When we think of great plants for the shade, usually hostas come to mind right away. Hostas are a staple in many Minnesota gardens. They are easy to grow, come in many varieties and can be split and transplanted easily with little or no damage to the plant.

 But there are more shady options available. When doing your research on plants for your shady haven, make sure you cross reference them with deer and rabbit resistant plants if you have those garden chompers in your yard!  Hostas, while great for the shade, are a favorite of deer!

     Next, it helps to understand the terms used when looking for plants. Labels will sometimes have the terms below to explain how much shade (or sun) each plant needs.

Shady Terms

     Shade gardens can be plenty cheerful, whether you use flowering plants or foliage plants. Before buying the plants, you should learn the terms associated with a “shaded” area and, more specifically, an area that is “partially” shaded.

• Shady vs. sunny locations: “Full sun” is considered six or more hours of direct sunlight a day. If a location receives anything less than six full hours of direct sunlight, then, it is considered a shady location.

• Full shade: If it does not receive three hours of direct sunlight each day the area is deemed to be in “full shade.”

• Partial sun or partial shade. This is a tricky one! An area receiving three to four hours of sunshine is said to be in “partial shade,” while one receiving five to six hours is in “partial sun.”