Plants to Grow in Pots on a Shady Deck

Begonia on shaded deck

Plants to Grow in Pots on a Shady Deck

I only have a small deck that only gets afternoon sun. What are the best things to plant?    

You don’t need full sun to enjoy a lush, colourful deck garden. Plenty of plants thrive in shade and will do well in containers. Just choose pots large enough for the plant, use fresh Daltons Premium Container Mix when planting, and make sure there are good drainage holes so excess water can escape.

Great shade-loving options include:

  • Azalea ‘Kirin’ – a compact, evergreen azalea with bright pink blooms
  • Begonia fuchsioides – sometimes called Fuchsia Begonia, with small pendulous flowers
  • Bergenia cordifolia – known as Elephant’s Ears for its large, glossy leaves
  • Brunfelsia eximia – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow plant, with purple flowers fading to lavender and white
  • Chlorophytum comosum – the classic Spider Plant
  • Fuchsias – a wide range of varieties with colourful, pendulous flowers
  • Ligustrum rotundifolium – a compact shrub with thick, glossy, rounded wavy leaves
  • Tropical Impatiens – bright summer colour for shady spots
     

Read our guide below for information on growing vegetables, flowers and fruit in containers.  
How to Grow in Containers Guide

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