Well, obviously, impatiens. But also torenia (I like them better than impatiens, but that's just my taste), and browallia. You can buy bareroot hostas really cheap in early spring and you might want to try some of those. They would be so easy to lift and move to more permanent quarters later on. Victoria Salvia will tolerate half day shade. It's strange, but there are far more perennial shade lovers than there are annuals, it seems to me.

I had planted several hosta last year in the area currently "deemed" flower bed and hope to move them out once the "lasagna cooks down". Once that happens either next spring or this fall I will move some hostas - buy some more and add other perennials like lady's mantel to the mix. I've never tried torenia but I think that I would like them better than impatiens. I love pansies and little johnny jump up type flowers and wondered how much sunlight petunias really need. I love their scent. Thanks for the torenia idea

Fern

Ditto the Impatiens and Browallia rec, and New Guinea Impatiens will also do well unless it's a dark shade - they won't really spread out over the fabric but do get nicely bushy with abundant large, colorful flowers where they're happy.

If you want to add a little foliage interest, add some caladiums or elephant ears, or even coleus.

Yes, and Nicotiana would give you a bit of height as well as fragrance. Also, if it's deciduous shade, you could work in spring flowering bulbs. You could overplant them with phlox divaricata, my favorite shade blooming perennial. Other nice perennials for shade are hellebores (evergreen too), carexes, and of course, ferns.