So many people have land –either in a yard or garden that they feel they cannot grow anything in because the shade is too heavy. Some herbs will grow well even in heavy shade, but you may want to pass on one or two that would spread and become a menace (I know from experience!). Plants that tolerate heavy shade are usually woodland plants that need to flower early before the trees are in full leaf – they may not be able to flower for years because of the shade. Annual plants don’t really stand a chance, but those that spread by bulbs budding, by creeping stems or runners do all right – but also means that they can be invasive. So this is why there tend to develop colonies of plants of the same kind – such as bugle, woodruff and ground ivy.

Herbs that can be grown in heavy shade include:

Ajuga Reptans – bugle (quite invasive, but easy to pull up)

Allium ursinium – ramsons (and others in the onion family0

Galllium odoratum – Sweet woodruff (invasive and a menace in my garden – you could try it in a container  as its very good for pot pourri)

Helleborus – any helleborus species

Hydrastis canadiensis – Golden Seal

Oenothera  biennis – evening primrose

Polygonatum multiflorum – Solomon’s Seal

Polygonum Bistorta – bistort

Pulmonaria sp – Lungworts

Valeriana officinalis – valerian

Viola odorata - violet