Every garden has its spotlight stealers – those plants that soak up all the sunlight and leave their neighbors scrambling for scraps.
These sun-loving stars have a way of casting shade, both literally and figuratively, creating striking contrasts in your garden.
If some of your plants seem to be fading into the background, chances are these dominant characters are calling the shots.
1. Hosta Is The Leafy Blanket That Covers The Ground
Hostas are known for their stunning, heart-shaped leaves that range from deep green to variegated shades of gold and white.
These broad, overlapping leaves form a dense, low canopy, creating a lush groundcover that blocks sunlight and keeps the soil cool and shaded.
While this feature may be beneficial for your soil, the plants that grow below won’t be happy and won’t be able to reach their full potential!
2. Rhubarb Always Steals The Spot Light
The gigantic, crinkled leaves of rhubarb emerge from thick, red stalks and create a dramatic statement in the garden.
Their umbrella-like structure dominates the landscape, shielding nearby plants from sunlight and casting deep shadows across the soil.
If you grow a plant that loves sun near your rhubarb, the chances are it won’t get any!
3. Elephant Ear Is Perfect For Shading Your Garden
Well, Elephant Ear plants live up to their name with enormous, glossy, heart-shaped leaves that can grow up to three feet long.
They thrive in moist, well-draining soil and full sun to partial shade. Its oversized leaves create a wide canopy, perfect for shading delicate plants that prefer less direct sunlight.
4. Canna’s Leaves Cast Shadows
We all love cannas for their wide, paddle-shaped leaves. But the thing is that they not only catch the sun for themselves but also block it entirely for neighboring plants.
If plants close to your cannas didn’t thrive, now you know what’s stopping them! The smaller shade-tolerant plants are way better companions for your cannas!
5. Sunflower’s Sky-High Blooms Leave The Ground In Shadows
The massive blossoms of sunflowers add a special touch of beauty to any garden. These annual plants can reach heights of up to 10 feet.
They thrive in sunny, well-drained soil and provide shade for lower-growing crops like lettuce or radishes, which benefit from the reduced heat.
6. Hollyhock’s Flowering Towers Eclipse Smaller Neighbors
Here comes the elegant giant of the garden, with flower spikes reaching up to 8 feet tall!
Hollyhocks’s soft, lobed leaves and dense blooms thrive in full sun and well-draining soil, creating a shaded zone perfect for ground-level plants that need a break from the heat.
7. Dahlia’s Lush Blooms Block All the Sun Below
And now, the Dahlias aka showstoppers with their lush, bushy foliage and vibrant flowers that come in every color imaginable.
They flourish in rich, sunny spots with well-drained soil, and their dense leaves create a natural canopy that’s perfect for shielding smaller plants.
8. Short Plants Won’t Be Happy When Planted Next To Cosmos
A popular 6-foot-tall cosmos is an annual with airy, fern-like foliage and cheerful daisy-like flowers in shades of pink, white, and orange.
Its whimsical look adds a carefree touch to the garden while helping shade-sensitive plants thrive.
9. Tithonia Outshines Everything Else
If you haven’t heard of Tithonia, perhaps Mexican sunflower rings a bell. This garden powerhouse produces velvety green leaves and fiery orange blooms.
Growing up to 6 feet tall in sunny, well-drained spots, it spreads its broad leaves to cast cooling shade over the garden. This plant is my go-to for attracting pollinators while creating pockets of shade for heat-sensitive vegetables.
10. Zinnias Hog The Sunlight And Rule The Garden
Zinnias are hardworking annuals with thick, oval leaves and vibrant, long-lasting flowers in bold hues like red, yellow, and purple.
They grow up to 4 feet tall in sunny, well-drained soil, forming a wall of shade that’s perfect for lining sunny borders.
11. Coreopsis’ Golden Blooms Outcompete For Sunlight And Space
If your garden needs a sun-loving perennial, coreopsis is the perfect choice! Its dense growth and spreading stems block sunlight, making it a strong contender for outshining everything around it.
You can use it to fill sunny spots and it will create shade for smaller plants and bring pollinators flocking.
12. Foxglove’s Towering Spires Shadow Ground-Level Plants
I’m sure you’ll agree with me when I say that foxgloves look like they came straight from the fairytale.
Their bell-shaped blooms come in soft shades of purple, pink, and white that rise high on elegant spikes.
The large basal leaves thrive in rich, moist soil and partial shade, creating a cool, shadowy area for low-growing plants.
13. Gladiolus Command Both Sunlight and Attention
Gladiolus plants are summer’s drama queens with their sword-like leaves and tall, colorful flower spikes in vivid shades like pink, red, and orange.
They thrive in sunny, well-drained conditions, creating a vertical screen that blocks sunlight from shorter plants.
Gladiolus will add structure and vibrancy to your garden while helping to cool down nearby greenery.
14. Butterbur’s Massive Leaves Keep Smaller Plants In The Shade
Here comes another garden giant, the butterbur. Its kidney-shaped leaves can grow several feet wide.
Butterbur thrives in moist, shady areas, forming a leafy parasol that blocks sunlight and keeps smaller plants cool.
15. Ligularia’s Striking Foliage Keeps Sunlight at Bay
And the last plant on our list is the stunning Ligularia. It’s definitely a statement plant with jagged-edged, heart-shaped leaves in deep green or purple hues, paired with tall spikes of bright yellow flowers.
It loves moist soil and partial shade, and its bold foliage creates a shady oasis in any garden. Growing Ligularia is like having a piece of the tropics right in your backyard.
Now the only thing left for you to do is to add these sun-stealing champions to your garden and enjoy the perfect balance of light, shade, and style!