Annual Flowers for Shade

A garden that is filled with vibrant blooming flowers is something that every home owner dreams of. Many home owners have the misconception that flowering plants can only thrive in a garden that receives sufficient sunlight. But that is not true. There are many varieties of flowers that can grow in shade as well. If you have a garden that does not receive full sunlight, then you can plant such flowering plants. One good idea is to choose annual flowering plants for shade. Annual flowering plants are those plants that complete their full life cycle in one year. In simple words, annual flowering plants germinate from seeds, bloom and then die within a year. Some annual flowering plants thrive in partial or full shade and are easy to grow while others require a lot of patience and care. If you have a partially shady area in your garden created by a large tree, shadows of the house itself or due to a neighboring building, there is no need to despair. You too can create a beautiful garden filled with colorful flowers of different varieties.

Best Annual Flowers to Grow in Shade

Browallia
One of the best annual flowers that grows in shade is browallia. It is a small flower that is intensely blue in color and which thrives in shade. This plant needs fertile and rich soil to grow and it can be grown both in containers and as edging for borders of a garden. The browallia plant grows to a height of 1 - 2 feet and the flowers usually bloom in clusters.

Fuchsia
Fuchsia is one of the most vibrant and exotic annuals that grow in shade. Adding this beautiful plant to your garden will enhance the beauty of your garden and make it more colorful looking. Fuchsias are trumpet shaped flowers that grow upside down and there are a variety of shades to choose from, from red hot pink to purple. They should be planted right after spring in well drained, rich and moist soil. They are about 1 - 6 feet tall and they can be planted both in flower beds and in containers.

Lobelia
Another great annual flower for your shade garden is lobelia. Lobelia plants are basically of two types, the trailing variety that can be grown in containers and flower boxes, and the mounding variety that looks attractive when planted in garden borders and as ground cover. These beautiful blue and white flowers bloom in spring and autumn and the plant grows to a height of around 1 foot.

Impatiens
One of the most vibrant shade loving annual flowers that you can grown in your garden are impatiens. Impatiens are small flowers that bloom in a variety of colors from orange, pink, white, yellow to every hue of pinks. It grows to a height of 1 - 2 feet and requires moist and rich soil to grow.

Viola
Viola is an attractive flower that blooms in shades of violet, pink, white, yellow and even multicolored varieties. When they are planted in the shade, they bloom in late summer. Violas grow to a height of 1-6 feet depending upon the variety you choose and they require rich, moist soil to thrive.

Torenia
Torenia is a delicate looking flower that which has a bell shaped structure. It grows well in partial to full shade and can be grown both in flower beds and in containers. It is available in trailing as well as upright variety and it gives your garden a bright and cheerful look with its attractive blooms. It is also known as the wishbone flower and it comes in a variety of colors like purple, pink, blue and yellow.

These were some of the most stunning and vibrant annual flowers to grow in shade. Some other shade loving annual flowers are cleome, pansy, snapdragon, alyssum, wax begonia, nasturtium and flossflower. Planting these annual flowers on your shady garden will give your garden a beautiful look.