If your garden has dim areas that are completely on the shade, plant some flowering shade loving perennials and turn those areas into a beautiful flower garden. Shade perennials will brighten a dark shaded corner of your garden and you can even add life and color to the trunk of a tree that looks dull in your yard.

There are many varieties of shade loving perennials and these can be just simple green leave plants or those that flower as well. Some shade perennials tend to bloom early so for most of the summer, foliage will be the garden mainstay through the season. There are however, some that will bloom until the fall season.

While I am not familiar with all the shade perennials available in the market today, here is a small list of those that I know about. I do have some of these in my garden, not all of them but I have seen all of these at neighbors and friends homes. So, if you have an area in your flower garden that is in full shade, do plant some of these perennials.

Aconitum ‘Cloudy’- Botanical name is Aconitum Cloudy. This shade loving perennial is very pretty and the flowers begin in late summer which is great because it is at that time that most flower gardens need some color. Cloudy has hooded like bi-color blooms in white with strong brushstrokes of blue at the base and the tips of each petal. Why is this perennial named cloudy? Because the blooms do resemble clouds scudding across the sky. The blooms crowd along slender but sturdy stems that point straight up like crowning the dark green foliage.

Cloudy grows up to 24 inches high when in full bloom and up to 18 inches wide. Grows well in zones 5-8 and if you need a deterrent for animals who like to nibble on your plants, then do plant cloudy. It is untouched by deer, rabbits and other pests.

Astilbe ‘Heart and Soul’- Botanical name is Astilbe Heart and Soul. This lovely Heart and Soul Astilbe was developed by Dutch gardener Harrie Verduin. From what I understand, there has never been a lavender-pink Astilbe before that almost looks blue until this one was developed. The lavender and pink blooms are overlaid with a powder blue sheen to make this Astilbe very different than other varieties. Truly beautiful.

Heart and Soul plumes come out all summer long reaching 10 inches long and 5 inches wide. The plant itself reaches 32 inches high and 30 inches wide which is great to cover all those dim dark areas in your flower garden. It grows well in zones 3-8 and tolerates heat and humidity.

Athyrium ‘Ursula’s Red’- Botanical name is Athyrium Nipponicum Ursula’s Red. This perennial is a Japanese Painted Fern and the colors are silver-white and rich wine-red and it has an iridescent look with these magnificent colors. You can plant Ursula’s Red in a container to place in the patio, or better yet, mix it in with other green leave plants for a spectacular look.

Long elegant fronds of gleaming white on top and rich wine-red underneath start to come up in the spring. Somehow, as the season progresses, those red tones begin to populate to the top and the white changes into silver to give you a gorgeous two-toned effect. This Japanese Fern was developed by Ursula Herz of South Carolina. In a mass planting, the texture and color of this hardy fern are spectacular. It grows up to 20 inches tall and up to 2 feet wide and it thrives in zones 4-9.

Bergenia ‘Eden’s Dark Margin’ – Botanical name is Bergenia Eden’s Dark Margin. Bergenia’s common name is ‘Pigsqueak’ because if you hold a leaf just right between your thumb and fingers and rub it hard, it will squeal. I haven’t tried this yet so I don’t know if this is true. Eden’s Dark Margin is ideal as a ground-cover with its year-round maroon foliage. As I understand it, Bergenia’s were usually planted in certain climates like the Pacific Northwest but now you can plant them anywhere.

The foliage is the real thing for this ground-cover as the leaves are big and winter tough. Some other varieties look pretty bad after a cold long winter but Eden’s Dark Margin performs well in rough climates. The blooms come out in 6-8 inch spikes in early spring and are a rich purple-reddish color. The buds can be frost tender but once opened, the flowers are very tough. Eden’s Dark Margin grows to 12 inches high and 12 inches wide. It is recommended that the soil be moist but not wet and it should not be planted in heavy clay or very wet areas. Grows well in zones 3-8.

Brunnera ‘Mr. Morse’- Botanical name is Brunnera Macrophylia Mr. Morse. This Brunnera is beautiful with large heart shaped leaves and many sprays of tiny blooms of white flowers. You can use Mr. Morse as a ground-cover, a border or just to fill bare spots in your flower garden. Mr. Morse was introduced by Chris Ghyselen of Belgium.

The leaves of this Brunnera reach up to 6 inches long and each leaf is patterned in a marbled swirl of green and white for a dramatic look. It blooms in late spring and summer. The blooms are clusters an inch or two across of tiny white flowers and the plant reaches up to 15 inches high and wide. Grows well in zones 3-8 but it is recommended that you give it a heavy mulch during the winter months.

Convallaria ‘Rosea’- Botanical name is Convallaria Majalis Rosea. Soft pink and fragrant bell shaped flowers are the main attraction of this beautiful perennial. The plant itself has broad green foliage and thin flower stalks that bear over a dozen soft pink bells that dangle from its curved stems. It is an early spring bloomer that you can plant on those shady areas such as under a leafless winter shrub, under tall trees, or on bare spots where your ground-cover is not visible yet from its winter rest.

Rosea is just 7 inches tall which makes it a good choice for borders, containers or beds. It grows well in zones 3-7 in just about any type of soil.

Epimedium Pubigerum- Botanical name is Epimedum Pubigerum. This Epimedium is rare and from what I understand, it is an Eastern European and Western Asia species and it is now available here in the states. It has orchid like tri-color blooms that arise along wiry stems that are almost 2 feet long. In the spring, Epimedium starts with heart shaped leaves that are green tinted in purple. When the cooler temperatures arrive in the fall, the leaves turn into a bronze color and remains that way through the winter.

The leaves of this exotic plant are attractive but the flowers are by far more beautiful. The flowers appear in clusters of up to 50 on each stem and are white and rosy pink with a middle layer of solid yellow. Epimedium blooms from mid spring until early summer and when not in bloom, the plant is just about 10 inches high. When in bloom. Epimedium can grow to 2 feet tall. It grows well in zones 5-9 and likes rich, moist acidic soil.

As I mentioned before, I don’t have all the shade loving perennials listed here but have seen them all and these are beautiful. So if you have a shaded area in your garden, go ahead and get some shade loving perennials.

If you love butterflies around your flower garden, be sure that they keep coming back every year by planting butterfly loving plants. It has been said that butterflies can travel up to 100 miles during their migration so I usually plant several butterfly loving plants with a wide variety of bloom times just to make sure they get plenty of nectar when they arrive.

To me, butterflies are beautiful and I like to watch them around my garden all summer long. There are probably hundreds of different varieties of butterfly loving flowering plants you can get but here are some of my favorites. No, I don’t have all of these, but my neighbors do and I’ve become familiar with most of them.

Butterfly Bush Bicolor-Botanical name is Buddleia Bicolor Bicolor was first grown by Dr. Michael Dirr at the University of Georgia. It is very unique in that the blooms are butterscotch yellow and raspberry lavender and it has been considered one of the most exciting butterfly loving bushes to come along in years. Bicolor is the first plant to have two completely different colors on the same bloom stalk. It is sweetly fragrant and in the perennial family which comes back every year.

Bicolor blooms all summer long and the bloom trusses are about 6 inches long but the plant can grow to 6 feet tall and 5 feet wide. The bloom stalks are also lovely as cut flowers so be sure to bring this beautiful color and scent indoors as well. It tolerates drought as well as heat and humidity but it is recommended to keep the plant well watered during growth and flowering. Grows well in zones 5-9 in full sun exposure.

Butterfly Bush Adonis Blue-Botanical name is Buddleia Davidii Adonis Blue. This plant is much smaller than all other butterfly loving bushes and if you like Buddleia but you don’t have the space for another big shrub, then this Adonis Blue is for you. This compact shrub is covered with large midnight blue blooms and you can even grow it in a container. Adonis Blue is part of a new line of Buddleias called the English Butterfly series. It was developed by Elizabeth Keep of East Mailing England.

The color blue on the stalks is beautiful and it blooms from early summer and continues well into the fall season. It grows 3 to 5 feet high and it is well branched and bushy. Plant Adonis Blue in full sun and any well drained garden soil. Prune it down to about 6 inches at the end of the winter season and it will grow even bushier than the previous year. Grows well in zones 5-7.

Butterfly Bush Butterfly Heaven-Botanical name is Buddleia Butterfly Heaven. This shrub is a little more compact than the others and is great for containers and small gardens. It has rich lilac-blue blooms in foot long trusses and the flowers are sweetly scented. The interesting thing about this plant is that the new spring foliage emerges in gray color and it keeps this color until summer when it turns into soft green.

Butterfly Heaven can be planted as a hedge along a driveway or on the side of the house leading to your backyard and you will have a beautiful fragrance around your home all summer long. Like most butterfly bushes, it is easy to grow in a well drained sunny area. It is recommended that the plant be cut to the ground in late winter to encourage healthier blooms and better branching the next season. Butterfly Heaven tolerates heat, humidity and drought. The plant grows to 6 feet tall and up to 5 feet wide. The blooms are 8 to 12 inches long. Grows well in zones 5-10 from mid summer to mid fall.

Butterfly Plant Ice Ballet-Botanical name is Asclepias Incarnata Ice Ballet. Ice Ballet is one of the easiest and more adaptable butterfly loving plants you can grow in your flower garden. It is also considered to be a magnet for butterflies. The flowers somewhat resemble snowflakes because they are tiny sparkling white florets which grow in masses creating a spectacular scene in your garden.

Ice Ballet is a native Swamp Milkweed that loves the sun but grows well in moist or wet soil. It grows 4 feet high and 18 inches wide and the flower heads are 3 inches long. It tolerates heat and humidity but it is also cold hardy. Grows well in zones 3-9, loves the sun, and it blooms from mid summer to late summer.

Achillea Cerise Queen-Botanical name is Achillea Millefolium Cerise Queen. This butterfly loving plant is in the Yarrow perennial family and can be planted from seeds. Cerise Queen has rich deep pink blooms that start coming from late spring and continue all summer long and into the fall season. The flowers are great as cut fresh to place in a vase and when dried, save them as these can be used for other dry flower arrangements. Awesome!

Cerise Queen grows to 2 feet tall and it spreads quickly which you can use as a border in your garden. It is hardy in just about any part of the country and grows well in zones 3-9. Somehow, the blooms are bigger and more profuse when you water this plant regularly although it tolerates heat and humidity and loves the sun.

Agastache Black Adder-Botanical name is Agastache Adder. Here is a pretty butterfly loving plant that belongs to the Hyssops family. The unusual thing about this one is that the buds are nearly black but when it blooms the flowers are light violet color. The flowers are small and open on long racemes but jammed together to form the look of a long wand of solid color. Really beautiful!

Black Adder blooms much longer than other varieties from early summer to fall. It grows well in a wide range of climates from wet, cold, warm, humid and dry. It likes full sun and well drained soil but it will tolerate drought conditions. Black Adder reaches 3 feet high and about 3 feet wide. It is recommended to space the plants at least 2 feet apart to create a dense bushy look in your garden. Grows well in zones 6-9 and it tolerates heat and humidity.

Ageratum Leilani Blue-Botanical name is Ageratum Houstonianum Leilani Blue. Dark green foliage and azure blue blooms make this butterfly loving plant a must have for any garden. It is ideal for a container plant in your garden because it grows to only 16 inches tall and 12 inches wide. The blooms are light and fluffy and about 5 inches across. Leilani Blue quickly forms a dense rounded mound of blooms for a splendid look. You don’t have to do anything to this plant because it self-cleans itself. Leilani Blue likes full sun and well drained soil.

Aster Bluebird-Botanical name is Aster laevis Bluebird. Asters are in the daisy family and this one has eye-catching violet-blue flowers. It is also one of the few asters that does well in areas where hot, humid and rainy summers have prevented other varieties to grow. The daisy like flowers have slender long petals surrounded by a fuzzy yellow center. It is ideal for containers because these only grow to about 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide. Loves full sun and well drained soil and grows well in zones 4-8.

As I mentioned before, there are probably hundreds of butterfly loving plants available today. Too many to mention here so the information above is just a brief description of those butterfly loving plants that I am familiar with. If you like butterflies and welcome them in your garden, here are some tips for a butterfly friendly garden.

*Avoid using pesticides as much as possible. *If possible, provide a shallow source of water for the butterflies. *Try to place a rock in a sunny area for basking and resting. *If you have time, do create a “puddling” area for the butterflies. You can do this by digging a shallow hole filled with manure or compost. This will allow rain water to collect and release essential salts and minerals. *In addition to planting nectar rich plants, also plant some shrubs and evergreens for shelter. *If possible, try to grow a variety of host plants to provide food during the butterfly’s larval stage. You can choose from passion flower, fennel, dill, parsley, snapdragon and hollyhock.