Hosta

• Hosta come in various sizes.Hosta image by Michele Maakestad from Fotolia.com
  
  The size of hosta plants varies greatly, from a couple of inches wide to well over 8 feet wide, according to Ohio State University Extension. The foliage, which may be blue, green, gold, white or yellow, comes in a wide variety of shapes, textures and colors, making hosta the perfect plant to add interest to small shade gardens. These popular plants, which produce spikes of white or lavender-colored flowers, are very easy to grow. Hosta plants are hardy in U.S. Department of Agricultural hardiness zones 3 through 10.
  
  

Columbine

• Columbine have interesting foliage and the flowers come in a wide array of colors.aquilegia image by gianni pani from Fotolia.com
  
  Aquilegia, or columbine, reaches a mature height of 2 feet or less, making it the ideal flowering plant for small shade gardens, according to The University of Texas at Austin Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. The bell-shaped flowers are available in a wide array of colors, including black, blue, white, pink, red and yellow. This showy flower is native to the United States and depending on the variety, is hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 9.
  
  

Lungwort

• Lungwort, or pulmonaria, reaches a mature height of 8 to 15 inches, is easy to grow and works well as a single specimen, ground cover or border plant, according to Iowa State University Extension. The plants produce small blue, white or pink flowers in late winter or early spring. It is quite common to see more than one flower color on each plant. White or silver splotches on the foliage create additional interest in the small shade garden. Depending on variety, lungwort is hardy in USDA zones 3 through 8.
  
  

Epimedium

• Epimedium foliageepimedium image by Olivia from Fotolia.com
  
  Barrenwort, or Epimedium, is an evergreen groundcover, perfect for dry shade, according to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. In late winter, cut the old foliage back to reveal new leaves that are red or bronze tinged and masses of flower buds. The star-shaped flowers open on wiry stems in a wide array of colors including purple, yellow, pink and orange. Epimedium is hardy in zones 5 through 9.