Shade Loving Plants NZ: Top Picks for Shady Gardens

Top Shade Loving Plants in NZ

New Zealand offers a variety of shade-loving plants that can transform your garden into a vibrant oasis. Here are some top picks for different categories.

Foliage Plants for Shade

Foliage plants can add texture and depth to shady gardens. Here are a few hardy options:

Ferns

Ferns are quintessential shade plants, known for their delicate fronds and lush green color. They thrive in full to partial shade and can add a tropical feel to your garden.

Begonias

Begonias are versatile plants with attractive foliage and flowers. They prefer partial shade and can be used in garden beds or containers to brighten up dark corners.

Heuchera

Heucheras, also known as coral bells, offer stunning foliage colors ranging from deep purples to bright lime greens. These perennials prefer partial shade and can add vibrant colors to any shady spot.

Low Light Plants for Indoors

Low light indoor plants are perfect for brightening dim spaces and adding greenery where sunlight is limited. Ideal for offices, apartments, or south-facing rooms, these plants thrive in indirect or filtered light. Popular options like snake plant, ZZ plant, pothos, and peace lily are not only hardy but also help purify the air. With minimal care needs and elegant foliage, low light houseplants bring life, calm, and style to your interior, making them a great choice for any indoor environment.

Peace Lily

Peace lilies are popular houseplants known for their air-purifying qualities and elegant white blooms. They do well in low light conditions, making them perfect for indoor spaces.

Snake Plant

Snake plants, also known as mother-in-law's tongue, are hardy indoor plants that tolerate low light and require minimal care. Their striking vertical leaves can add a modern touch to your home décor.

ZZ Plant

ZZ Plants are a top choice for low light indoor spaces in NZ. With glossy, dark green leaves and excellent tolerance to neglect, it thrives in dim rooms and offices. Its hardy nature and minimal watering needs make it ideal for beginners or busy plant lovers wanting effortless greenery indoors.

Spider Plant

The Spider Plant is an ideal choice for low light indoor spaces. It thrives in indirect light, is easy to care for, and helps purify the air. With its arching green and white striped leaves, this hardy plant adds freshness and charm to dim corners of your home or office.

Pothos

Pothos is a popular indoor plant that thrives in low light, making it ideal for dim rooms or offices. Its trailing vines and heart-shaped leaves add lush greenery with minimal care. Tolerant of neglect, Pothos purifies the air and grows well in indirect light, making it perfect for beginners.

Perennials for Shade

Creating a vibrant, thriving garden in shady spaces can seem challenging—but it doesn’t have to be. Whether you’re working with a south-facing wall, under trees, or in a dim courtyard, there is a rich variety of shade-loving perennials that will not only survive but flourish in low light conditions. For New Zealand gardeners, the right plant selection can transform these underutilised spots into lush, colourful zones of interest year-round.

Hostas

Hostas are renowned for their lush foliage and come in various shades of green, blue, and even variegated patterns. They thrive in partial to full shade and are low maintenance, making them ideal for shady gardens.

Liriope

Liriope is an excellent choice for shade gardens in NZ, offering hardy, grass-like foliage and spikes of purple or white flowers. It thrives in partial to full shade, works well as a groundcover or border plant, and provides year-round texture and colour with minimal maintenance. Perfect for low-light garden areas.

Ajuga

Ajuga is a hardy, low-growing perennial perfect for shade gardens. Its dense foliage suppresses weeds, while vibrant blue flower spikes add seasonal colour. Ideal for ground cover under trees or in borders, Ajuga thrives in moist, well-drained soil and brings year-round texture and interest to shady areas in NZ gardens.

Astilbe

[Astilbe] is a stunning perennial ideal for shade gardens, offering feathery, plume-like flowers in pink, red, or white. Thriving in moist, well-drained soil, it adds vibrant colour and texture to dim areas. Its fern-like foliage also provides interest, making it perfect for woodland settings and shaded borders in NZ gardens.

Mondo Grass

Mondo Grasses are a superb choice for shade gardens in NZ. Its dense, tufted foliage creates a rich green carpet that thrives in low light. Ideal for borders, underplanting, or ground cover, it’s hardy, low maintenance, and adds year-round texture to shaded areas with minimal care.

Bromeliads

Bromeliads are striking, low-maintenance plants perfect for shade gardens. Their colourful foliage and unique flower spikes add tropical flair to dim spaces. Ideal for pots or underplanting, bromeliads thrive in filtered light and humid conditions, making them a standout choice for brightening up shady corners in New Zealand gardens.

Alocasia

Alocasia is a striking addition to shade gardens, with its bold, tropical foliage creating instant impact. Ideal for sheltered, low-light areas, it thrives in warm, humid conditions with well-draining soil. Perfect for pots or borders, Alocasia adds an exotic touch and architectural interest to New Zealand’s shaded outdoor spaces.

Shrubs for Shady Gardens

Shrubs for shady gardens bring structure, texture, and year-round interest to low light areas. Whether under trees, along fences, or in south-facing zones, many shrubs thrive with limited sun. In New Zealand gardens, options like camellias, hydrangeas, and pittosporums provide beautiful foliage and seasonal blooms. These hardy plants are perfect for adding depth and colour to shaded spaces while requiring minimal maintenance once established. With the right selection, even the darkest corners of your garden can become vibrant and inviting.

Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas are popular shrubs that thrive in partial shade. Their large, showy flower heads can range in colour from white to pink to blue, depending on the soil pH.

Camellias

Camellias are evergreen shrubs that produce stunning blooms in various colors. They are perfect for shaded areas and can serve as a beautiful focal point in your garden.

Aucuba

Aucuba is an ideal shrub for shade gardens, prized for its glossy, variegated foliage and tolerance to low light. It thrives in dry or damp shady spots, providing year-round colour and structure. Perfect for NZ gardens, Aucuba adds a tropical touch and requires minimal maintenance once established.

Dichroa

[Dichroa] is a shade-loving shrub perfect for NZ gardens, offering lush green foliage and hydrangea-like blue flowers in summer. Thriving in moist, well-drained soil, it adds colour and texture to shaded borders or woodland settings. Ideal for softening shady corners with its vibrant blooms and attractive form.

Macropiper

Kawakawa excels in shade gardens, thriving in damp, sheltered areas with minimal sunlight. This NZ native features lush, heart-shaped leaves that add texture and tropical appeal to understory plantings. Ideal for woodland or coastal gardens, Macropiper requires little maintenance and pairs beautifully with ferns, hostas, and other shade-loving plants.

Tips for Growing Shade Loving Plants

To ensure your shade-loving plants thrive, consider these gardening tips:

• Amend your soil with organic matter to improve drainage and nutrient retention. Good drainage is essential with most plants and this is the first thing you need to ensure is correct.
• Shade gardens may not need as much water as sunny areas, but ensure consistent moisture levels, especially during dry spells.
• Apply mulch to conserve moisture and suppress weeds in your garden beds.

Understanding Shade Conditions

It's important to understand the different levels of shade. Identifying the type of shade your garden receives will help you choose the right plants.

Types of Shade

• Light Shade: Areas that receive filtered sunlight or dappled light through trees.
• Partial Shade: Spots that get sun for part of the day, usually in the morning or late afternoon.
• Full Shade: Locations with no direct sunlight, often under trees or on the north side of buildings.

Knowing your shade conditions will ensure you pick the right plants that will flourish in your garden.