Plant Ligularia!
If you have a shade loving garden the biggest tip, I can give you is plant Ligularia! It is a phenomenal plant that thrives in the shade. It is evergreen, blooms bright happy yellow daisy looking flowers and loves the shade.
Ligularia, Farfugium japonicum ‘Gigantea’, looks great planted around a tree, or in a container as well as spotted here and there in your garden. Commonly referred to as the Tractor Seat Plant, it is a favorite of many. There are a few different varieties though our favorite is the Giant. It performs the best here in Austin, Texas, and handles just about everything you can throw at it.
If the plant ever begins to look scraggly or not at its peak, cut it back and it will flush out with new big happy green leaves. The Ligularia does not need a lot of water, though will need to be irrigated/ watered. You will want to plant in quality landscape soil to ensure good drainage.
As referenced above, there are two other types of Ligularia. The Leopard has spots on their leaves and the Crested have frilly edges and are dull green, all will want shade and can tolerate some morning sun though you don’t want it to get the hot afternoon sun. They are often times found in Japanese gardens, planted alongside Japanese Maples as referenced in this article Japanese Maple.
All in all, the Ligularia is a wonderful option for a shade garden. They are low-maintenance plants, bloom in the spring and fall, and are popular with the bees!
