Plant color in the shade

Yes! It is possible to add color to those less-that-sunny areas of your garden.

At Mahoney’s, our vast annual selection includes many part-shade to shade tolerant varieties that work great in your planting beds or containers.

Technically, an annual is defined as a plant that has completed its life cycle–from seed to plant to bloom and back to seed again–in one season. (Biennials live two years and perennials generally come back year after year.)

However, for those of us who live in cooler climates, like here in the Northeast; an annual is a plant that will bring fantastic color to the garden, but will not live out its life cycle and will not withstand the cold New England winter.

Annuals that grow in 6 or more hours of sunlight are considered full sun tolerant, grown in 4 to 6 hours are part-shade, and 4 hours or less are considered shade tolerant. All of the annuals listed below are part-shade to shade tolerant, but to avoid disappointment it’s important to understand that no annual will grow in total shade.

Part Shade (4-6 hours of sunlight)

Diacia

Delicate flowers cover mounds of foliage on this vigorous annual. Works well in containers.

Lobelia

Small delicate flowers; some varieties have intense blue color; this annual is available either as a trailing or upright plant.

Torenia

Snapdragon-like pink, blue or white flowers on compact or trailing plants.

Salvia

Bold red, purple, orange or white spikes of color on upright plants.

Nicotiana

Loose clusters of red, pink, white or pale green flowers held above large leaves.

Snapdragons

Intricate flowers on long, terminal racemes; wide color range; upright plants;

Ageratum (Floss Flower)

Tight clusters of fluffy flowers; lavender-blue, white and occasionally rose; compact bedding or upright cutting varieties available; needs occasional deadheading to stay productive.

Sweet Alyssum

Rounded heads of tiny blooms; white, rose or purple; very fragrant; heavy feeder; cold tolerant.

Thunbergia (Black-eyed Susan Vine)

Showy yellow, orange or white flowers with dark centers;

Nasturtium

Large unique flowers on attractive foliage; orange, yellow, white or red; upright or trailing; plant where the soil is poor; fertile soil leads to lots of leaves and few flowers.

Nemesia

Fragrant, delicate, airy blooms cover these upright plants. Great for containers or window boxes.

Shade Tolerant (4 hours or less)

Begonia, Wax

An interesting combination of stiff, waxy leaves that can be green or shades of bronze with flowers of either pink, white or red; compact, upright plants.

Begonia, Tuberous

Very large individual flowers on upright or trailing plant with large fleshy leaves and stems; grown from a tuber; wide color range; very heavy feeder.

Browallia

Upright plant that offers medium-sized blue or white flowers; likes warm weather.

Impatiens

Queen of the Shade Plants! Wide range of flowers colors on a wide range of plant sizes; upright or spreading; regular impatiens tolerate more shade than New Guineas.

Coleus

Prized for its colorful foliage; leaves various patterns of red, green, bronze, pink and maroon; new varieties tolerate both sun and shade; not grown for flower (flower spikes usually removed).

Caladium

Huge green leaves with a tropical look, is a nice compliment to flowering plants.

Fuschia

Beautiful pink flowers. Attractive in window boxes, hanging baskets, or containers.  They can be trained into standard topiaries too.

Pansies & Violas

Flowers in a wide range of colors; pansies have larger blooms than violas; both bloom best early in the season when it is still cool; their greater numbers make up for the smaller blooms on violas.