27 of the Best Shade-Loving Herbs for Your Garden

There’s an undeniable charm to a yard filled with overarching trees, trellises smothered in flowering vines, and elegant evergreen shrubs.

Given the choice, most of us would opt for a yard with mature trees and bushes over a bare plot of land.

But when we go to fill up our herb gardens, many of us discover that having a lush plot comes with its own set of challenges.

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If you don’t have a ton of full exposure spots left in your yard but you can’t get enough homegrown herbs, then you know the pain.

Or maybe you just want to fill a shaded spot with something other than the usual hostas, ivy, and ferns. Though, don’t forget, hostas and some ferns are edible, so… No shade on these plants.

Whatever your challenge, up ahead, we’re going to go over some common and not-so-common herbs that will produce even if they don’t sit in a sunny spot.

Here are the species we’re going to look at:

Not every herb on this list thrives in shade. Some plants will simply tolerate it. But all of them will produce so you can enjoy the fruits of your labor without the sunburn.

Some species in the Agrimonia genus need full or partial sun, but there are a few species that thrive in partial or full shade.

A. gryposepala, also known as tall hairy agrimony, and A. striata, or roadside agrimony, both thrive in partial or full shade in USDA Hardiness Zones 6 to 9.

All of the herbs in this genus are entirely edible from root to tip, with varying taste appeal.

Some are best used solely for tea and others are downright delicious. For more palatable species, baking the