Rock gardens usually lie in the sun, which is why they are often planted with sun-hungry, drought-tolerant plants such as grasses or trees. For rock gardens in the shade, the choice of plants is somewhat limited, but there are some grasses, perennials and trees that thrive well in the shade. Below you will find a list of the most beautiful shade plants for your stone bed.
Which plants are suitable for a rock garden in the shade?
Shade-tolerant plants such as broadleaf grass, colorful Japanese sedge, forest marbel and shade bells are suitable for a shady rock garden. These plant species can also thrive in light or little sunlight and bring life to your shady rock garden.
Not all shadows are the same
Most plants can handle partial shade well, and light shade can often still be tolerated. It only becomes a problem when the plants get less than an hour of sun or no sun at all. Very few plants like that. Below you will find a list of grasses, trees and perennials that tolerate total shade as well as light shade or very little sunlight.
Shade-tolerant plants for the rock garden
In general, most plants whose names begin with “forest” tolerate shade well. These primarily include native forest plants such as wild strawberries, ferns and forest stones. But since rock gardens often use grasses and woody plants, plants with a strong solitary character, below you will find a list of shade-tolerant ornamental grasses and woody plants for your rock garden. If you want to add some color to your rock garden, you will find a list here with shade-tolerant perennials.
Shade-tolerant grasses for the stone bed
| ornamental grass | Growth height | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Broadgrass | Up to 1m | Broad, dark ears of corn in autumn |
| Broadleaf sedge | Up to 30cm | Evergreen, broad leaves |
| Colorful Japanese sedge | Up to 30cm | Evergreen |
| Colorful sedge ‘Snowline’ | Up to 20cm | Evergreen, pretty leaf coloring |
| Gold sedge ‘Evergold’ | Up to 30cm | Evergreen, yellowish leaves |
| Hanging sedge | Up to 1m | Evergreen |
| Giant Miscanthus 'Aksel Olsen' | Up to 4m | Imposing solitary grass, beautiful autumn colors |
| Shadow Sedge | Up to 20cm | Evergreen |
| Snow Marbel | Up to 40cm | Delicate grass with white flowers, evergreen |
| Sedge ‘The Beatles’ | Up to 20cm | Evergreen, bushy grass |
| Carpet Japanese sedge ‘Irish Green’ | Up to 40cm | Evergreen ground cover |
| Forest Marbel | Up to 40cm | Evergreen |
| Forest sedge | Up to 40cm | Evergreen |
Shade-tolerant trees for the rock garden
| woods | Growth height | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Ball hydrangea 'Annabelle' | Up to 1.3m | Large, white flowers |
| Double ranunculus bush | Up to 2m | Beautiful, golden yellow flowers |
| Golden Yew 'Semperaurea' | Up to 3m | Evergreen, native, yellowish needles |
| Harlequin Willow | Up to 1.5m | Beautiful leaf color, beautiful flowers |
| Shadow Bell 'Mountain Fire' | Up to 1m | Red leaf shoots, white flowers |
| Narrow-leaved cherry laurel 'Herbergii' | Up to 3m | Evergreen |
| Narrow columnar yew 'Fastigiata' | Up to 3m | Evergreen columnar coniferous tree |
| Shrub Ivy 'Arborescens' | Up to 1.5m | Evergreen, attracts bees |
| Carpet Dogwood | Up to 20m | Beautiful white flowers, red fruits |
