I’m just going to say it: trying to grow grass under a mature tree is a complete waste of time and money.
I learned this the hard way after spending three long summers fighting a massive maple tree in my backyard. Every spring, I’d throw down expensive shade-mix grass seed, water it religiously, and by July… I was right back to a dusty, bare patch of dirt. (Spoiler alert: the tree’s roots always drink all the water first.) It is so incredibly frustrating to stare at a dark, muddy eyesore when the rest of your yard is looking great.
But a couple of years ago, I finally waved the white flag. I stopped fighting the shade, ditched the grass seed, and started filling that dead space with tough-as-nails shade plants instead. The difference was night and day. It completely transformed that miserable corner into a lush, vibrant woodland garden that I actually want to look at.
If you’re tired of battling bare spots under your big oaks and pines, you don’t need a chainsaw, you just need the right plants. Here are the absolute best shade lovers I’ve found that will actually thrive when the grass gives up.
1. Hostas
This is the one we reach for most. You can find them in nearly every shade of green, blue, and yellow available to completely change the look of a dark corner. They handle dry shade incredibly well once established, but you have to watch out for slugs. Keep the crown slightly above ground when putting them in the dirt to prevent rotting.
2. Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa)
Christina tested this under her massive maple tree last winter and the bright lime color completely transformed a dark, dead corner. It creeps slowly over the ground and literally looks like a tiny bright waterfall pouring over the soil. The chartreuse varieties need a tiny bit of morning sun to keep their color from fading to plain green.
3. Coral Bells (Heuchera)
Best bang for your buck on this whole list. They come in wild colors from deep purple to neon orange, giving you intense garden color when absolutely nothing is flowering. Plant them at the outer edge of the tree canopy where they catch just a sliver of late afternoon light.
4. Astilbe
These throw up tall, feathery plumes of pink or white that look almost alien in a dark shade garden. They drink a massive amount of water, so planting them under thirsty maples is a constant battle. Keep the soil consistently moist or the delicate fern-like leaves will crisp up immediately.
Now for the ones that spread out and cover the completely bare ground.
5. Japanese Spurge (Pachysandra)
If you want a dense, green carpet that absolutely chokes out weeds, this is your answer. It covers the bare dirt right around the trunk where grass refuses to grow. (trust me on this one) It takes a full year to settle in, then it takes off aggressively.
6. Wild Ginger
Instead of fighting with patchy grass, we let wild ginger blanket the ground. The heart-shaped leaves are thick and shiny, looking incredible in a large mass planting. As a fun bonus, it hides some bizarre, dark red flowers under the leaves in early spring.
7. Foamflower (Tiarella)
I used this on my shady backyard slope and the tiny white flower spikes look like literal foam floating over the lower leaves. It spreads by runners across the soil but never gets invasive or annoying to manage. It’s the perfect fast-spreading plant for filling the awkward gaps between larger shrubs.
8. Ferns
Thick and reliable. Ostrich ferns look amazing with their huge fronds, but they require a ton of extra watering. If you’re dealing with a dry, miserable patch of dirt under an oak, plant Christmas ferns instead. They handle the severe drought roughly as well as a cactus.
9. Bleeding Heart
A classic shade plant that hangs tiny, pink heart-shaped flowers off sharply arched stems. It dies completely back into the ground by mid-summer, leaving a blank spot in the garden just when everything else is getting big. Plant something bushy next to it to cover the huge gap it leaves behind.
10. Hellebores
I planted these under our pines three years ago and they are always the very first thing to bloom while the snow is still falling. The leathery evergreen leaves look great all year round, even breaking through the frost. (cheaper than you’d think) if you buy them as small plugs.
11. Solomon’s Seal
Elegant and deeply weird. The stems arch sideways incredibly far and dangle little white bells underneath the leaves. They survive in those dim, heavily shadowed spots near the tree trunk where other plants just give up completely and die.
12. Lungwort (Pulmonaria)
The name is terrible, but the plant itself is absolutely fantastic. The leaves are covered in silver spots and the spring flowers bloom in vivid pink and turn bright blue as they age. Honestly, I’d skip this if your soil is mostly sand, as it wilts fast.
These next few are more for adding serious color early in the year.
13. Spring-Flowering Bulbs (Daffodils, Crocuses)
Plant these directly into the soil under deciduous trees in the fall. They pop up and bloom brightly before the tree even grows its leaves, catching all the early spring sun. By the time the tree casts deep shade, the bulbs are already done for the entire year.
14. Virginia Bluebells
A native plant that brings a massive punch of sky-blue color right after the snow finally melts away. They disappear entirely by July when the heat sets in. Like bleeding hearts, you absolutely need summer-flowering neighbors to fill the ugly empty space they leave behind.
15. Columbine (Aquilegia)
These attract hummingbirds to the darkest parts of the yard, darting between the trees. The delicate flowers look like they strictly belong in full sun, but many varieties tolerate heavy partial shade beautifully. They reseed themselves freely, slowly moving around your garden over the years. (yes, really)
16. Bergenia
Sometimes called pigsqueak because of the strange squeaking sound the thick leaves make when you rub them together. The huge, leathery foliage turns a dramatic deep purple in the harsh winter months. It’s incredibly tough and completely ignores months of neglect.
17. Black Cohosh
When you drastically need height in the shade, this is the fix. It blasts tall, dramatic white flower wands straight up into the dappled light. It handles the shade perfectly but fiercely competes for water, so you have to water it regularly. Check our guide on 10 Garden Hacks for a High-End Yard on a Tiny Budget if you want to water them cheaply with a DIY drip system.
18. Wood Anemones
Tiny, cheerful little white flowers that slowly creep among your thick tree roots. They’re delicate but completely unbothered by the heavy leaf shade. They don’t mind shallow soil either, making them perfect for planting right over massive exposed tree roots.
19. Bloodroot
A wild, native choice that features one striking white flower per single stem. You won’t easily find this sitting in a plastic pot at every local garden center. If you want something genuinely rare that actually survives in the dark, hunt this one down.
20. Oakleaf Hydrangea
It’s a shrub, not a small perennial, but it grows vigorously under tall leafy canopies. The massive, cone-shaped flowers last for months and the large leaves turn violently red in autumn. Plant it at least four feet away from the tree trunk to avoid an underground root war. If you want to know more about growing larger plants in tight spots, read Pot To Plate: 4 Secrets To Growing Juicy Tomatoes In Small Spaces.
Start With Two or Three
You don’t need to completely cover the ground under your trees on the very first try. Trying to dig 20 different holes between massive tree roots in one afternoon is a guaranteed recipe for back pain. Pick three, try them this weekend, and see what happens.