Made in the Shade
Annuals that thrive in shade - pansies, begonias, salvia, coleus, wishbone flower, and sweet alyssum - for color you can change every season.
Color without the commitment. If you like your landscape to change with the seasons, annual plants are the way to go. Annuals offer contrast against a backdrop of perennial plants - and used in combination, you can diversify the landscape at will without having to replace beds. They are also less expensive than perennials, so you get a big color show for very little money.
And if you think shade annuals stop at blue and purple, think again. There are annuals in bright reds, vibrant oranges, and sunny yellows. Here are the options we reach for to light up a shady landscape.
Pansies
An excellent option for cooler weather - they cannot take the heat, but they will weather an ice storm and come back strong. Partial shade is best, with an hour or two of morning or evening sun. In ideal conditions they grow up to 8 inches tall and bloom in rich colors from dark, saturated purples to brighter hues. They prefer well-drained soils.
Begonias
Best known for their pinkish-red flowers standing out against green leaves, begonias also come in white, pink, salmon, and bi-color varieties, plus a bronzed-leaf variety that is more sun-tolerant for part-sun, part-shade spots. Most grow 10 to 12 inches, with dwarf versions staying under 8.
Salvia
A very traditional plant, sometimes criticized as overused - but for good reason. Its tall, spiked shape and flowers in red, purple, orange, and cream earn the spot. Blend it in with other annuals as an accent rather than the main focal point, and as a member of the mint family, give it a few hours of sun a day.
Coleus
Also known as painted nettle, coleus does not flower, but its leaves add plenty of color to a shady area - deep purple to barely-there pink, with light and dark greens usually variegated on the same plant. The textured foliage is a bonus. It performs well in the heat but needs moist soil.
Wishbone flower
An often-overlooked shade annual (Torenia fournieri) with a long flowering season from early summer to late fall - snapdragon-like blooms of white, yellow, purple, and blue against bright green foliage. Low-maintenance, and it even attracts hummingbirds.
Sweet alyssum
A good groundcover for dry, shady areas, which challenge most plants. It stays low - 3 to 5 inches - with clusters of white or purple flowers, and it is hardy enough for an annual to withstand light frosts; in several regions it grows as a perennial.
Adapted from an article by Cindy Ratcliff, originally published in Total Landscape Care.
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