Best Plants for Shady Backyards in New Jersey

A shady backyard in New Jersey doesn’t have to mean bare patches, struggling plants, or a boring landscape. With the right plant selections and a thoughtful layout, even low-light areas can become lush, colorful, and functional outdoor spaces. At Haughey Brothers Landscaping, we help homeowners in Westfield and surrounding areas transform difficult yards into beautiful environments—shade included.

If your backyard gets only partial sunlight or is covered by large trees, here’s what you need to know to make the most of it.

Understanding Shade in Your Landscape

Before selecting plants for your shady backyard, it's essential to understand the type and amount of light your landscape receives. Not all shade is the same—and choosing the wrong plants for the conditions can lead to poor growth, disease, or plant failure. Shade conditions can also change throughout the day and year, depending on tree cover, building shadows, and seasonal sun angles.

Here are the three main categories of shade to be aware of:

• • Full shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight per day. These areas often lie beneath dense tree canopies or between buildings. Full-shade conditions can make it difficult for turfgrass or sun-loving plants to thrive, so it’s important to select varieties that are adapted to low light.
  • Partial shade: 3 to 6 hours of sun per day, typically in the morning or late afternoon. This is common under trees with high canopies or in yards with eastern or western exposure. Many perennials and flowering shrubs do well in partial shade, especially those that benefit from a break from the intense afternoon sun.
  • Filtered or dappled shade: Sunlight passes through leaves or overhead structures like pergolas, creating shifting light patterns. This type of shade is ideal for a wider range of plants, especially when soil moisture is managed correctly.

Identifying the right shade type helps you choose plants that won’t just survive, but thrive. At Haughey Brothers Landscaping, we offer expert property evaluations that consider sun exposure, soil composition, moisture levels, and existing vegetation. We’ll develop a custom planting plan that works in harmony with your yard’s natural light patterns and your long-term landscaping goals—whether you want a lush, low-maintenance garden bed or a full backyard makeover.

Best Shade-Loving Plants for New Jersey Yards

Many homeowners believe that a shady backyard limits their landscaping options—but in reality, there are many beautiful, low-maintenance plants that thrive in partial or full shade. Choosing the right shade-tolerant varieties allows you to create lush, layered garden beds, soften hard edges, and add color and texture where traditional turf or sun-loving plants struggle.

Below, we’ve compiled a list of hardy plants that perform exceptionally well in New Jersey’s climate. These selections are ideal for areas under mature trees, along fences, near the foundation of your home, or on north-facing slopes and walls.

At Haughey Brothers Landscaping, we specialize in designing and installing plantings that work with your site’s natural light conditions—not against them.

Perennials for Shade

Perennials are a great foundation for any landscape. They come back year after year with minimal maintenance and provide consistent color, texture, and seasonal interest.

• • Hostas – A classic shade garden staple, hostas are prized for their bold foliage, which comes in shades of green, blue, white, and variegated patterns. They’re ideal for borders, understory planting, and mass groupings. Larger varieties can even act as groundcovers in deep shade.
  • Astilbe – With its feathery plumes and finely textured foliage, astilbe adds height and movement to shady beds. It thrives in moist, well-drained soils and blooms in shades of white, pink, and red—perfect for brightening dark corners.
  • Heuchera (Coral Bells) – Known for vibrant leaf colors ranging from burgundy to lime green, heuchera provides year-round visual interest. It’s excellent for edging paths, mixing into rock gardens, or pairing with other shade plants for contrast.
  • Ferns – Native varieties such as lady fern, ostrich fern, and Christmas fern flourish in shaded woodland areas. They bring a soft, natural look to beds and require very little upkeep once established.
  • Pulmonaria (Lungwort) – A standout in early spring, lungwort features attractive spotted leaves and clusters of pink, blue, or purple flowers. It’s highly tolerant of shade and deer-resistant, making it an excellent low-maintenance choice.

Shade-Tolerant Shrubs

Shrubs provide structure, privacy, and seasonal color to your landscape. They work well as foundation plantings, focal points, or natural screens in areas with limited sun.

• • Hydrangea macrophylla (Bigleaf Hydrangea) – This iconic shrub is a favorite among New Jersey homeowners. It offers stunning summer blooms and performs best in morning sun with afternoon shade. The flowers even change color based on soil pH—offering pink, blue, or purple tones.
  • Leucothoe – A versatile evergreen shrub with graceful arching stems and glossy leaves. It’s perfect for shady slopes or borders and adds year-round greenery to areas where few plants thrive.
  • Azaleas – Ideal for partial shade and acidic soil, azaleas provide vibrant spring color and evergreen varieties are available for year-round structure. They pair beautifully with ferns, hostas, and mulch beds under large trees.
  • Boxwood – This slow-growing evergreen is perfect for formal gardens and shaded foundation plantings. It can be shaped into hedges, borders, or left natural for a more relaxed look.

Groundcovers for Shaded Areas

Grass can struggle in shaded yards, especially under trees or on slopes. Groundcovers offer a great alternative—helping control erosion, suppress weeds, and reduce maintenance.

• • Pachysandra – One of the most dependable groundcovers for full shade, pachysandra spreads quickly and forms a dense, glossy green carpet. It’s commonly used around tree trunks and in narrow side yards where grass won’t grow.
  • Sweet Woodruff – This fragrant, low-growing perennial is ideal for moist, shaded sites. It produces delicate white flowers in spring and spreads gently, making it suitable for naturalistic garden beds.
  • Liriope (Lilyturf) – A grass-like perennial that tolerates foot traffic, shade, and poor soil. It works well along paths or as a border in shaded gardens and offers the bonus of small purple flower spikes in late summer.

Designing a Shade Garden That Works

A successful shady landscape isn’t just about the right plants—it’s also about proper layout, soil preparation, and visual interest. At Haughey Brothers Landscaping, we take a design-first approach that balances beauty, functionality, and long-term performance.

Tips for shady backyard design:

• • Use a variety of textures and leaf shapes to create contrast
  • Layer heights with groundcovers, perennials, and taller shrubs
  • Incorporate hardscaping features like stone pathways, seating walls, or paver patios to define space and improve usability
  • Add landscape lighting to highlight focal points and make shaded spaces usable after dark
  • Improve soil conditions with organic matter to support root health in lower-light environments

We offer complete landscape design, garden bed installation, sod alternatives, and lighting solutions to help you get more out of every part of your yard—even the shady corners.

Proudly serving Central New Jersey

Haughey Brothers Landscaping provides expert plant selection and full-service landscape installation throughout Westfield, NJ and surrounding areas, including:

• • Berkeley Heights
  • Chatham
  • Cranford
  • Madison
  • Mountainside
  • New Providence
  • Scotch Plains
  • Short Hills
  • Springfield
  • Summit
  • Westfield

Transform Your Shady Backyard Today

Let’s turn that shady spot into something beautiful.

If your backyard struggles with limited sunlight, Haughey Brothers Landscaping can help. We’ll evaluate your space, recommend the right plant palette, and build a landscape that thrives—even in the shade. From design to installation, we’re your trusted landscaping company in Union County.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation or request an estimate. We’re proud to serve homeowners across Central New Jersey with expert landscape solutions that look great in every season.