Well, first your planned area sounds beautiful, peaceful and restful. It sounds like a place I would love to visit and drink some tea and read a book. Very nice.

In regard to ferns, I wouldn't discount them. I understand the blazing hot sun in summer, but if they were planted near the cooling and humidifying center fountain they might do very well. Worth a try as they are very relaxing plants.

Hostas also come to mind and in my opinion if you are willing to spend a few bucks there are cultivars available via mail order that really push the envelope on the 'boring old hosta' in terms of color and texture.

Coleus and caladiums are annuals or at least treated as such in the cooler zones, but please don't overlook them for a splash of mostly carefree color in shady areas. Caladium have the advantage of being able to be dug up and stored and replanted (although they don't necessarily improve with each passing year) and coleus have the advantage of adapting fairly well to indoor culture over the winter. In fact coleus are wonderful to train as standards over the winter to give one something to do (a 'standard' in this case means to train it into a tree shape).

There are many, many other possibilities, but when I envision the area you are creating and consider your desire for it to be quiet and restful, these are the plants that come to mind for me.

I think there is a very good chance the ferns will do well and the hostas certainly will so I would be mail order happy and select pricey, but very stunning cultivars.

I would also want the late to show up, but fairly carefree caladiums and the coleus both for summer color and indoor playing with during the dead of winter.

Darn near everything I have mentioned except the ferns is slug bait though, so be on the guard for that.

Whatever you decide, take some pictures to share, your area sounds like it will be very nice. I envy you!

Justa...thank you. I recognize sometimes it's a hassle to reflect and then respond to postings on here. You've been very considerate and I thank you. I think those suggestions are all great. I want all the pots to be the same...but I'll mix hostas, ferns, caladium and coleus in the various pots. All together there will be five large pots on a side and the overall effect should be a lush, comfortably lived in feeling. I'll plant the hostas in the garden at the end of summer (no more room inside the house for wintering over plants), I'll replace the ferns each spring and find friends that would like to keep this year's over the winter. The caladium I'll replace each year to have the best display and I might draft the basement into duty for creating coleus standards under grow lights. Overall it's all perfectly feasible plus by replacing everything in the pots each year I'll have the enjoyment of variety and new cultivars. thanks...much appreciated.
T.

How about at least 1 brugmansia? They are striking when trained to a standard form and the fragrance released in the evening can't be beat. OTOH, the do need a modicum of light so if it will be in what would be considered 'deep' shade they might not have enough to bloom...and you'll need to carry them over dormant inside in your zone. Check the brug forum. They have gret info and links.
Will

Will...thanks for the suggestion of brugmansia. I've already gotten the brugmansia bug...I love those plants. I was posted for about five years in S. America and traveled a lot to Colombia and Ecuador. I've seen incredible brugmansia trees that put on amazing shows of flowers in friends homes.

The only concern I have with brugmansia in this location is the amount of light they will get. This site will only have perhaps 3-4 hours of sun in the morning but it will never be in deep shade. I'll try some of the potted brugs I have wintering inside the house there.

I think the height of the brugmansias would look good with the ferns and hostas, caladium and coleus. I want this couryard to have a "tame jungly" look and the brugmansias could help achieve that.

Thanks for responding...an idea worth trying out!!

Some hardy shade or shade-tolerant (or can grow in "open shade" and/or with morning sun - I get about 4 - 6 hours depending on the spot) perennials that I have in containers on my balcony include:

Heuchera
Dicentra (bleeding heart)
Lady fern
Asiatic lilies
Orienpet lilies
Lily of the valley
Tiger lilies
Hostas
Sedum
Dianthus
Muscari
Hellebores
Daylilies
Columbine
Monarda
Peonies
Phlox (summer and creeping)
Various mints

In reality, all of my plants get only morning sun (although some get a bit more depending on where I stick them), so you have quite a few choices. I also have grown about 7 different types of salvia - one of which should be hardy in your area - Salvia nemerosa, and I also grow some perennials not quite hardy in your area in pots outside year-round that are even marginal where I am (eg., Virginia bluebells, hardy cyclamen). Some that I want to try in the future (if I can find room) that you could also try, are astilbes and lobelia cardinalis.

So do Hostas do well in containers?? When would you plant them? I live in Oregon on the coast so it doesnt freeze.