Ornamental and flowering shrubs are usually thought of as sun-loving plants but these large, blooming plants all do well in part shade or full shade areas.
Abelia x grandiflora – Zones 5-9. Abelia shrubs tolerate part shade and are excellent landscape shrubs that can replace the more familiar boxwoods with ease. Abelia shrubs have attractive summer blooms and many forms have beautiful fall color. Shade tolerant and attractive, abelias are semi-evergreen shrubs in southern climate zones but may die back in zero degrees winter weather. Either way, abelias make attractive landscape shrubs and are nice for part shade foundation plantings.
Camellia japonica and C. sasanqua – Zone varies. Camellias bushes are the queens of the garden, giving evegreen color, beautiful flowers and an open growth habit that provides a pleasing backdrop for other perennials and annuals. Several hundred, even thousands of Camellia shrubs have been bred so gardeners have many flower colors and forms to choose from when adding color to their shade garden. See more about Camellia Shrubs and How to Grow Camellias.
Hydrangea macrophylla – Zones 5-11. Gorgeous ball-shaped clusters of flowers throughout the summer months and attractive winter seedheads make hydrangea shrubs a well-loved garden shrub for mixed borders, perennial beds and other garden situations. Hygrandea cultivars are available from 4-12' tall and with flowers in pink, blue, white or other colors making them a flexible choice for a part-shade garden spot. Hydrangea macrophylla is known as the “big leaf hydrangeas” and they provide large foliage and ornamental flowers in part shade to full shade gardens. See more about Growing Hydrangeas.
Kalmia latifolia – Zones 4-9. Mountain laurel shrubs are beautiful woodland native shrubs that do very well in part shade or dappled shade gardens. Broadleaf evergreen foliage and attractive late spring flowers are part of what this shade loving shrub has to offer a creative bed or border. Mountain Laurels are medium to large shrubs that grow anywhere from 5-15' tall and wide and make an ornamental evergreen backdrop for other perennials, shrubs and annuals. Mountain laurels need well-drained soil and do not perform well in clay soils but do well when given slightly acidic, well-drained and shady garden conditions.
Kerria japonica – Zones 4-9. A versatile shrub that only grows a few feet tall but spreads to 6' or more with dense, twiggy growth, Japanese kerrias are attractive year-round. These shrubs prefer afternoon sun but tolerate nearly full shade making them great choices for a shady border. Japanese kerrias are spring flowering shrubs and variegated forms are now available for season long beauty before the winter kills the foliage and just the architectural structure remains. Japanese kerria shrubs are ornamental flowering shrubs that prefer moderate to fertile soil and shady but well-drained areas.
Pieris japonica – Zones 5-8. Japanese pieris is a beautiful broadleaf evergreen shrub that grows well in sun to part shade borders. This ornamental shrub grows about 9-12' tall and produces beautiful, dangling flower clusters that give a weeping, drooping look to the garden. Like many woodland shrubs, the Japanese pieris grows best in slightly acidic soil with good drainage.
