Creating a vibrant and inviting side yard is simple with the right shade plants for the side of your house.
These beautiful gardening and landscaping ideas offer a variety of options to add texture, color, and year-round greenery to your garden.
Whether you’re aiming for lush foliage or stunning blooms, learn how to enhance your outdoor space and make the most of your shaded areas.
13 Stunning Shade Plants For Side Yard Landscaping
1. Hosta
Lush, textured foliage creates a vibrant and welcoming backdrop along the side of your house, thriving in shaded areas.
With a variety of colors from deep greens to blues and intricate variegated patterns, it seamlessly blends with different garden styles.
Its low maintenance and adaptability to various soil types make it an excellent choice for enhancing the side yard’s beauty and structure.
- USDA Growing Zone: 3-9
- Average Mature Size: 2-4 ft height & width
- Blooms: Lavender or white flowers
- Type: Perennial
- Botanical Name: Hosta spp.
2. Coral Bells
Vibrant foliage and delicate flowers add striking visual interest to the side of your house, even in low-light conditions.
Available in a range of colors including red, pink, and purple, Coral Bells provide year-round appeal and complement other shade plants.
Their tolerance for different soil conditions and ease of care make them ideal for side yard borders or ground cover in shaded spots.
- USDA Growing Zone: 4-9
- Average Mature Size: 1-3 ft height & width
- Blooms: Pink, red, or white
- Type: Perennial
- Botanical Name: Heuchera spp.
3. Impatiens
Bursting with colorful blooms, Impatiens brighten up the side of your house with vibrant hues of pink, red, white, and purple.
Perfect for adding instant color to shaded side yards and containers, they thrive in moist, well-drained soil and require minimal maintenance.
Their lively presence creates a cheerful and inviting atmosphere along your home’s perimeter.
- USDA Growing Zone: Annual (varieties vary)
- Average Mature Size: 1-3 ft height & width
- Blooms: Pink, red, white, and purple
- Type: Annual
- Botanical Name: Impatiens walleriana
4. Bleeding Heart
Elegant, heart-shaped flowers gracefully cascade along the side of your house, adding a romantic and serene touch to shaded gardens.
The lush greenery complements the architectural lines of your home, while the flowers provide seasonal color.
Preferring moist, well-drained soil and partial to full shade, Bleeding Hearts are perfect for creating enchanting woodland-inspired side yards.
- USDA Growing Zone: 4-9
- Average Mature Size: 1-3 ft height & width
- Blooms: Pink or white
- Type: Perennial
- Botanical Name: Dicentra spectabilis
5. Periwinkle
A versatile ground cover, Periwinkle spreads easily along the side of your house, offering evergreen foliage and periwinkle-blue flowers in spring.
Its ability to stabilize soil and provide year-round color makes it perfect for covering large areas with minimal effort.
Ideal for paths, borders, and under trees, it enhances the side yard with both beauty and functionality.
- USDA Growing Zone: 4-9
- Average Mature Size: 0.5-1 ft height & 2-3 ft width
- Blooms: Blue or purple
- Type: Evergreen Perennial
- Botanical Name: Vinca minor
6. Bugleweed
Delicate spikes of blue or purple flowers add subtle color along the side of your house, complementing other shade plants with their attractive foliage.
Preferring moist, rich soil and partial to full shade, Bugleweed attracts pollinators like butterflies and bees, enhancing the biodiversity of your side yard.
It’s ideal for woodland gardens and naturalistic landscapes adjacent to your home.
- USDA Growing Zone: 3-9
- Average Mature Size: 1-2 ft height & width
- Blooms: Blue or purple
- Type: Perennial
- Botanical Name: Ajuga reptans
7. Foxglove
Tall, striking flower spikes add vertical interest and elegance to the side of your house, creating a stunning focal point in shaded areas.
Available in shades of pink, purple, and white, Foxgloves attract hummingbirds and pollinators, bringing life to your side yard.
Their preference for rich, well-drained soil and partial shade makes them perfect for cottage-style gardens and adding a whimsical touch.
- USDA Growing Zone: 4-9
- Average Mature Size: 2-5 ft height & width
- Blooms: Pink, purple, white, and yellow
- Type: Biennial/Perennial
- Botanical Name: Digitalis purpurea
8. Hellebore
Early spring blooms bring vibrant colors to the side of your house when few other plants are flowering, providing an early splash of life in shaded gardens.
Evergreen foliage ensures year-round interest and structure, seamlessly integrating with your home’s exterior.
Tolerant of shade and dry conditions once established, Hellebores are excellent for woodland-inspired side yards.
- USDA Growing Zone: 4-9
- Average Mature Size: 1-2 ft height & width
- Blooms: White, green, pink, red, and purple
- Type: Perennial
- Botanical Name: Helleborus spp.
9. Astilbe
Feathery plumes of flowers create a soft, airy appearance along the side of your house, available in pink, red, white, and purple.
Astilbe thrives in moist, well-drained soil and partial to full shade, adding texture and color even when not in bloom.
Perfect for borders, woodland gardens, and near water features, they enhance the side yard with their elegant presence.
- USDA Growing Zone: 4-8
- Average Mature Size: 1-4 ft height & width
- Blooms: Pink, red, white, and purple
- Type: Perennial
- Botanical Name: Astilbe spp.
10. Foamflower
Delicate, frothy white flowers and heart-shaped leaves add subtle charm to the side of your house, enhancing shaded garden sides with their graceful presence.
As a low-growing ground cover, Foamflower spreads easily, making it ideal for covering larger areas with minimal maintenance.
Preferring moist, well-drained soil and partial shade, it brings texture and beauty to woodland-inspired side yards.
- USDA Growing Zone: 3-9
- Average Mature Size: 0.5-1 ft height & width
- Blooms: White
- Type: Perennial
- Botanical Name: Tiarella cordifolia
11. Coleus
Vibrant, multi-colored foliage brings a dynamic splash of color to the side of your house, with patterns ranging from bold contrasts to subtle blends.
Ideal for containers, borders, and as bedding plants along garden sides, Coleus thrives in partial shade and well-drained soil.
Its ability to add visual interest throughout the growing season makes it a standout choice for enhancing the side yard’s aesthetic appeal.
- USDA Growing Zone: Annual
- Average Mature Size: 1-2 ft height & width
- Blooms: No
- Type: Annual
- Botanical Name: Plectranthus scutellarioides
12. Japanese Forest Grass
Graceful, arching blades of variegated green and gold add movement and texture to the side of your house, creating a soft and natural look in shaded areas.
Preferring moist, well-drained soil and partial to full shade, this evergreen grass thrives in woodland settings, providing year-round interest.
It’s perfect for adding a tranquil and elegant touch to your side yard landscape.
- USDA Growing Zone: 4-8
- Average Mature Size: 1-3 ft height & width
- Blooms: No
- Type: Perennial
- Botanical Name: Hakonechloa macra
13. Hydrangea
Lush, large blooms create a stunning focal point along the side of your house, available in shades of blue, pink, and white.
Hydrangeas thrive in rich, well-drained soil and partial to full shade, ensuring optimal flower production and vibrant foliage changes throughout the seasons.
Ideal for borders, hedges, and as standalone specimens, they add both beauty and structure to your side yard.
- USDA Growing Zone: 3-9
- Average Mature Size: 3-8 ft height & width
- Blooms: Blue, pink, and white
- Type: Deciduous Shrub
- Botanical Name: Hydrangea spp.
4 Inspiring Garden Design Ideas For Side Yards & Houses
Want More?
Did you pick out some favorites that will make your yard pop?
There are many plants that grow well in the shade and we covered quite a few of them in the following articles on plants for under pine trees, plants under spruce trees, under citrus trees, under magnolia trees and many more.
