Gardening Plants & Flowers

10 Best Plants for White and Silver Shade Gardens

White Garden

The Spruce / Marie Iannotti 

White and silver plants can do wonders to brighten up a shade garden. Some bloom profusely with light-colored flowers. And others sport silvery foliage that will help to reflect any sunlight that does reach a shady spot. These plants also can thrive without direct sunlight themselves, an essential component to planning a shade garden. 

Here are 10 white and silver plants that are suitable for a shade garden.

Warning

Some plants on this list are toxic to people and/or pets. Before planting anything in your garden, ensure that you and your family will be safe.

  • 01 of 10

    Lungwort (Pulmonaria)

    Variegated Pulmonaria saccharata

    The Spruce / Marie Iannotti

    Lungwort is one of the earliest flowers to bloom in the spring. The petals offer brilliant shades of azure blue and hot pink. But its silvery foliage makes it especially welcome in a shade garden design. Choice varieties include ‘Moonshine’, ‘Excaliber’, and ‘British Sterling.’ Lungwort grows well in partial shade, but too much shade can minimize its blooms. Also, make sure it does not sit in soggy soil.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
    • Flower Color Varieties: Pink, blue, white
    • Light: Full, partial
    • Soil Needs: Loamy, moist but well-drained, acidic to alkaline
    • Mature Size: 6–12 in. tall, 12–18 in. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 02 of 10

    Goat's Beard (Aruncus dioicus)

    Flowering goat's beard (Aruncus dioicus)
    Justus de Cuveland / Getty Images

    Goat’s beard is a lovely choice for a dramatic pop of creamy white. This large, towering plant can serve as a focal point in a garden bed. It can tolerate partial shade, though it likely won’t grow as large as it would in full sun. Still, it will offer an imposing presence with plenty of flowers. You don’t have to deadhead, or remove the spent blooms. But this can help to promote further flowering.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 7
    • Flower Color Varieties: Cream
    • Light: Full, partial
    • Soil Needs: Loamy, moist but well-drained, acidic to alkaline
    • Mature Size: 4–6 ft. tall, 2–4 ft. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 03 of 10

    Geranium (Geranium spp.)

    Clark Geranium
    Chris Burrows / Getty Images

    Perennial geraniums can be a showy floral addition to a garden. For white blooms, Clark's geranium (Geranium clarkei) ‘Kashmir White’ is a perfect choice. You might get fewer blooms when planting perennial geraniums in partial shade, but the pops of white will still be quite noticeable. Perennial geraniums require little attention and spread a bit farther every year. They're also extremely easy to divide and transplant, allowing you to fill in any bare spots as your garden matures.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9 (depends on variety)
    • Flower Color Varieties: Blue, pink, purple, white
    • Light: Full, partial
    • Soil Needs: Loamy, moist but well-drained, acidic to neutral
    • Mature Size: 6–24 in. tall and wide (depends on variety)
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 04 of 10

    Bleeding Heart (Dicentra Spectabilis)

    White Bleeding Heart
    shene / Getty Images

    Despite being rather delicate looking, bleeding heart is actually a very durable plant that can be right at home in partial shade. And the white-flowered form ‘Alba’ can be a striking feature for a white garden. Bleeding heart often goes dormant in the midsummer after blooming for several weeks. So to keep your garden looking lively, have some late-emerging plants near it to fill in the space.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 2 to 9
    • Flower Color Varieties: Pink, red, white
    • Light: Full, partial
    • Soil Needs: Loamy, moist but well-drained, acidic to neutral
    • Mature Size: 6 in.–3 ft. tall, 1–3 ft. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
    Continue to 5 of 10 below
  • 05 of 10

    Lamb's Ear (Stachys byzantina)

    Lamb's ear plants
    Ron Evans / Getty Images

    Lamb’s ear can make a wonderful edging plant for a garden. It doesn’t bloom profusely in partial shade. However, it does feature soft gray foliage that can brighten up a space. The fuzzy texture of the leaves holds drops of dew that act as prisms in the early morning sun—an added delight of this charming plant. In fact, if you’re not interested in the plant’s flowers, remove flower stems as they appear so the lamb’s ear can put its energy into producing quality foliage.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
    • Flower Color Varieties: Purple
    • Light: Full, partial
    • Soil Needs: Loamy, medium moisture, well-drained, acidic
    • Mature Size: 12–18 in. tall, up to 12 in. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 06 of 10

    Silver Mound Artemisia (Artemisia schmidtiana 'Silver Mound')

    silver mound artemisia

    The Spruce / David Beaulieu

    Silver Mound is a cultivar of Artemisia schmidtiana that has a small, mounding growth habit with lacy silvery foliage. It can make for a lovely edging plant in a somewhat shady spot. It doesn’t spread invasively, and it can tolerate hot weather fairly well. Plus, you don’t have to provide it with much water for it to thrive. 

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
    • Flower Color Varieties: Not significant
    • Light: Full, partial
    • Soil Needs: Well-drained, dry to medium moisture, neutral to alkaline
    • Mature Size: 12 in. tall, 18 in. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 07 of 10

    Spotted Dead Nettle (Lamium maculatum)

    Spotted dead nettle plant with silvery-green leaves and buds on top

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Spotted dead nettle is a perennial ground cover plant that can grow either in full sun or partial shade. It can even tolerate shadier areas as long as it’s not overwatered, though it might not flower as profusely. This plant comes in several different varieties, including ones that sport silver or silver and green foliage. Plus, some varieties also have white flowers. 

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
    • Flower Color Varieties: Pink, purple, white
    • Light: Full, partial
    • Soil Needs: Well-drained, medium moisture, acidic
    • Mature Size: 3–12 in. tall, 1–3 ft. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 08 of 10

    Hosta (Hosta spp.)

    hosta with white and green leaves

    The Spruce / Marie Iannotti

    It is hard to imagine a shade garden without the ever-popular hosta. Hostas come in several different varieties, including the Patriot hosta, which features green leaves with a thick white border. Keep your hosta plant’s soil evenly moist but not soggy at all times. And aim to water at the plant’s base rather than overhead, which can promote fungal growth on the leaves.  

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
    • Flower Color Varieties: Purple
    • Light: Partial, shade
    • Soil Needs: Loamy, moist but well-drained, acidic to neutral
    • Mature Size: 12–18 in. tall, 20–32 in. wide
    • Deer Resistant: No
    Continue to 9 of 10 below
  • 09 of 10

    Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla)

    Brunnera macrophylla or Siberian bugloss
    skymoon13 / Getty Images

    Siberian bugloss, also known as false forget-me-not, is a clumping perennial that sports small blue flowers with white centers in the spring. It prefers shady conditions, and too much sun can actually burn the leaves and cause the plant to go dormant. The main species plant has solid green leaves. But some varieties, including ‘Jack Frost’ and ‘Looking Glass’, feature leaves with white or silver as well. If your Siberian bugloss starts to look scraggly, you can cut back the stems to encourage fresh new growth.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
    • Flower Color Varieties: Blue
    • Light: Full, partial, shade
    • Soil Needs: Loamy, medium moisture, well-drained, acidic to alkaline
    • Mature Size: 12–18 in. tall, 18–30 in. wide
    • Deer Resistant: Yes
  • 10 of 10

    Hydrangea (Hydrangea spp.)

    Smooth hydrangea shrub with white and light yellow flower clusters

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Hydrangeas bloom in the summertime and can come in an array of colors. One of the most popular varieties with white flowers is the Incrediball hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens 'Abetwo'). It features huge flower clusters that can last into fall. The best spot for a hydrangea is one that gets full morning sun but is shaded in the afternoon. Plan on an early-spring pruning to keep your plant looking neat.

    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
    • Flower Color Varieties: White, pink, blue, yellow, red, purple, green
    • Light: Full, partial
    • Soil Needs: Loamy, moist but well-drained, acidic to alkaline
    • Mature Size: Up to 15 ft. (depends on variety)
    • Deer Resistant: No

Tip

When planning a shade garden, try to pick plants that flower at varying times. That way, you will always have a steady stream of blooms to brighten up the spot.

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