Shade, whether outdoors or indoors, is often associated with the chilliest temperatures, persistent dampness, and a weighted atmosphere through winter. Inserting a little color and life into shady spots would undoubtedly create a more welcoming and warm air. When plants can thrive below a dense canopy, beneath north-facing eaves, or along a windowsill that rarely receives direct sun, they seem to defy their very nature! This is why the right selection of species can help one fight the gloominess of winter.
A reminder that life can thrive even in seemingly imperfect or challenging conditions, shade-loving plants are often hardy, versatile, and equipped with many adaptations. However, not all of them are able to survive through harsh winter temperatures and exposure to cool winds and frost. Many cold-tolerant, flowering perennials, for example, can tolerate subzero temperatures only if they are well-protected.
Pay attention to the temperature and frost tolerances of the plants below as these will indicate whether they would need to be overwintered in indoor shade. Species that can be left outdoors may favor either dry or damp shade and will generally require some form of insulation above their crown. Removing their spent blooms, yellowing foliage, or overgrown stems should help maintain their appearance and overall health through winter.
1) Hybrid Lenten rose (Helleborus x hybridus)
Now commonly grown in temperate gardens as an alternative to their parent species, Lenten rose hybrids are ideal for spots with some winter protection and partial to deep shade. In zones with mild winters, their evergreen shoots become dense with blooms toward the end of the season or in early spring. In USDA hardiness zones 5 and below, their shoots may die back. For their leaves to last through winter, they should not be weighed down by snow or exposed to temperatures below -20˚F (-29˚C).
Known as some of the most beautiful winter bloomers, hybrid Lenten roses produce nodding blooms with single or double layers of colorful, oftentimes speckled, sepals. These are borne on spikes that rapidly emerge from networks of rhizomes. The sepals, which enclose morphologically fascinating nectaries, can last for weeks and remain on their stalks even after successful pollination.
Perfect for shade gardens even in the absence of their cool-season blooms, the foliage of hybrid Lenten roses can serve as a stellar backdrop for low-growing spring perennials. These plants become well-established in fertile, well-draining substrates with slightly alkaline conditions. A heavy period of snowfall may cause their shoots to flatten, but you can count on their floral stalks to rise through melting snow.
2) Winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata)
Winter shade plants need not be covered in evergreen foliage to appeal to both visiting wildlife and plant enthusiasts. The winterberry holly, for example, is especially eye-catching during winter once it loses its foliage and is left with bright clusters of deep red berries. Naturally found in wetlands, this shrub is an important source of nutrients for wildlife. When cool temperatures, ice, and snow have caused many other fruiting plants to die back, its berries become targeted by native birds.
In the wild, the winterberry holly tends to form deciduous colonies; these are denser in wet areas as opposed to habitats with dry shade. Prior to falling off of their stems, the foliage of this species develops yellowish to orange hues in fall. Unlike those of the common holly (Ilex aquifolium), its leaf margins are less well-defined and serrated. These are complemented by whitish blooms, arising along the length of the stems, in early summer.
To ensure that your winterberry holly is able to produce its signature fruits, you’ll need to ensure that both male and female specimens are planted within close proximity to one another. This species is dioecious, so its male and female flowers are found on separate plants. Pollinators will need access to both for successful fertilization.
3) Siberian dogwood (Cornus alba)
A stunning deciduous shrub with year-round interest, the drought-resistant Siberian dogwood has captured the hearts of many gardeners with its deep red stems. These are most evident in winter, once all of the plant’s bright green or variegated foliage has fallen. The bare, young shoots are especially fiery, adding vivid color and multi-dimensional texture to the residential or rural landscape.
Though they thrive best when provided with full sun exposure, the reddish stems can easily proliferate and grow, albeit at a slower pace, in partial shade. To enhance their winter colors, it’s advisable to cut down older stems and make room for new ones. When snow settles on these young stems, starkly contrasting their hues, it gives them a particularly dramatic and unforgettable appearance.
Come spring, clusters of bright yellow blooms develop and add visual appeal to the stems, which become increasingly green to brown with time. The elliptical to ovate leaves appear in summer, just as pollinators fertilize the blooms. As this species’ popular cultivars (e.g. ‘Sibirica’, ‘Elegantissima’, ‘Aurea’) are able to tolerate a wide range of conditions, including wet to dry soils, many of them have received the RHS Award of Garden Merit.
4) Himalayan briar (Rubus biflorus)
Typically found in clearings and forest edges throughout its native range, the Himalayan briar has an appearance that changes per season. In spring and summer, it is generously coated in alternating leaves. Each of these is composed of multiple pairs of leaflets and a single palmate leaflet at the tip. Solitary, fragrant, and showy white blooms, attractive to butterflies and birds, typically appear in May. Once these are fertilized, they develop into edible, raspberry-like fruits.
The winter appearance of the Himalayan briar is perhaps its most visually interesting one. Once its leaves have fallen, they reveal markedly white and thorny branches. This deciduous shrub thrives best when its leaves are exposed to direct sun, but it can tolerate dappled shade as well. It should ideally be situated along the edges of a winter shade garden, particularly in south or west-facing zones that receive angled afternoon sunlight for a few hours each day.
A recipient of the RHS Award of Garden Merit, this member of the Rosaceae family can be grown in small clusters to create a stand of distinctly white winter branches. Hardy to USDA zones 5 – 9, it is usually pruned in late winter to make room for new stems.
5) Coral bells (Heuchera spp.)
Cultivated for their beautiful and hardy foliage, coral bells are some of the most versatile shade plants for year-round color. Able to survive in the cold winters of USDA zones 4 – 9, their leaves may maintain an evergreen or semi-evergreen habit. They may grow dormant in particularly harsh winters with prolonged frosts and several feet of snow. Nonetheless, those situated in milder climates can flourish through the cold if they are provided with ample protection and rapid drainage.
Well-established coral bells tend to bounce back each year even after being exposed to harsh winters. The trick to keeping their rosettes of leaves in good condition is ensuring that their roots do not have to suffer from wet or markedly chilly feet. It may be tempting to remove a specimen’s yellowing or dry outer foliage; these are minor consequences of snow and frost exposure. It is advisable to leave them be through winter, however, as they act as a natural sort of mulch around the crown of the plant.
Once spring has arrived, you may finally tidy up your winter-tolerant heucheras by cutting back weak-looking or decaying tufts of leaves. They should grow back with renewed vigor, adding an unrivaled element of liveliness to the shade garden. That being said, if you do find yourself bothered by some yellowing outer leaves in winter, you need not wait to cut them back. You may winterize them in the traditional way by protecting the shallow roots with actual mulch.
6) Common snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis)
The common snowdrop can produce its charming blooms as early as January. During this time, its bulbs send out floral stalks that may emerge through a light layer of snow. Beneath the protection of an overhead canopy or eave, the delicate white flowers can gently sway to welcome a light winter’s breeze. As suggested by this species’ common name, its immaculately white blooms look as fresh as drops of soft snow.
Now naturalized in many parts of North America, the common snowdrop often signals the onset of late winter. Wherever its dense stands occur, they can create spectacular low-growing mats that resemble carpets of snow. Of course, their bright green foliage gives them away and perhaps aids their pollinators as they search for the dangling blooms.
One G. nivalis variety that is known for producing blooms when few other plants are able to survive is ‘S. Arnott’. This recipient of the RHS Award of Garden Merit can begin to bloom in mid-winter provided its bulbs have access to partial shade and a sufficient concentration of nutrients in well-draining soil. Its bulbs can spread on their own to produce ever-widening mats year after year.
7) Plantain lilies (Hosta spp.)
Adored by horticulturists in temperate zones due to their tolerance for cool winters, their diversity of leaf textures and colors, and their overall hardiness, plantain lilies are fantastic shade plants. Their medium to large leaves can significantly brighten up dim spaces in the garden to create strikingly lush focal points. Many of their cultivars are truly some of the most rewarding perennials to cultivate due to their year-round interest. These should not be planted in direct sunlight as their leaves easily scorch.
Hardy to USDA zones 3 – 9, plantain lilies are long-lived and highly adaptable. In regions with mild winters, they are usually able to retain the majority of their foliage. Temperatures dipping to 2˚C (36˚F) should not harm the plant, but these will likely induce a period of dormancy during which the shoot stops growing. Unless prolonged and harsh frosts occur, the root system should have no problems absorbing the necessary nutrients for survival through winter.
Hostas planted directly into the ground are less vulnerable to cool temperatures than specimens in pots and containers. This is because their roots are less exposed to harsh winds and are provided with the insulating effect of deep earth. Potted hostas should be moved into a protected area through winter. Moreover, note that hostas planted late in the year may not be well-established once winter sets in. They should be out-planted earlier in the year to ensure that their roots have grown lengthy and robust by the end of fall.
8) Winter-blooming camellias (Camellia spp.)
Unless your winter shade garden has a few flowering camellias, it remains to be bereft of its full potential. These lively shrubs are tough, cold-hardy, and packed with alluring features (e.g. a lengthy bloom period). A close inspection of camellia blooms reveals layers of delicate petals and central tufts of frilly anthers. The flowers of some prized cultivars sport multiple shades of pink, peach, red, and white. During the drab days of mid-winter, they can singlehandedly maintain a garden’s subtle charm.
The cold-hardiest camellias, which typically bloom at the beginning or at the peak of winter, are cultivars of Camellia japonica and Camellia x williamsii. These thrive beneath the canopies of towering trees, which may afford them some protection from heavy snow and rain. Unsurprisingly, their frost-tolerant, evergreen foliage is quite leathery and stiff to the touch. These are able to make the most out of low-light conditions.
Winter-blooming camellias can be grown as hedge plants, small trees, and container plants. As they are incredibly versatile, resilient, and able to tolerate a wide range of conditions in USDA zones 7 – 9, dozens of cultivars have received the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Some of the best performers for mild winter nights – with temperatures averaging at 5˚C (41˚F) – include ‘Anticipation’, ‘Donation’, ‘Alba Plena’, and ‘Winter’s Snowman’.
