Compared to gardeners with sunny exposures, it's true that those with more shade have a smaller  selection of flowering annuals. Fortunately, the ones that thrive in those darker regions of the garden often provide extravagant, unusual blooms and/or colors. Case in point, Illumination begonias, ranging in warm, bright colors from pure white to blazing red, and some truly unique yellow to apricot colors in between. The Illumination series of tuberous begonias are short, only four to eight inches tall, and trail beautifully up to 30 inches long, making them an excellent choice for hanging baskets, window boxes, and container planters. Starting in late spring, these begonias will keep on blooming right up to freeze. Regular water and fertilizer will keep the plants lush all season long, and may be the envy of gardeners who lack enough shade.