Solidago in part shade - but not the wild invasives.
Yarrow, but it's spindly
Nico in part shade is ok, but it's short and spindly
Chelone. Does fine in shade.

Coreopsis rosea-dappled shade does fine
Monarda "Raspberry Wine"-mostly shady does fine
Solidago (different ones)-part to full shade does fine
Echinacea (different ones)-part/dappled shade does fine except the more shade there is the less they seem to bloom.

Rhonda

Rhonda

Alison,

May I make suggestions?

What about...
Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium) dappled to deep shade
Meadow Rue (Thalictrum) Dappled and deep shade
Papaver Orientale (Perennial Poppies) dappled shade
Aconitum (Monkshood) dappled shade
Astilbes dappled shade and deep shade
Dicentra (Bleeding Heart) dappled shade. You can sow the regular Spectabilis or the shorter fernleaf kind known as Formosa.
Jacob;s Ladder (Polemonium Reptans) dappled shade
Phlox Paniculata dappled shade

All of the above grow in the conditions I've stated in my gardens. They would do well in such conditions in Massachussets. :O)

I'll add several to the list - corydalis lutea, foxglove, goatsbeard, campanulas, lilies.

How about Browallia americana? sweet little flower and very very easy to grow

Thanks for all the great ideas.

Bakemom, Thanks for the info. I will try some of the named cultivars of Solidago instead of just planting what's already growing. It HAS been really invasive, it pops up everywhere in my beds, so you're right, I probably don't want to use what I'm trying to get rid of in other beds (Big D'uh!)

Rhonda, I will try the Echinacea, and try to keep it in the end of the bed that gets the most sun.

Tiffy, I had Joe Pye Weed on my original list, but somehow I left it off my post. I don't know why I forgot about the Dicentra, I have it growing elsewhere in other beds and it does great, so it should look nice in this one too. Have you winter sown the Jacob's ladder and the phlox? I have Phlox divaricata on a list I've been compiling from web research since I posted this. I have some Thalictrum (bought from Bluestone) in there already, I can't remember if I've ever tried WSing it.

VJHale, I definitely want some goatsbeard for that area, but has anyone winter sown it? I've tried WSing astilbes without any success, but from the pictures I've seen goatsbeard is very close, although probably taller.

Linda, I've never tried Browallia americana before, I might give it a try. Have you winter sown it?

Anyway, thanks for all the ideas, and the first-hand info (the best part). It's great to have a set of experienced, dependable gardeners to go to for info like this.

Oh, a couple of years ago I winter sowed a type of scutellaria that I think is native, and it's doing well, so I might try that again.

Alison

I've ws'd goatsbeard, jacob's ladder and browallia americana - all are very easy. I've never had too much luck with astilbes either.

I've got a patch of red Bee Balm, Monarda didyma growing in half-shade, half sun. It is growing very well, and the brilliant red blooms look quite striking in the dappled shade.

I have a lot of canopy trees, and not so much full sun, and I'm making gardens in open woodland areas. So I wanted to winter sow some things that were native and reported to be somewhat shade-tolerant. This was my first year WSing, so these guys are all still babies. Including -

Polemonium reptans - Jacob's Ladder - excellent germination
Phlox divaricata - Woodland Phlox - 2 sprouts
Eupatorium rugosum - White snakeroot - excellent germination
Eupatorium coelestinum -Blue mist flower - excellent germination
Helianthus divaricata - Woodland Sunflower - okay germination in its own containers, but wins the prize for sprouting in other containers too!! :)
Ascelpias variegata - White milkweed - 1 sprout
Chasmanthium latifolium - Northern Sea oats grass - a shade-tolerant grass with pretty seedheads - very slow germinater, but 5 out of 8 containers so far.

Also got some Jewelweed - (Impatiens capensis) which is an annual, from the swap and planted that in a mostly shady area. Prefers moist shady conditions, and here is well-drained not moist, so we'll see how it grows.

For dry shade under maples, Aster cordifolius - Blue wood aster, which has very pretty heart shaped leaves, and Aster divaricatus - white wood aster - are nice fall bloomers. But they are both prolific reseeders - which could be good or bad, depending.

Alison,

coreopsis lanceleaf will grow where ever you plant it. In the shade, in the sun, in full sun. It's happy anywhere you put it and will reseed all around it as well.

Rose campion will do the same and bloom well for you in any amount of sun or lack of and reseed as well.

Got plenty for you of both, just let me know when you want to get it.

Fran

Alison, I suggest Solidago Fireworks. It's a nice well behaved plant that slowly grows a clump. What I love about it is that it really looks like fireworks and is so cool in the summer. I propagate by divisions. Check it out.

Thanks for the recommendations, everyone. Terrene, I have some red bee balm that I can transplant back there, it is running roughshod over everything in the morning sun bed that it's in now, so I'm going to see how it does back there in the dappled shade. Maybe less sun will slow it down a bit. Thanks also for the info on all the other natives that you wsed this year, and the results you got.

Hi Fran, Hope you are doing ok and getting better. Tonight DH leaves to visit his mother in England, so this week maybe we can get together. I have some empty containers for you, but still haven't finished planting all the stuff you gave me. I don't think I can find room, and you KNOW how closely I plant stuff. I'm looking forward to having the solitude to just plant and potter, and not have to think about what to make for supper (Reservations!)

Bakemom, thanks for the recommendation on Solidago Fireworks. It sounds like it will work, and I might also get some New England Asters, which according to what I've read will flower at the same time.