Fill Your Shaded Garden With A Trailing Plant That Has Pretty Purple Flowers

If you have a spot in your yard that doesn't receive much sunlight, it may feel like that particular landscape is limited to those shade-loving plants that produce beautiful foliage but no significant flowers. However, with this trailing plant, you can take advantage of its lower-light conditions and curate a shade garden with show-stopping blooms as well.

Nodding violet (Streptocarpus saxorum) is a flowering evergreen that's native to Kenya and Tanzania. If you're a beginner gardener looking for the right plant to grow in your shade garden, this choice is so easy to care for. Although it thrives naturally in sunny locations, its preference for blooming along rocks means that it's commonly exposed to shadows. It also does well in containers, making it perfect for elevated or even hanging gardens.

Choosing this plant can help ensure that no part of your yard goes unused, which is especially helpful if you're trying to make the most of a small backyard. However, as easy and low-maintenance as nodding violets are, they still require a proper care routine to truly thrive and present those pretty purple flowers during the spring and summer months. 

If you're growing nodding violets specifically for a shade garden, one of the care factors you're likely the most interested in is just how much darkness they can tolerate. Because of their natural habitat, nodding violets aren't going to do well in a full shade environment. Instead, choose a spot outside that receives at least a little sun throughout the day, providing partial shade conditions. A patio or porch also serves as the perfect place if you're looking for a small-backyard-friendly shade garden solution.

If you are bringing the nodding violet inside, you have to take caution with which location you choose because direct sunlight during the midday can lead to leaf scorch. And with this extra light and heat, your plant could also experience flower loss. So, an east- or south-facing spot may be the best choice, as it provides that necessary sun without exposing your plant and its flowers to harsh conditions. 

As far as other care requirements go, nodding violets do best when they're offered moist soil but not waterlogged conditions, as these can lead to root rot. It's not tolerant of overwatering, so you'll want to develop a careful routine. It's hardy in USDA growing zones nine through 11 and can tolerate the occasional dry spell. Flowers in this genus benefit from regular deadheading, and by taking a bit of extra time to complete this task, you can extend their flowering and help their color last longer.