Why Shade Plants Are Perfect for Your New Patio

A patio is a wonderful addition to any home. It can extend your livable indoor space into the outdoors and can give you a fantastic place to spend your evenings or to party with friends. However, it can be difficult to figure out how to decorate your space if it’s covered. That’s why we’ve taken the time to make this short list of our favorite shade plants. 

 

Grasses and Vines

Not all shade plants are going to be those that are planted in pots. Some plants are those that you may want to plant around the perimeters of your patio but that may still be in shade. Japanese forest grass, or hakonechloa, is a low grass that stays short and that does well in partial shade. This type of grass is great for bordering your patio and for making your backyard look like an oasis. Another great plant is dead nettle. This is a low vine that does great in low light and that spreads easily and has lovely purple, red, pink, or white blooms alongside silver like leaves.

 

Flowers

Another great option is flowers that can either be planted in the area around your patio or in pots that you can move around the patio as needed. Foxglove is a great plant that looks similar to a gladiola but that does great in shade. They are biennial so they will only bloom in their second year before they die. They come in a range of colors and can reseed each year even though they are typically biennial which means you may not have to replant and often they come back every year.

Primrose is another great plant to choose from. They are easy to grow, love moist soil, and have over 425 species to choose from. They come in a range of colors as well as a range of sizes from 3 inch to 4 foot plants. These can be added to a great number of places and are great for gardens that need a bit of lively color.

 

Potted Plants

Another option that you may want to consider is plants that are easy to pot. Ferns are a great example of plants that do well when potted and that also do well in shade. These plants typically grow under other trees low to the forest floor which means they like dim light and moist soil. These are great for patios that have little light but that want to add some great foliage. Since these work well in pots, you can also move them around the patio as needed so that you can get the look you want without having to have a ton of different plants.

Bleeding hearts are another plant that does well in pots or baskets. These do hang down so they are beautiful in hanging planters scattered around the patio. They are an easy to grow plant and do look like bleeding hearts if you want something that is beautiful and unique.

You could even start a little herb or vegetable garden! Be careful with this though- some of these plants need more shade/ sunlight than others, so you may need to move the pots around a bit.

 

Other Shade Plants

Hostas are another plant that does great in shade. These plants have either white or purple flowering stalks with large, green or variegated leaves. These plants do spread and get quite large and are great for landscaping in areas where light is not all that prevalent. They are hearty lasting and come back each and every year. If you are looking for an easy and low maintenance plant, a hosta is a great choice.

Monkey grass is another great option as are some varieties of lily. These are all plants that are going to do well in low light so they are perfect for patios. Your patio is a great addition to your home and the right plants you can make it an extension of your indoor space.

 

Starting from scratch? Check out our product gallery to get some inspiration or contact us at Mesa Awning to see if a shade structure would be the right addition for your space.