Do you want flowers in your yard, but fear your ground cover gets too much shade from nearby trees and houses? All plants need some sunlight to grow, but there are several varieties of annuals and perennials that can thrive in the shade.
The Difference Between Annual Plants and Perennial Plants
Perennials are plants that bloom twice per year, and go dormant in between the active periods. They’re typically inactive in the winter and summer, as these are the seasons with the most extreme temperatures. Perennials tend to be more expensive due to their longevity.
Annual plants, or annuals, tend to bloom in the spring and summer months, and go dormant late in the season. They typically offer bright, vibrant blossoms, though they’re only active for a few months out of the year. They’re less expensive than perennials, but they require more work to ensure they stay healthy enough to return from dormancy.
Here is some additional information about the difference between annual and perennial plants.
Here are some great choices to consider:
- Begonia – This is an annual plant with dense, wrinkled, rough leaves and dark maroon and green petals.
- Impatiens – This annual can accent your shade gardens with bright red, pink and white flowers.
- Forget-Me-Not – This is an annual with a beautiful tiny blue flowers that bloom well in damp surroundings.
- Monkey-Flower – A native North American wildflower, it blossoms in a dotted, multicolor pattern that often resembles the face of a monkey.
- Lobelia – Also an annual, this plant can grow anywhere. It’s available in many colors such as red, pink, violet, and blue.
- Plumeria – This is perennial flower with beautiful silvery leaves. The leaves are long and narrow, with white, pink, or blue petals.
- Primula – This annual is easy to plant and grow. It thrives well in thorough shade with moist soil, and raindbow of colors.
- Astilbe – Best known for its array of colors, this perennial can be found with bronze, blue-green, pale green, dark green, and wine-red petals.
- Tiarella Cordifolia – This is a clump-forming perennial that grows quickly even in full shade. Its flowers are typically white or pale pink.
- Creeping Myrtle – This creeping ground cover is unique to the rest in the list, as it is classed as an evergreen rather than an annual or perennial plant. As a flowering ivy, it offers your yard a bed of small leaves and soft blue flowers.
Conclusion
In addition to enhancing your own yard, both annual and perennial flowers make lovely gift for your garden-loving friends. They are easy to care for, and they add a wonderful splash of color to the shaded areas of your lawn. For more ideas on how to landscape your flower garden, check out these helpful ideas!
