Deborah Niemann of The Thrifty Homesteader reports having 100% success with growing hostas, which are known for being an easy to grow, shade-loving plant that comes back year-after-year.
With bright pink buds that bloom into blue bell-shaped flowers, Virginia bluebell is a charming woodland plant that attracts pollinators from March to May.
The dainty, star-like flowers of woodland phlox form a carpet of blooms across shade gardens in April and May. This groundcover plant is native to much of North America and, as the name would suggest, thrives in the partial shade and dappled sunlight of wooded areas.
Tall, abundant stems filled with tubular, speckled blooms give foxglove its easily identifiable appearance that feels like it belongs in an overflowing English cottage garden.
One of many ornamental grasses, tufted hairgrass grows particularly well in shady areas. With cloud-like tufts that grow two to three feet tall, this grass adds both height and textured interest to a shade garden, rising high above many of the ground-loving plants.
The delicate, airy columbine flower is a favorite of hummingbirds and bees, making it a perfect choice for a pollinator garden.
If you have a large shady space to fill, periwinkle vines will quickly creep throughout your garden. It comes back year after year with its charming five-pointed blooms in cool shades of purple, white, lavender, and blue.
Hellebores, also known as the Christmas Rose or Lenten Rose, have flowers with a delicate, tissue-paper like appearance in soft shades of pink, maroon, purple, and even black.