Plants that thrive in sunshine are great, but there’s nothing nicer than chilling in the shade with a plant pal by your side. Whether you have an urban outdoor space that’s low on light, or a massive garden that is partially shaded, a large outdoor plant can add a little pizazz to your space.

Take a look at the top large outdoor plants that are perfect for the shade:

Mae, Chamaerops Humilis

Mae, or chamaerops humilis as she’s otherwise known, is a great gal for popping in the shade. She’s a real people pleaser and has been Patch’s most popular plant since our launch. Super low maintenance, and tolerant of most outdoor conditions, Mae is a perfect plant for the shade.

Billy, Polystichum Polyblepharum

Cheeky guy Billy has been around for 400 million years and is a fern who’s real name means ‘many eyelashes’. When Billy’s not fluttering his foliage at you, he’ll be sat quietly in the shade with leaves that weave downwards creating a beautiful texture to your garden.

Beryl, Golden Shield Fern

Beautiful Beryl is a golden shield fern who loves sprawling out in a dark damp spot in the garden. Her unique living habits make her perfect for wetter seasons and means that she won’t cower in rougher conditions. She’s a robust variety of fern who is just as happy in the sun too. With Beryl, all you really need to worry about is the best place to put her to show her off.

Peter, Buxus Sempervirens

Peter is a glorious ornamental tree that is as happy in England as he is in Africa. He’s lush colour and vibrant smell makes him a firm favourite with the green thumbed. If you want something evergreen that sits pretty in the shade, Peter is your guy.

Gia, Hydrangea Macrophylla

For a little splash of colour, Gia our Hydrangea Macrophylla is perfect. Lots of flowery plants can’t handle the shade, so it’s refreshing to meet an outdoor plant that is happy in low light. Whilst Gia can be smaller when in a pot, this little gal can sprawl out into a lovely bush when planted in soil. Set her free and watch her grow!

Fats, Fatsia Japonica

Fats our Fatsia Japonica is blessed with large glossy leaves that are super resilient. He’s the go to guy for areas that have a lot of shade, like urban balconies and mini gardens. He can grow up to 2 metres tall though, so be sure you can commit to his size before investing.

Ivy, Hedera Helix

There’s something about Ivy that makes her synonymous with an English garden where she has often draped over shaded walls and passages. Ivy is happy in deep shade, but also prospers in light and won’t wilt or fade away easily.

Archie, Carex Evergold

Archie is known for his deep green and yellow grass that brightens any outdoor space. He’s perfectly suited to shade, and can survive in temperatures as low as -20 degrees. Brrr!

Cory, Cordyline

Oh how we love Cory our Cordyline! He’s a firm favourite due to his dark red hues and unusual history. He’s been used in medicine and food by native tribes for thousands of years and still retains his red colour that was used to mark out areas of land.

Tyler, Heuchera

Tyler looks great in the shade, and is able to keep his foliage all year round. Whilst his relatives lose their leaves, this deep red plant stays strong and survives in many outdoor conditions. He’s super easy to look after and can grow to a good size.

View all of our outdoor plants here.

Alternatively, if you’re looking for easy to maintain outdoor plants, we’ve got you covered here.