Updated August 25, 2024
Have a dark corner where the grass just isn’t growing? (Don’t we all?) Turn it into a shade garden!
Living as far north as we do, the harsh winter climate limits our options for perennials. And you can’t trust big box stores to carry hardy ones!
Loaded with photos, I’ve done my best to give you a wide selection of shade-loving perennials to consider for the low-sun corners of your Zone 3 or 4 Alberta shade garden.
Be sure to check out our post on easy to grow flowering perennials for Alberta while you’re here, and these plant exchange groups and events to save on your garden!
Table of Contents
Ajuga/Bugleweed

Hardiness Zone: 3 to 10
Size: Height: 6-9 inches; Spread: 12-18 inches
Bloom Time: May to June
Aquilegia/Colombine

Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
Size: Height: 20-24 Inches, Spread: 20-24 Inches
Bloom Time: Late Spring, Early Summer
Astilbe/False Goat’s Beard

Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
Size: Height: 6 inches to 5 feet, Spread: 1-2 feet
Bloom Time: Late Spring to Late Summer, depending on variety
Astrantia/Masterwart

Hardiness Zone: 4 to 7 (zone 3 with winter cover)
Size: Height: 1-3 feet, Spread: 1-2 feet
Bloom Time: Spring to Summer
Bergenia

Hardiness Zone: 3 to 8
Size: Height: 6-12 inches, Spread: 12-18 inches
Bloom Time: Spring
Bishop’s Hat/Epimedium/Barrenwort/Horny Goat Weed

Hardiness Zone: 4 to 8 (Zone 3 with winter protection)
Size: Height: 6-12 inches, Spread: 1-3 feet
Bloom Time: Early Spring
Bleeding Heart

Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
Size: Height: 6-12 inches, Spread: 1-3 feet
Bloom Time: Spring and Fall (dormant during the summer)
Bunchberry/Creeping Dogwood

Hardiness Zone: 2 to 6
Size: Height: 4-8 inches, Spread: 6-12 inches
Bloom Time: Spring, Red Berries in late summer
Comfrey/Symphytum

Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
Size: Height: 1-3 feet, Spread: 9-30 inches
Bloom Time: Spring
Coral bells/Heuchera

Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
Size: Height: 1-3 feet, Spread: 6-30 inches
Bloom Time: Spring
Creeping Jenny/Moneywort
Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
Size: Height: 2-4 inches, Spread: 1-2 feet
Bloom Time: Summer
Forget-Me-Nots

Hardiness Zone: 3 to 8
Size: Height: 4-12 inches, Spread: 4-8 inches
Bloom Time: Spring, Summer
Great Forget-Me-Not/Heartleaf/Largeleaf Brunnera/Siberian Bugloss

Hardiness Zone: 3 to 8
Size: Height: 1-3 feet, Spread: 12-30 inches
Bloom Time: Spring
Hostas

Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
Size: Height: 6-48 inches, Spread: 1-8 feet
Bloom Time: Summer
Jacob’s Ladder/Stairway to Heaven/Sweatroot

Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
Size: Height: 1-3 feet, Spread: 1-2 feet
Bloom Time: Spring
Lady Fern

Hardiness Zone: 4 to 9 (Zone 3 with winter protection)
Size: Height: 1-5 feet, Spread: 1-2 feet
Bloom Time: None
Lady’s Mantle

Hardiness Zone: 3 to 8
Size: Height: 1-3 feet, Spread: 1-2 feet
Bloom Time: Summer
Lamb’s Ear/Woolly Hedgenettle

Hardiness Zone: 4 to 9 (Zone 3 with protection)
Size: Height: 6-24 inches, Spread: 1-3 feet
Bloom Time: Generally gown for it’s soft leaves, but blooms in all seasons depending on variety
Lamium/Dead-nettles

Hardiness Zone: 4 to 9 (Zone 3 with protection)
Size: Height: 6-12 inches, Spread: 1-5 feet
Bloom Time: Late Spring to Early Summer
Lilac

Hardiness Zone: 2 to 8
Size: Height: 3-25 feet, Spread: 3-20 feet
Bloom Time: Spring
Lily of the Valley

Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
Size: Height: 6-12 inches, Spread: 6-12 inches
Bloom Time: Spring
Lungwort/Pulmonaria

Hardiness Zone: 2 to 8
Size: Height: 6-12 inches, Spread: 1-2 feet
Bloom Time: Spring
Martagon Lilies

Hardiness Zone: 2 to 9
Size: Height: 2-6 feet, Spread: 1-2 feet
Bloom Time: Summer
Pasqueflower/Prairie Crocus

Hardiness Zone: 3 to 8
Size: Height: 8-12 inches, Spread: 4 to 8 inches
Bloom Time: Early Spring
Periwinkle

Hardiness Zone: 3 to 8
Size: Height: 6-12 inches, Spread: endless
Bloom Time: Spring to Fall
Primrose/Primulas

Hardiness Zone: 2 to 8
Size: Height: 6-12 inches, Spread: 6-18 inches
Bloom Time: Spring
Soapwort

Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
Size: Height: 6-36 inches, Spread: 12-24 inches
Bloom Time: Late Spring to Fall
Sweet Woodruff/Sweetscented Bedstraw

Hardiness Zone: 4 to 8 (test in Zone 3)
Size: Height: 6-12 inches, Spread: 12-24 inches
Bloom Time: Late Spring
Trillium

Hardiness Zone: 4 to 9 (test in Zone 3)
Size: Height: 12-19 inches, Spread: 4-12 inches
Bloom Time: Late Spring
Perennial Violets (Genus: Viola)

Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
Size: Height: 2-12 inches, Spread: 4-12 inches
Bloom Time: Spring
More Perennials
I’m still working on gathering photos of these, but if the above list wasn’t long enough for you, here are a few more Zone 3 shade perennials for you to check out!
- Actaea/Baneberries/Bugbane/Cimicifuga/Cohosh
- Aruncus/Goat’s Beard
- False Solomon’s Seal/Treacleberry/Feathery False Lily of the Valley
- Ligularia (*with caution in a sheltered location)
- Meadow Rue
- Native Avens
- Ostrich Ferns
- Rodgersia
- Twinflower
- Wild Ginger/Canadian Snakeroot/Broad-Leaved Asarabacca (*with caution in a sheltered location)
Looking for more?
Check out these posts:
- 20 Easy to Grow Flowering Perennials for Zone 3a
- Save on Plants with Alberta Plant Exchanges
- Why you should be a plant mom
- Have you been to the University of Alberta Botanic Gardens lately?
- 5 reasons we love the St Albert Botanic Park
Keep in mind that perennials need some time to establish themselves. Newly planted perennials are usually much smaller than their final size. While some may reach their full size within a few years, others may take five to ten years or more to mature.
Be patient, enjoy the process, and take some time to smell the flowers!
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