Main page

Setting up a wildlife garden

Plants for butterflies

Plants for bees

Plants for hummingbirds

Plants for birds

Plant map

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Main page

Setting up a wildlife garden

Plants for butterflies

Plants for bees

Plants for hummingbirds

Plants for birds

Plant map

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Main page

Setting up a wildlife garden

Plants for butterflies

Plants for bees

Plants for hummingbirds

Plants for birds

Plant map

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Main page

Setting up a wildlife garden

Plants for butterflies

Plants for bees

Plants for hummingbirds

Plants for birds

Plant map

 

 

Gardening in the shade to attract wildlife

It is true that you simply do not get the density of wildlife in a shade garden. With less sunshine, there is less food production and that affects all the animals up the food chain. However, beautiful and floriferous shade gardens are easily achieved and you can still attract a decent amount of wildlife. I would also say that if aesthetics are important to you, then you should place greater emphasis on leaf textures in shade gardens because the leaves in shady areas do not get burnt by the sun and look better.

A great way to landscape a shady area is to replicate a woodland garden. Many plants in our native woodlands have, in addition to great foliage, stunning flowers and berries. They include a lot of ephemeral plants which require light in early spring before trees leaf out, but which will completely disappear on you by July. Unless you really enjoy looking at bare patches for most of the summer, it is best to mix ephemerals that flower early with plants that remain in leaf over the whole growing season.

Many woodland plants flower early because that is the period when they can photosynthesise and gain enough energy to produce seed or fruit. The plants that are more shade tolerant are those that remain in leaf for most of the season. Even so, up to 80% of carbon accumulation in shade plants occurs before the flushing date when trees leaf out.

  Blue Cohosh emerging  
  Blue Cohosh is one of the most beautiful emerging plants.  

With less emphasis of flowering perennials in a shade garden, more thought can be given to a diversity of plants that includes small trees, shrubs, ferns and sedges. Most grasses cannot handle shade, so take a look at sedges instead as these plants often have excellent value for wildlife.

The seasons to focus on in a shady garden are spring and fall. In the spring, you have shrubs that flower as well as woodland flowers. In the fall there are the asters and goldenrods that can add some flower power. By the fall, many woodland plants form berries that can add colour to this landscape.

Here is list of plants that can be grown for wildlife in the shade or in part-shade.

Name Notes
Actaea rubra (Red baneberry) native Both Red Baneberry and the closely related Doll's Eyes produce pollen that may be used by bees to some extent. The fruit are eaten by various birds.
Agastache nepetoides and Agastache scrophularia native Yellow Giant Hyssop can easily grow with just a couple of hours of sun each day while Agastache scrophularia requires part-sun. There are not too many woodland plants that flower in August that are so attractive to bees.
Allium tricoccum and A. burdickii native The plant is somewhat ephemeral. The foliage is only present in spring and the inflorescence emerges in the summer. It needs plenty of light in spring.
Aquilegia (Columbine)native It does well in a range of conditions. Canadian Columbine is pollinated by hummingbirds.
  Actaea rubra berries  
  For some plants, such as Red Baneberry, it is the berries that provide the most notable attraction.  
Asarum canadense native A plant that is grown only for its foliage. It needs drainage. It does not look great if given too much exposure to direct sunlight.
Aster sp. native Aster cordifolius, divaricatus and macrophylus all do well in dry shady conditions.
Blephilia ciliata (Downy wood mint) native Does well in dry part shade conditions and attracts bees.
Caltha palustris native Needs rich moist soils. Has noticeable flowers.
Carex sp. native There are lots of sedges that grow quite well in shade and they support a lot of wildlife.
Chelone glabra native Does well in moist soils and attracts bumblebees. It is a host plant of the Baltimore checkerspot.
  Adiantum pedatum  
  Although the wildlife value is low, ferns are a great addition to the shady wildlife garden. Here is the stunning foliage of the Maidenhair fern. They really help to fill in spaces left by ephemerals.  
Cimicifuga sp. native Does well in moist soils and takes a few years to get going. It is attractive to bees. Part-shade needed to flower. These plants are now included in the genus Actaea.
Clethra alnifolia (Summersweet) native Grows well in part shade with moist soil. The flowers are quite fragrant and attract bees.
Cornus canadensisnative Does well in moist acid soils. Grows in full shade. They attract birds with their berries.
Dicentra sp.native These species generally need moist soils and will grow in full shade of a tree canopy; however, they need a lot of light in the period before trees leaf out as is typical of ephemerals.
Eupatorium sp. native Most species tolerate part-shade and do well in moist soils. Eupatorium rugosum tolerates dry shade and is one of the last plants to flower. They attract bees and butterflies.
Fragaria sp. native Wild strawberries are fantastic wildlife plants. They will tolerate full shade and feed both insects and birds. They spread rampantly and are good ground covers. Fragaria vesca is particularly shade tolerant.
  Hydrastis leaves  
  The foliage of Hydrophyllum  
Gaultheria procumbens (Wintergreen)native This plant will handle dry shade and feed the birds with its berries.
Geranium maculatum native A spring plant that can handle quite a bit of shade and drier conditions.
Heucheura sp. native The species commonly available in nurseries is not native to Canada. It tolerates dry shade and attracts hummingbirds. However, H. richardsonnii and a few others are native.
Helianthus sp. (Sunflower) native Helianthus strumosus and Helianthus divaricatus are both perennials that grow well in part-shade or on the north side of buildings.
Heliopsis sp. native Grows well in part-shade and has a long bloom. It attracts bees and butterflies.
  The foliage of Hepatica  
  The beautiful patterned leaves of Hepatica acutiloba  
Hepatica acutiloba native The leaves are almost evergreen and make a great groundcover; has bright flowers as well.
Hydrangea quercifolia This hydrangea, native only to the south eastern United States grows 6 feet high in dappled shade and moist soil. Its inflorescences attract native bees in early summer.
Hydrophyllum sp. native Appreciated by bumblebees. The foliage lasts into July.
Impatiens capensis native Jewel weed grows in moist soils in lightly shaded areas. It is pollinated by hummingbirds. The seed pods are fun for kids.
Lobelia sp. native They flower well in part-shade and in moist soils. They attract hummingbirds.
Mertensia virginica native Prefer moist soils and tolerate drier soils while dormant. They attract bees and hummingbirds. They grow in full shade but need sunlight before the trees leaf out.
Mitchella repens native Partridgeberries grow in dry shade and attract birds.
Monarda didymanative Prefers moist soils and grows well in part-shade.
Parthenocissus quinquefolianative

Virginia Creeper is a vine that grows quite well in the shade and provides fruit for birds. It is also a host plant for several species of sphinx moths. Do not plant Boston Ivy which is a member of the same genus.

Phlox divaricata native Woodland phlox flowers in late spring and grows in moist well drained soil. It provides nectar to insects with long tongues. These include butterflies and some of the larger bees.
Rubus odoratus native(Flowering Raspberry) This shrub grows up to 9 feet. The foliage is quite dense so it provides good cover for birds and also food.
  Bloodroot  
  Bloodroot has distinctive leaves and a fantastic flower.  
Sanguinaria canadensis native An excellent woodland garden species that will surprise with their magnificent flowers.
Scrophularia marilandica (Late figwort) native There are not too many mid-summer shade plants that can attract pollinators. Here is one.
Smilacina sp. native A woodland plant that grows in full shade and moist soils. It attracts birds with its fruit.
Solidago sp. native Solidago caesia (Blue-stemmed goldenrod) grows well in dry shade and Solidago flexicaulis (Zig-Zag goldenrod) grows well in moist soils with some dryness tolerated. They both attract a wide variety of insects.
Spigelia marilandica native Grows in full shade in medium moisture. It attracts hummingbirds.
  Woodland poppy  
  Woodland poppy has large spring flowers  
Stylophorum diphyllum native A stunning spring and woodland plant. Part sun is best.
Symphoricarpos albus native The snowberry is an adaptable small shrub with distinctive white berries that feed birds and show off in winter.
Trillium sp. native Does well with some sunlight coming through the trees and it grows well in more open shady places. Likes well drained soil that is fairly moist. It tolerates more shade than other spring flowering plants.
Viola sp. native Woodland violets tolerate part shade and are host plants for fritillaries.
  Great White Trillium  
  Great White Trillium is the provincial flower of Ontario