The Best Plants for an East Facing Garden
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If you have an east facing garden, you may be wondering how to make the most of it.
On the one hand, an east facing garden receives most of its sunlight in the morning, which can limit the types of plants that can be grown.
On the other hand, the cooler temperatures and partial shade provided by east facing gardens can be ideal for certain types of plants.
With some careful planning, you can create a stunning east facing garden.
Hostas
Hostas are the perfect shade-loving plant for an east facing garden.
They come in so many sizes, leaf shapes, and colors, making them an easy choice for adding texture.
Hostas thrive in partial to full shade, so they are well-suited for an east facing garden.
They also require little maintenance (other than keeping the slugs away of course).
Astilbes
Astilbes are another shade-loving plant that is perfect for an east facing garden.
They produce plumes of pink, white, or red flowers that bloom in mid to late summer, and their lacy foliage is stunning.
Astilbes prefer moist soil, so be sure to water them regularly.
Bleeding Heart
Bleeding hearts (Lamprocapnos spectabilis) are one of my absolute favorite shade-loving plants.
Their heart-shaped flowers are a stunning shade of pink, white, or red and bloom in early spring.
To learn more, check out my guide: How to Grow Bleeding Heart.
Ferns
Ferns are an excellent choice for an east facing garden because they thrive in the cool, moist conditions created by morning sun and afternoon shade.
One of my favorite types of ferns for east facing gardens is the tree fern.
Learn more about growing tree ferns with my guide Growing and Caring for Tree Ferns: A Complete Guide.
Heuchera
Heuchera (also known as Coral Bells) is a shade-loving perennial that produces delicate flowers on tall stems in late spring or early summer.
They come in several different colors, but my favorite is the variety with the dark burgundy foliage.
It makes an excellent contrast when grown next to bright green ferns.
Brunnera
Brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla) is another favorite for east facing gardens.
It has heart-shaped leaves with a silver overlay that always catches the eye.
In the spring, it will produce clusters of delicate, small blue flowers (that look similar to forget-me-nots) and can look lovely next to the pink flowers of the bleeding heart.
Anemones
Anemones can tolerate partial shade, which makes them a great option for an east facing garden that receives less direct sunlight.
They produce beautiful, colorful flowers in shades of pink, white, red, and purple.
However, it's important to note that if your east facing garden is heavily shaded, anemones may not perform as well.
It's important to choose the right variety for your particular conditions, as some anemones are more sun-tolerant than others.
Check out my other guides to the best plants for your garden based on which direction your garden faces:
