Most herbs prefer sun – and lots of it – but there are herbs that will grow in the shade. If you have a patch of soil that receives partial sun, these 16 herbs should do nicely: Angelica.regano. Parsley. Sweet woodruff. Thyme. Keep In Mind: 1  Herbs grown in the shade may not produce as heavily as those grown in the full sun, but should still perform nicely. 2  Some herbs, like mint, are invasive; and are therefore, best grown in containers.