Great Shrubs for Shady Gardens in New England
Regional Gardening, Best Shrubs, New England Gardening
Shade gardens can appear like a planting challenge for some gardeners. They might not be aware of the wide variety of gorgeous shade-loving plants that will thrive in filtered light or deep shade.
How to define shade? Generally speaking, a full shade garden receives less than 2 hours of light per day. A part shade garden receives between 2 and 6 hours of sunlight and is shaded for the rest of the day.
Below is the list of shrub species and cultivars that are shade tolerant and will add beautiful color in the shady corners of your garden. As you will note, some are top performers and have received prestigious awards.
When choosing plants, remember to pay attention to their foliage in order to create combinations of long-lasting appeal. While most shrubs produce flowers, paying particular attention to their foliage will ensure a planting that is attractive all season.
Shrubs for Shady Gardens in New England
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Bearberry)
Extremely winter hardy, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Bearberry) is a slow-growing, creeping, evergreen shrub with trailing red stems studded with small, leathery, glossy, obovate, dark green leaves, up to 1 in. long (2.5 cm). The foliage turns red or purple in winter before becoming green again in spring. Pretty clusters of lantern-shaped, white-to-pink flowers hang gracefully from the short red stems in mid to late spring. They last several weeks and are followed by edible, smooth, and glossy berries which ripen to bright red in the fall.
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My CollectionHardiness | 2 - 6 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Early,Mid,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall Winter |
Height | 6" - 1' (15cm - 30cm) |
Spread | 3' - 6' (90cm - 180cm) |
Aronia arbutifolia 'Brilliantissima' (Red Chokeberry)
Noted for its attractive glossy red berries and excellent red fall foliage color, Aronia arbutifolia 'Brilliantissima' (Red Chokeberry) is a deciduous shrub adding multi-season beauty to the garden. In spring, a profusion of white to light pink flower clusters appear along the branches. They are followed in late summer by abundant clusters of edible red berries that persist throughout fall and well into winter.
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My CollectionHardiness | 4 - 9 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Mid,Late) Fall Winter |
Height | 6' - 10' (180cm - 3m) |
Spread | 3' - 5' (90cm - 150cm) |
Buxus sempervirens 'Suffruticosa' (Boxwood)
Compact, Buxus sempervirens 'Suffruticosa' (Boxwood) is a small, slow-growing, broadleaf evergreen shrub with a soft and lush foliage of ovate, fairly glossy leaves, up to 1 in. long (2 cm). Tough, hardy and easy to grow, this dwarf Boxwood provides color year-round, as well as form, texture and contrast to its companion plants.
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My CollectionHardiness | 5 - 8 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun , Shade |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Early,Mid,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall Winter |
Height | 2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm) |
Spread | 2' - 4' (60cm - 120cm) |
Calycanthus floridus 'Michael Lindsey' (Carolina Allspice)
Valued for the sweet, fruity fragrance of its flowers, Calycanthus floridus 'Michael Lindsey' (Carolina Allspice) is a compact, dense, rounded, well-branched deciduous shrub that is regarded as one of the best cultivars of Carolina Allspices. Exceptionally fragrant, with scents of fruit and spice, reddish-brown flowers, 2 in. wide (5 cm), somewhat resembling magnolia blossoms, are produced in abundance at the ends of short branchlets in late spring - early summer before giving way to urn-shaped fruits which mature to brown in fall and persist throughout the winter. The lustrous foliage of dark green oval leaves, with gracefully and elegantly pointed tips and lighter gray-green underside, consistently turns an attractive golden-yellow in fall.
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My CollectionHardiness | 5 - 9 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Late) Summer (Early,Late) Fall |
Height | 6' - 10' (180cm - 3m) |
Spread | 6' - 10' (180cm - 3m) |
Camellia sasanqua 'Jean May'
Popular around the world, award-winning Camellia sasanqua 'Jean May' is incredibly beautiful with its profuse, semi-double, or double, shell-pink flowers with deeper shades of pink towards the center and many gold stamens. Slightly fragrant, the blooms, up to 3-5 in. wide (7-12 cm), are produced over a fairly long period in the early season (October - January in the Northern Hemisphere; March - June in the Southern Hemisphere). They are borne in such abundance that 'Jean May' in full bloom becomes one of the glories of the winter garden. The evergreen foliage of glossy, elliptical, dark green leaves with toothed margins makes this camellia a perfect candidate for espalier, flowering hedge or screen, border shrub, or container planting.
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My CollectionHardiness | 7 - 9 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun , Shade |
Season of Interest |
Fall Winter |
Height | 6' - 10' (180cm - 3m) |
Spread | 6' - 10' (180cm - 3m) |
Cornus sericea (Red Osier Dogwood)
Adding a pop of vibrant color in the snowy, dull months of winter, Cornus sericea (Red Osier Dogwood) is a medium-sized ornamental shrub with an incredible appeal. Rapidly growing, and adaptable to most soils including wet soils, it features spectacular decorative features: stunning fall color, attractive berries, vibrant red or golden stems, and sometimes lovely variegated summer foliage. A spectacular addition in the garden for most seasons, Red Osier Dogwood certainly adds a WOW! to a winter landscape.
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My CollectionHardiness | 3 - 8 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun , Shade |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Early,Mid,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall Winter |
Height | 6' - 9' (180cm - 270cm) |
Spread | 8' - 12' (240cm - 3.6m) |
Enkianthus campanulatus (Redvein Enkianthus)
Enkianthus campanulatus (Redvein Enkianthus) is a handsome, upright, bushy shrub with spectacular fall color and attractive clusters of nodding, bell-shaped, red-veined, creamy-yellow to whitish-pink flowers from late spring to mid-summer. Its elliptic, blue-green leaves are crowded in clusters at the branch tips and turn magnificent shades of orange and red in fall. Generally pest and disease free.
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My CollectionHardiness | 5 - 8 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Late) Summer (Early,Mid) Fall |
Height | 6' - 10' (180cm - 3m) |
Spread | 4' - 6' (120cm - 180cm) |
Hydrangea macrophylla 'Madame Emile Mouillere'
Bred in France over 100 years ago, award-winning Hydrangea 'Madame Emile Mouillere' (Hydrangea macrophylla) is a heavy-flowering shrub which bears rounded clusters of white sterile florets and serrated sepals turning to pink in the sun. Blooming for months from summer to fall in hardiness zones 5-9, it provides additional interest in the fall when its dark green foliage, with serrate leaves, slowly turns orange or red.
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My CollectionHardiness | 5 - 9 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall |
Height | 5' - 6' (150cm - 180cm) |
Spread | 6' - 8' (180cm - 240cm) |
Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight'
Incredibly popular, Hydrangea paniculata 'Limelight' is a robust, upright, and spreading deciduous shrub boasting huge, luxuriant conical flowers, up to 6-12 in. long (15-30 cm). Held upright on sturdy stems, they are well distributed, making a very attractive plant and display. As an added bonus, they change color as they mature, gradually turning from lime-green to creamy white in late summer to a rich, deep pink before finally fading to beige in fall. As the flower show fades, the oval, dark green leaves turn to lovely shades of red for a breathtaking autumn display. Persisting well into winter, the panicles provide additional winter interest.
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My CollectionHardiness | 4 - 8 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Summer (Late) Fall |
Height | 6' - 8' (180cm - 240cm) |
Spread | 6' - 8' (180cm - 240cm) |
Kerria japonica 'Pleniflora' (Japanese Kerria)
Noted for its green winter stems and yellow spring flowers, Kerria japonica 'Pleniflora' (Japanese Kerria) is a vigorous suckering deciduous shrub of great beauty. In spring, it gets covered with bright yellow, pom-pom-like flowers, 2 in. across (5 cm). Borne on slender, arching stems, the blossoms resemble small roses. The foliage of prominently veined, narrow, light green leaves unfolds in the spring. It turns yellow in the fall, before falling to the ground, revealing attractive, bright green, winter stems. Highly popular, Kerria japonica 'Pleniflora' is a tough, but graceful flowering shrub that is pleasant in every season.
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My CollectionHardiness | 4 - 9 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun , Shade |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Mid,Late) Fall Winter |
Height | 8' - 10' (240cm - 3m) |
Spread | 8' - 10' (240cm - 3m) |
Mahonia aquifolium (Oregon Grape Holly)
Adding color and splendor to the shade garden, Mahonia aquifolium (Oregon Grape Holly) is a striking evergreen shrub with multi-season interest. In spring, racemes of cheerful, bright golden-yellow flowers appear just above the leaves. Lightly fragrant, they attract pollinators before giving way to clusters of dark blue-purple, edible berries in late summer. Resembling small grapes, they attract birds and wildlife. They may be eaten fresh off the plant and make excellent jellies. The lustrous evergreen foliage of holly-like, leathery leaves, emerges bronze-red in spring, matures to glossy dark green by summer before turning deep burgundy in fall. This small ornamental shrub is the State Flower of Oregon.
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My CollectionHardiness | 5 - 8 |
---|---|
Exposure | Partial Sun , Shade |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Mid,Late) Summer (Late) Fall Winter |
Height | 3' - 6' (90cm - 180cm) |
Spread | 2' - 5' (60cm - 150cm) |
Prunus lusitanica (Portugal Laurel)
Native to the Iberian Peninsula, Prunus lusitanica (Portugal Laurel) is a beautiful, large evergreen shrub or small tree with dark brown bark, glossy dark green, leathery leaves (5 in. long or 12 cm), and stems of a lovely deep rhubarb color. It is decorated in late spring or early summer with a profusion of pretty racemes of fragrant, tiny white flowers, which are followed by small red cherries that ripen to dark purple by fall. While the ripe berries should not be consumed, birds will strip them all once they are ripe. Portugal Laurel is a superb plant for hedges, screens, and windbreaks.
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My CollectionHardiness | 4 - 9 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Early,Mid,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall Winter |
Height | 20' - 30' (6m - 9m) |
Spread | 10' - 15' (3m - 4.5m) |
Ribes alpinum (Alpine Currant)
Extremely winter hardy, Ribes alpinum (Alpine Currant) is a compact, mound-forming, deciduous shrub with bright green, trilobed leaves in spring. Emerging early, the foliage changes to dark green in summer with an attractive gloss on the leaf uppersides, before turning yellow in the fall. The flowers are greenish-yellow but ornamentally insignificant. This plant is dioecious (separate male and female plants). Scarlet juicy berries appear in midsummer on female plants. Perfect for formal or informal hedges since the foliage covers the plant all the way to the ground. It responds well to heavy pruning or shearing.
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My CollectionHardiness | 2 - 7 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun , Shade |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Early,Mid,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall |
Height | 3' - 6' (90cm - 180cm) |
Spread | 3' - 6' (90cm - 180cm) |
Skimmia japonica (Japanese Skimmia)
Perfect for shady gardens, Skimmia japonica (Japanese Skimmia) is a lovely, dense, mounded, evergreen shrub prized for its fragrant flowers, aromatic leaves, and showy fruits. In mid-spring, large clusters of fragrant, star-shaped, creamy white flowers, occasionally tinged pink, appear at the branch tips. The pretty blooms of female plants give way to ornamental, glossy, bright red berries that ripen in fall and persist through winter. They contrast beautifully with the evergreen foliage of leathery, lance-shaped, rich green leaves, which are clustered in whorls at the branch ends. When crushed, the aromatic leaves exude a pleasant scent.
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My CollectionHardiness | 6 - 8 |
---|---|
Exposure | Partial Sun , Shade |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Mid,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall Winter |
Height | 3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm) |
Spread | 4' - 5' (120cm - 150cm) |
Symphoricarpos albus (Common Snowberry)
Noted for its very ornamental, pure white, waxy berries, Symphoricarpos albus (Snowberry) is a thicket-forming, deciduous shrub with upright to arching branches that is amazingly adaptable and undemanding. In early summer, a profusion of small, bell-shaped, white to pink flowers are borne in clusters in the leaf axils. Inconspicuous, they are of great interest to butterflies, hummingbirds and pollinators. The flowers are followed by abundant and attractive clusters of brilliant snow-white berries that persist well into winter. The dense foliage of elliptic to rounded, blue-green leaves remains attractive from spring to frost but provides little fall color.
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My CollectionHardiness | 3 - 7 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun , Shade |
Season of Interest |
Summer (Early,Late) Fall Winter |
Height | 3' - 6' (90cm - 180cm) |
Spread | 3' - 6' (90cm - 180cm) |
Hamamelis (Witch Hazel)
Hardy, low maintenance, and ignored by most pests, Hamamelis (Witch Hazel) are deciduous shrubs or small trees of great beauty, particularly when their showy, fragrant flowers are on full display. Lasting for weeks, the unusual blossoms feature thin, ribbonlike petals in warm shades of gold, yellow, orange and carmine red. While their winter blooms are of primary interest, Witch Hazels can also be showy in fall when their handsome oval green leaves, sometimes downy on the underside, take on golden-yellow shades before shedding to the ground.
Hardiness | 3 - 9 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Early) Fall Winter |
Selecting the right shrub can be daunting for New England gardeners. If you are looking for beautiful, low-maintenance and hardy plants that thrive in the New England region, you may want to review the guides below. They will assist you in finding the top performing shrubs that are perfectly suited to your garden.
Award-Winning Shrubs for Gardeners in New England
Hardy shrubs are essential elements in New England gardens. They add depth and character to any garden and provide lovely blooms, attractive berries, showy fall colors, and food for the birds. Selecting plants suited to the New England climate is crucial to success.
Great Shrubs for Dry Soils in New England
Do not despair if your garden is affected by dry soil conditions. There are plenty of beautiful shrubs for difficult sites like yours.
Great Shrubs for Sunny Slopes in New England Gardens
Steep banks and slopes are particularly challenging for most gardeners. Often difficult to access, poor and sandy, they are prone to erosion, soil drying and tend to be overrun with weeds. Below is the list of shrub species and cultivars that tolerate the conditions of a sunny slope in New England landscapes.
Great Shrubs with Berries for Winter Interest for New England
Plant one of these shrubs or small trees and enjoy a spectacular late fall and winter display. They all possess brightly colored fruits and are an excellent way to brighten the drab winter garden, turning sorry spots into beautiful focal points.
Great Shrubs with Brilliant Fall Color for New England Gardens
Few gardeners choose their shrubs because they have brilliant fall color. Fragrance, flowers, colorful berries, and ornamental shapes are usually the main features most gardeners request. And yet the long-lasting autumn leaf change is one of the most spectacular displays in the plant world.
Overlooked Flowering Shrubs for New England Gardens
Most gardeners plant Forsythia, Potentilla, Lilacs and Rhododendrons. They overlook a wide range of exciting flowering shrubs with fragrant flowers, ornamental fruits and colorful foliage in fall.
Garden Examples
Guide Information
Hardiness |
3 - 7
|
---|---|
Heat Zones |
1 - 3
|
Plant Type | Shrubs |
Exposure | Partial Sun, Shade |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Early,Mid,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall Winter |
Characteristics | Plant of Merit, Showy |
Landscaping Ideas | Beds and Borders |
micalz86 / 123RF Banque d'images
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
Guide Information
Hardiness |
3 - 7
|
---|---|
Heat Zones |
1 - 3
|
Plant Type | Shrubs |
Exposure | Partial Sun, Shade |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Early,Mid,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall Winter |
Characteristics | Plant of Merit, Showy |
Landscaping Ideas | Beds and Borders |
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