17 Plants Ideal for Rock Gardens in the Shade

Rock gardens create dynamic solutions to challenging areas and provide high visual interest as landscape features. Whether planting on a slope, working with existing rocks, or creating a xeric garden, rocks become sculptural features softened with a variety of plants suited to the site. From gravel to boulders, rock gardens originate from plants adapted to high altitudes, rocky slopes, and canyons, where the substrate is well-draining and lean.

Rock gardens incorporate plants of varying scales, from tall shrubs and perennials to low-growing groundcovers and miniature varieties. Include those to nestle between the rocks and to soften edges. In areas where you can’t dig large holes, utilize groundcovers and crevice plants with shallow roots to soften the look. Rely on attractive foliage and form, plant in groups for impact and variety, and let plants colonize and naturalize to determine what performs best.

Columbine is a North American native wildflower with a natural habitat along woodland edges, clearings, and streambanks. It grows best in moderately moist, well-drained soils, but tolerates dry conditions. The perennial is semi-evergreen, entering dormancy when temperatures rise in summer and drop in winter to conserve resources.

Columbine brightens partially shaded zones and enjoys protection from the afternoon sun. In cool climates, it tolerates sunnier conditions.

Hellebore

	botanical name Helleborus orientalis
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 18”
	hardiness zones 4-9

Hellebore is a shade rock garden plant with nodding, cupped blooms that charm in late winter. The dark green, palmate leaves are attractive even when plants aren’t in flower. Hellebores thrive in well-drained soils and colonize slowly, and the groundcover is deer-resistant.

Lenten roses have a long bloom time in diverse colors with single or double flowers. To add to their easy elegance is a problem-free nature, making them low-maintenance perennials. 

Hellebores rely on the winter sun to flower and for lush, full leaves. In the warm months, partial shade protects them from direct exposure and heat. They thrive under a deciduous canopy that allows winter light when branches are bare and dappled sun as they leaf out in spring and summer. Morning sun and filtered afternoon light are optimal. They tolerate deep shade, though you may see slower growth and fewer flowers.

Acanthus

	botanical name Acanthus mollis
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3-6’
	hardiness zones 7-10

Acanthus is a warm-climate perennial with architectural foliage. Long, broad leaves are dark, glossy green. They unfurl deeply cut with soft spines and textural interest. Featured in the Roman-era tops of Corinthian columns, acanthus makes a statement.

In addition to their structural foliage, the Mediterranean native produces tall spikes of pinkish-white flowers with deep purple bracts. The bold spikes emerge in summer and last for weeks.

Acanthus grows with little maintenance in both dry and moist soils as long as they’re well-draining. Group them for the greatest impact if you have the space.

Coral Bells

	botanical name Heuchera spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6-30”
	hardiness zones 3-9

Coral bells are North American natives with colorful, shapely leaves with strong mottling and venation. Cultivars range from lime, purple, bronze, black, red, and orange foliage, often in mottled tones, adding high contrast to shady zones.

In addition to bold foliage are airy bloom sprays that rise above the mounded leaves in summer. Pair coral bells with other shade-loving rock garden plants like hellebore, ferns, and epimedium for a striking combination of multi-season foliage and flowers.

Heuchera does best in rich, organic, well-drained soils and withstands drying out between waterings. They tolerate deep shade, though growth may be slower and pigments not as rich.

Hardy Cyclamen

	botanical name Cyclamen coum
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 3-6”
	hardiness zones 4-8

Hardy cyclamen produce nodding blooms that rise in a bunch above deep green, heart-shaped leaves. Cyclamen hederifolium and Cyclamen coum are common hardy species and are smaller relatives of the florist’s cyclamen, C. persicum. C. hederifolium is the most robust and easiest to grow, with fragrant pink blooms from late summer to October and November. C. coum blooms mid-to-late winter and into spring with a profusion of rosy pink-purple flowers. 

Both hardy perennials spread through tubers and reseed to form colonies. They tolerate the challenging conditions of dry shade. Both are also Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit recipients.

The tuberous perennials are native primarily to the Mediterranean region. They adapt to various climates in well-draining soils in varying degrees of shade. They enter summer dormancy as temperatures warm and reemerge in autumn (good drainage is essential to prevent waterlogged roots). 

Lamium

	botanical name Lamium maculatum
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 6-9”
	hardiness zones 3-8

Lamium, or spotted deadnettle, lightens dark beds with leaves in silver, variegated, green, and gold, depending on the variety. The low-growing, spreading groundcover forms a soft mat. In late spring, prolific pink, purple, or white flowers appear and bloom sporadically until frost. 

Deadnettle tolerates challenging sites, including dry shade. It withers in overly wet conditions, which leads to crown rot. Lamium is a vigorous spreader and gets out of bounds in optimal growing conditions. Pluck any far-reaching stems to keep them in check. This plant is an invasive species in areas of North America. Check the invasive atlas to see if your region is there before planting.

Dwarf Crested Iris

	botanical name Iris cristata
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6-9”
	hardiness zones 3-9

This compact native iris forms a handsome layer of green, sword-shaped leaves. Little irises appear in spring and early summer, with watercolor blue and purple blooms. The painterly petals have white and yellow markings and make for an ornamental wildflower.

Dwarf crested iris is an easygoing understory perennial. In loamy soils, rhizomes spread with little maintenance. Use them in drifts to soften rocky edges.

Bleeding Heart

	botanical name Dicentra spp.
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 9-18”
	hardiness zones 3-8

Bleeding heart is a detailed wildflower with ornamental appeal. Heart-shaped, puffy blooms are white, pale pink, and fuchsia and suspend from arching stems in late spring.

The delicate, but durable, beauty pairs well with columbine, heuchera, wild ginger, and ferns, which obscure fading foliage as Dicentra enters dormancy in the heat of summer.

Dicentra eximia is a North American wild bleeding heart with dangling pink (sometimes white) hearts. The finely cut foliage is ferny and feathery and withstands moderately dry conditions once established. 

Wild Ginger

	botanical name Asarum spp.
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 1’
	hardiness zones 4-8

Wild ginger brings foliar interest with thick, dark green, heart-shaped leaves. Their surfaces have prominent silver mottling and patterning, depending on the variety. The hairy stems and fleshy, edible roots have a spicy aroma and ginger flavor.

The perennial groundcover is low and compact, dense with leafy hearts. With a mounding, spreading habit, it slowly forms a colony. Wild ginger tolerates various soil types, including clay and rocky compositions, making it a fit for rock and rain gardens. But it shows the best vigor in even moisture with good drainage.

Asarum canadense is a North American native with large leaves and a preference for cool climates. The species is hardy in zones 4-6. It tolerates moist soils, eroded sites, and heavy shade.

Epimedium

	botanical name Epimedium spp.
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 6-24”
	hardiness zones 5-8

Epimediums (also barrenwort and fairy wings) are low-growing, compact shade rock garden plants that bring all-season color, texture, and form. Their winged leaves have dramatic mottling, blotching, and venation. Ornamental flowers with delicate spurs emerge in summer.

Despite intricate foliage and flower detailing, epimediums are rugged and grow in difficult situations like deep and dry shade. They’re low-maintenance and add unique interest in groups with other shade-loving perennials like ferns, hellebore, wild ginger, columbine, and bleeding heart. 

Look for ‘Pretty in Pink’ with rose and pale pink flowers and bronzey-pink and green heart-shaped leaves. ‘Pink Champagne’ adds sparkle with blushing blooms and leaves and is an Award of Garden Merit recipient.

Hosta

	botanical name Hosta spp.
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 4”-3’
	hardiness zones 3-9

Hostas have lush leaves in a range of shapes, sizes, and tones. From blue to chartreuse and variegated, the foliage may be broad, cupped, strappy, curly, or miniature. In addition to their architectural leaves are tall early summer bloomscapes. White or lavender flowers rise above the leafy base and attract hummingbirds.

Morning sun is best for bright or variegated varieties to retain their color and vibrance. Blue or medium green varieties are fine with more shade. Miniatures are fit for shady rock gardens, with smaller leaves to stand out in detail. Root systems, too, are more compact. Look for ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ with petite blue-green rounded foliage. Provide well-draining soils and regular moisture as new plants establish.

Primrose

	botanical name Primula vulgaris
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 4-6”
	hardiness zones 4-8

Native to Europe, the common or English primrose in soft, creamy yellow needs little care once established. In their native range, the springtime wildflowers grow freely along streambanks, roadsides, and damp woodlands. 

English primrose prefers dappled shade but handles more sun in moderate climates if soils remain moist. Widely adaptable across conditions, primrose spreads readily and germinates quickly from seed. Divide clumps in fall or early spring before flowering to spread the colony. The species holds Award of Garden Merit status for its show, fragrance, and performance.

Scarlet Sage

	botanical name Salvia coccinea
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 2-3’
	hardiness zones 8-10

Salvia coccinea is a compact sage with spikes of red tubular flowers from early summer through frost. Emerging earlier than other salvias, the North American native species has cultivars in pink, white, and coral. It has a neat, tidy habit. Like many in the genus, scarlet sage is heat and drought-tolerant, and this one performs with some shade protection. 

Scarlet sage produces the most flowers in four or more hours of daily sun, whether intermittently or with morning exposure. This sage suits a spot in the partially sunny rock garden, where it receives some sun or dappled light. In shade that is too heavy, the sage shows less vigor, loose stems, and few flowers. 

Scarlet sage perennializes in warm, frost-free climates. Where it is not hardy, it grows quickly as a summer annual. It reseeds in zones 6 and above for successional seasons of color. Deadhead spent blooms to promote further flowering, leaving them at the end of the season for seed production.

Japanese Painted Fern

	botanical name Athyrium niponicum
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 12-18”
	hardiness zones 4-9

Japanese painted fern is an eclectic pick with unique fronds in frosty white, purple, and silvery green. They show the best color in light shade. Fronds start silvery in spring and turn greener as summer temperatures rise.

The ferns have a low, mounding habit and provide contrast to other perennials. They soften rocks and highlight their spot in the arrangement. 

The easy-to-grow perennials do best in well-drained, consistently moist soils. Place these in moist situations of the rock garden, or provide water until established. Mature specimens tolerate short dry spells.

Carex

	botanical name Carex spp.
	sun requirements Full sun to full shade
	height 6-12”
	hardiness zones 3-8

Carex, or sedge, forms soft mounds that tuft gracefully along an open expanse, slope, or as soft accents. The native Pennsylvania sedge creates a lush green carpet with gently arching blades and reddish-purple inflorescences that show in late spring. It prefers medium to dry soils, making it a prime ornamental grass to add to the shade rock garden plant collection. It spreads through rhizomes and may self-seed in optimal conditions.

Numerous carex cultivars tolerate less light and bring color variations in gold and white variegation. ‘Ice Dance’ has broad blades with white edges against deep green interiors. Foliage shows the best color in more shade. Most sedges are clump-forming, but this gradual runner forms a groundcover given the space. Feature it in a pot to keep it contained.

Solomon’s Seal

	botanical name Polygonatum spp.
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 1-6’
	hardiness zones 3-9

Solomon’s Seal is a structural perennial with scaffolding, zig-zagging foliage that lines upright and arching stems. Leaves are soft mint green or with milky white variegation, and greenish-white bell blooms suspend the length of the stems in spring.

Native species include P. biflorum, smooth Solomon’s seal, and P. pubescens, hairy Solomon’s seal, both native to eastern North America, with a wide range. They withstand a variety of challenging situations, from tree roots to dry situations. Moist, well-drained soils show the best vigor, but the adaptable native is versatile.

False Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum racemosum) is another native rock garden shade plant. Starry, feathery, ivory flowers ornament the ends of the stems. A light fragrance draws pollinators, and the berries that follow support wildlife.

Seaside Daisy

	botanical name Erigeron glaucus
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6-12”
	hardiness zones 5-9

Erigeron is an evergreen, clumping perennial with lilac-pink daisies from spring through fall. Mounding foliage is gray-green and forms a low-growing carpet about two feet wide.