The best plants for hanging baskets in shade are those that can produce lots of flowers (or beautiful foliage) in the absence of direct sunlight. I’ve comprised a list of some of my favorites.
1. Fuchsia
These pretty, tear-drop shaped feature bright pink and purple petals. They are perfect for hanging out baskets and creating a waterfall effect in your garden. Fuchsia comes in many shapes, sizes, and colors and can brighten any small garden or porch area. Add these pretty hanging baskets to your garden and your guests will love them.
2. Western Bleeding Heart
The heart-shaped blooms on this native plant (Dicentra formosa) are a pretty white color. They provide a neutral backdrop to many other varieties of plants. Planting these in hanging baskets will give you several weeks of flowers from late spring to early summer. Guests will enjoy seeing it displayed on your porch or in your small garden!
3. English Ivy
English Ivy is a lovely plant for a hanging basket. These foliage plants are comprised of several shades of green and love the afternoon shade. They look great with other plants and can be found at your local garden center. You will love having this beautiful hanging basket in your garden or on your front porch. The ivy hangs nicely out of the basket creating a waterfall effect wherever you place it.
4. Begonia
These lovely, large flowers create a show-stopping display in any garden. Begonia flowers are typically white or warm colors and grow in significant clusters. You will see them blooming from July until the colder weather hits. What’s great about these plants is that you can save the bulbs and replant them the following year. These hanging baskets will look amazing on any porch or in any garden.
5. Lobelia
I love these tiny lavender blossoms. Watch the pretty flowers bloom from April to June. They are the perfect space fillers for hanging baskets and small gardens. These lovely annuals thrive in shady baskets on the porch or archway. Plant them each year for some pretty colors in the garden. I love these sweet purple flowers in hanging baskets! You will too.
6. Marguerite Daisy
The light yellow and white coloring of these sweet blooms makes a lovely sight for a springtime garden. This is a pollinator attractant so you will see plenty of bees and butterflies around these hanging baskets. The dark green foliage is lovely against the pretty flowers. Add them to hanging baskets and display them throughout your garden or on your porch.
7. Impatiens
These shade-loving plants come in so many colors. I love seeing them in pinks and purples, but they come in all colors. Add them to any hanging basket for a nice pop of color in your space. This plant blooms consistently from June until the first frost. You will love these shade-loving plants for hanging baskets.
8. Monkey Flower
The Monkey Flower is uniquely shaped thrives in a hanging basket. While most varieties grow upright, many have trailing varieties that look amazing in baskets. You’ll find these flowers in yellows, oranges, reds, and even purples. The bright colors liven up a small space or porch and they do very well in well-drained hanging baskets.
9. Trailing Bacopa
These beautiful white flowers make a cascading trail on dark green foliage background. Hanging plants like this look fantastic on wooden porches or against darker backgrounds. You’ll want to hang these in primarily full sun or partial shade so the flowers can grow to their best potential. These are a great spring and summer plant for any garden.
10. Coleus
If you’re looking for a compact plant with tons of leaves, this is the plant for you. Coleus is made up of heart-shaped, colorful leaves that come in many color varieties. This is a fun shade-loving plant that makes any space brighter. I love the vibrant look of this plant. It looks great next to other more colorful plants in the garden.
As you choose the plants for your shade-loving hanging baskets, consider some of these exciting varieties. From colorful blooms to glossy green foliage, you can’t go wrong with any of them. Get creative with your own hanging basket and enjoy displaying it in garden archways or on shady porches.
Tips for hanging baskets for plants
Hanging baskets hang from the wall, ceiling, or porch and display your beautiful plants. Baskets are made from wicker, metal, plastic, and more, depending on the plants you are hanging. They come in many shapes and sizes and have different hook options for hanging. You can find a hanging basket that matches your style at the local nursery or garden center.
Hanging baskets can be hung from a hook on your porch, an archway in the garden, or a tall metal hook in the ground. Just be sure to place them somewhere that will get plenty of shade, as the hanging basket plants listed here prefer full shade or partial shade for protection.
