destination for evergreens, fruit trees, and deciduous trees.
Let us help you lay the groundwork for a beautiful and functional Ontario backyard.
Key Takeaways
Identify Your Shade: Determine if you have full, partial, or dappled shade to select the most appropriate plants.
Focus on Foliage: Shade gardens excel when you prioritize the texture, shape, and colour of leaves (e.g., Hostas and Coral Bells).
Amend the Soil: Incorporate plenty of organic matter (compost/leaf mould) to counteract dry, root-bound soil common under trees.
Water Smartly: Pay attention to the "rain shadow" under dense trees, as plants there will need regular supplemental watering.
Use Annuals for Punch: Utilize Impatiens to provide consistent, bright colour from spring through fall in deep shade areas.
1. Understanding Your Shade: Identifying Levels
Before you start planting, it's crucial to understand the different types of shade in your backyard. This will help you select plants that will truly thrive.
Full Shade: Areas that receive less than 3 hours of direct sunlight per day, often blocked by buildings, fences, or dense tree canopies. These spots are consistently dim.
Partial Shade/Part-Sun: These terms are often used interchangeably. They describe areas that get 3-6 hours of direct sun, usually in the morning, or dappled sun throughout the day.
Dappled Shade: Often found under deciduous trees, this is a filtered light that shifts and moves as the sun passes through the leaves. It's similar to partial shade but generally gentler.
Spend a day observing your yard, noting where and when the sun hits different areas. This firsthand insight is invaluable!
2. Top Shade-Loving Plants for Ontario Backyards
Here are some of our top recommendations, all well-suited to Ontario's climate and readily available at Gauld Nurseries:
Hostas
Why we love them: The undisputed kings and queens of the shade garden! Hostas come in an astonishing array of sizes, shapes, and colours, from tiny miniatures to massive architectural specimens. Their foliage can be blue, green, gold, variegated, smooth, textured, or ruffled. They also produce lovely lavender or white flowers on tall scapes in summer.
Care Tip: While generally low-maintenance, watch out for slugs and snails, especially in moist conditions. A little grit or diatomaceous earth around the base can help.
Ferns
Why we love them: Ferns bring an unparalleled elegance and delicate texture to shady spots. From the stately Ostrich Fern that can naturalize beautifully to the vibrant, coppery-red fronds of the Lady Fern 'Frizelliae', there's a fern for every shade garden. Many are native to Ontario, like the Maidenhair Fern, making them excellent ecological choices.
Care Tip: Most ferns prefer consistently moist soil and thrive in humid conditions. Avoid letting them dry out completely.
Astilbes
Why we love them: When you want to introduce vibrant colour and movement into a shady border, Astilbes are the perfect choice. Also known as False Spirea, they produce airy, plume-like flowers in shades of pink, red, lavender, and white that rise above attractive, fern-like foliage. They are particularly effective when planted in large drifts.
Care Tip: Astilbes absolutely need moist soil. If you have a spot that stays damp but drains reasonably well, they will be happiest. They tolerate full shade but often bloom best with a few hours of morning sun.
Coral Bells (Heuchera)
Why we love them: Coral Bells have exploded in popularity due to incredible breeding that has resulted in foliage that ranges from lime green and caramel to deep purple and nearly black. They offer year-round colour and texture to the garden. While they do produce small, delicate flowers, their main appeal is their mounding, evergreen-like foliage.
Care Tip: Coral Bells can sometimes "heave" out of the ground during winter freeze-thaw cycles. In early spring, simply press them back down and mulch around the base to protect the crown.
Bleeding Hearts
Why we love them: These are a spring-blooming favourite that announce the end of winter with their signature heart-shaped pink or white flowers. They thrive in the cool, moist conditions of early spring before the tree canopies fully leaf out.
Care Tip: Be aware that the classic Bleeding Heart is ephemeral—meaning the foliage often dies back and disappears completely by mid-summer as the weather gets hot and dry. Plant them alongside later-emerging plants like Hostas to fill the resulting gap.
Foamflower
Why we love them: This native Ontario plant is a wonderful groundcover for deep shade. It produces fuzzy, heart-shaped leaves and delicate spires of white, foamy flowers in spring. It spreads gently by runners, creating a beautiful, lush carpet under trees.
Care Tip: This plant is incredibly low-maintenance once established and is a fantastic alternative to non-native groundcovers. It prefers rich, humusy soil.
Impatiens (New Guinea and Classic)
Why we love them: While perennials are the backbone of the shade garden, Annual Impatiens are essential for providing season-long, high-impact colour. New Guinea Impatiens tolerate a bit more light, while the classic varieties (especially the mildew-resistant types) are perfect for lighting up the darkest corners with their vibrant blooms.
Care Tip: Impatiens are heavy drinkers. Keep them consistently watered, especially in container plantings.
Rhododendrons & Azaleas
Why we love them: For homeowners looking for woody plants, these shrubs deliver a spectacular blast of spring colour. They provide structure and evergreen interest (depending on the variety) while thriving under the canopy of taller trees.
Care Tip: Rhododendrons and Azaleas are acid-lovers. Ensure your soil is slightly acidic, and amend it annually with pine needles, peat moss, or specialized acidic fertilizer. They also require excellent drainage.
3. Practical Care Tips for Shade Gardens
Prioritize Soil Health: Shady areas often have less-than-ideal soil, sometimes dry and root-bound from mature trees. Amend the soil heavily with organic matter (like compost or leaf mould) before planting to improve water retention and nutrient levels.
Watering in the "Rain Shadow": Be mindful of the "rain shadow"—the area directly under dense tree canopies where rain often doesn't penetrate. Plants here will need more hand-watering than those in open shade.
Mulch is Key: Apply a 2–3 inch layer of shredded bark or composted mulch. This helps suppress weeds, keeps the shallow roots of shade plants cool, and holds vital moisture.
4. Seasonal Advice for Year-Round Beauty
Spring: This is the best time to see the show of ephemeral plants (like Bleeding Hearts and Spring Ephemerals). Use this time to plant new stock and clean up winter debris.
Summer: The focus shifts to foliage! Enjoy the lush textures of Hostas and Ferns. Ensure deep watering during dry spells.
Autumn: Many shade perennials, like Astilbes, offer attractive seed heads and bronze/gold fall colour. Leave some perennials standing to provide winter interest and protection for the plant crowns.
Winter: Check that any newly planted material is well-mulched to protect it from frost heave. The evergreens (Heuchera and some Rhododendrons) will provide much-needed colour.
With the right knowledge and plant choices, your shady backyard can transition from being a challenge to being the most rewarding part of your landscape.
By focusing on the incredible diversity of foliage that shade-loving plants offer, and by providing them with rich, moist soil, you can cultivate a beautiful, low-maintenance garden that provides cool refuge and year-round texture right here in Ontario.
Discover Your Shade Oasis at Gauld Nurseries
Don't let a shady yard frustrate your gardening dreams. By embracing the unique conditions and selecting the right plants, you can create a beautiful, restful oasis.
At Gauld Nurseries, we’ve been helping Niagara homeowners grow thriving gardens and landscapes for over 75 years.
Locally grown trees selected for Niagara’s soil and climate
Reliable performance in both decorative and structural plantings
Expert guidance to ensure your new tree complements your flowerbeds
Come visit us today and let us help you transform your challenging shade into a stunning garden feature!
Contact us now or stop by the nursery to get your project off to a strong start.
“Love the selection of not only the plants, but the statuary as well! The staff is wonderful. They were so helpful as to what to plant where. One of the perennials died and they were kind enough to replace it! Love this place! I am so grateful you are here. Thank you!”
