Do you have a shady spot in your yard that is bare? Perhaps you have tried to spruce it up with flowers but they don't grow well? If you always thought that you couldn't have nice plantings in a shady area, you just haven't tried the right plants!

While many flowering plants do require sun to thrive, there are also many plants that thrive in the shade. When planning your shade garden you must pick the right plants. If you try to stuff in annuals or perennials that require sun you will only be disappointed but if you read up on your plants then you will be able to find many varieties that will look great and thrive in your shady spot.

Some shade loving plants are the most beautiful with delicate and fragrant flowers like the lily of the valley. There's also a good variety of green plants that love shade so you can plan out a diverse and beautiful garden for your shady area. Shade gardens can be as nice as any garden and are certainly a much more pleasant place to sit and relax on a hot summer day.

Some great shade loving plants are listed below.

Lily Of The valley - This dainty plant grows to only about 6" tall and produces white flowers shaped like little bells. It gives off a lovely fragrance and can be a beautiful woodsy ground cover.

Astibe - This plant produces clumps of fluffy flower spikes and comes in a large variety of colors. These plants look best when planted in clumps. Different varieties grow to differing heights from 20" to 40" tall.

Ostrich Fern - This fern adds a great look to your garden and produces giant feathery leaves. It can give your garden a great tropical look and grows to about 50".

Variegated Solomon Seal - This leafy plant is a great addition to any shade garden and grow to about 20" tall. It has yellow rimmed leaves and produces small white flowers in spring and dark blue berries in fall.

Foxglove - These impressive flowers can grow up to 5 feet tall and have large spikes filled with bell shaped flowers. Comes in a variety of colors

Virginia Blue Bells - Lavender bell shaped clusters adorn this very hardy and easy to grow plant. Grows to around 2 feet tall.

Some great ground covers that like shade include ajuga, pachysandra, sweet woodruff, lamium and wild ginger.

To find shade plants for your garden, you can search through catalogs and look specifically for flowers and plants that like shade. Make sure that you search in your zone for plants that are compatible with your climate. Visit your local garden center and talk to the people there about which shade plants are good for your area.