OK - measured planting beds and took photos.

Turns out, I was wrong on the exposure.

Due to building architecture, the beds get very little full sun. These beds are more full shade and filtered sun.

I have VERY little experience with shade plants.

Thanks again, in advance, for your suggestions -

Deb

Hi Deb,
Great that you are getting invloved,last year, my daughter and I did the same thing with her childrens school,she is in Wisconsin,pretty much all shade, so we went with a lot of really big hosta,different shades,and leaf shape, there were a few shrubs already there, not doing well, so we moved them to a sunnyer spot.Mulch,and we were done.Got it all done in one day,it also, was a large area.
Good luck,it is a good thing you are doing.
cAROL

Thanks cAROL - hostas are on the list:))

Rocky Mountain Columbine - tolerates shade, and is after all our state flower : )

Heuchera - the newer releases are pretty pricey, but you can buy seeds for some of the older varieties, like Dale's Strain.

Also, ferns, Bleeding Heart, and Astilbe.

That's all I can think of off the top of my head ...

Bonnie

Thanks Bonnie - your suggestions are on the list too!!

I read that Bleeding Heart is poisonous. Is that true?

I would think that kids 5 years and up would know better then to eat the plants, but you can never be too cautious with today's kids!

I would add Jacob's Ladder. It gives you some lovely blooms in the spring.

THANKS bev!!

I'll add that one too!

Great suggestions ladies -

Happy Gardening -

Just about any plant can be poisonous to some degree, some far more so than others.

That being said, I've grown various degrees of poisonous plants in my gardens for more than 30 years, even when my kids where infants and toddlers.
There weren't any problems and they didn't touch the plants or eat them.
Nor did their friends or our pets either.

When we where doing the garden beds and my daughter's old elementary school, a few years ago, I had some concerns about the same thing, but the principal and school administration had no concerns about any plants except for morning glory.
Morning glory seeds can be ground up or brewed in water to create a tea like beverage. The result is a relative of the old LSD that kids are using today.

So off the list was morning glory vines.

We used the following additional plants in the mostly shade, to all shade areas and they have worked well for more than 10 years now.

Besides what has been listed above and I WS all of them for the gardens, including hosta seeds.
Do remember though that hosta seeds will not come true to the parent plant. You never know what you will get, but they will be wonderful hosta plants.

PERENNIALS

balloon flower
cardinal flower
cranesbilll geranium
toad lily
any columbine, but the origami series will bloom the first year for you

ANNUALS

argeratum
coleus
nicotiana
foxglove
impatiens
lobelia
pansy
wax begonia
torenia
marigolds

Fran

Just some observations.

If you can get some students involved it would give them some ownership and keep down vandalism.

I've seen several trampled flower beds, so I think fencing/borders are useful.

You need early spring to May and September to frost blooms.

No one is at the school during the summer.

Good Luck

Research your plants well, do not plant bee magnets or thorny plants near any pathway.

Whatever you choose to plant make sure first that the plants are permitted before you purchase or take the time to transplant. Get anything and everything approved in writing from at least one school official with their signature.

Fences and bed edgings are trip hazzards, if you want to use them have the school purchase and install them.

SO many wonderful ideas!!

THANKS all for your helpful and useful suggestions.

I will definitely get an administrator to approve/sign off on my planting list.

I was at the Denver Botanical Gardens today and a kid in our group got bitten/stung by a yellow jacket. Not good for anyone!! I'll add a "bee magnet" column to my plant list.

Fran - those plants are on the list too!!

Digitalis is great for early spring, and it reseeds. And nothing brightens a shade garden like coleus.

{{gwi:265836}}

Karen

Karen -

A duplicate of that yard of the week is my goal!!

SO pretty!!

The Anthemis tinctoria 'Golden marguerite/Dyer's Chamomile' I wintersowed this past winter has all the signs of being a real trooper. It bloomed so well the first year I thought it was an annual, but it's hardy to zone 3. In addition, it is making loads of seed, and I mean loads. I'm finding seedlings popping up even in my potted plants. It hasn't even noticed our extreme drought and high temps this year. Blooms for a long time, as well. We are ahead of schedule, and it is just now petering out on it's blooming after beginning to bloom probably in late June.

Thank you, Deb. Coleus probably would need occasional supplemental water in a dry climate, but they're not water hogs. As long as the custodian waters occasionally my guess is they'd be fine in shade.

I thought chamomile needed full sun. No?

Karen

Asclepia is a great butterfly plant and comes in many different colors. Some are annuals and others perennial. Though it says full sun mine grow in a partially shaded area.

Abutilon, many colors, lovely bell blossoms

Actonium, late (October) blooming for me.

Clematis, some like shade/part shade more than others. Annual ones with yellow bloom 'Radar Love' easy to start from seed. Seed heads add interest when plant is done blooming.

Salvia nubicola, 3' x 3' bushy perennial with pale yellow bloom, some red splotting on some blooms, late summer/fall.

Thalictram 'Lavender Mist' 4' tall with lacey blue green folilage.

All of these are growing in partial shade/shade areas of my gardens. Except for actonium, all were winter sown. Perennials from seed will have little bloom the first year.

I didn't see 4:00 , Marvel of Peru. The flowers are pretty and the seeds are nice and big for collecting.

THANKS so much for the suggestions!!

Adding those to the list as well -

thanks mnwsgal and muddypaws!!

Trying my hand at cloning as well!! Although it's a bit close to fall, I think I can do it.

daffodils and crocuses and other spring bulbs could be fun

Thanks again for all of the suggestions!!

Bulbs will make my have list, if I can find them cheaply. I am envisioning that most people will love the project and one or two will destroy it - so I'm doing it on the cheap. If the project survives, I'll add some more cash to the deal.

I tried to eliminate water loving plants, excessively poisonous ones and sun lovers. Here's my list:

If you take the time to read through it, please comment if any are invasive in zone 5.

THANKS AGAIN ALL -

Agastache Lavender Haze
Anthemis tinctoria Golden marguerite
Aquilegia Columbine
Aquilegia Royal Purple
Artemisia vulgaris Oriental Lime Lt
Asperula Blue Woodruff
Astrantia Masterwort
Autumn Fern Brilliant
Baptisia Australis Blue False Indigo
Begonia Go Go Yellow
Bergenia Winter Glow
Bergenia red edge leaves
Bergenia Redstart
Butterfly Flower Angels Wings
Calendula
Clematis Mongolian Bells
Coleus Giant Lime Light
Coleus Giant Palisandra - Velvet Black
Coleus Wizard Sunset
Coreopsis
Digitalis Summer King Foxglove
Dryopteris Autumn Fern
Echinacea
Gaillardia
Geranium Ripple Mixed
Gloriosa superba Glory Lily
Heuchera Coral Bells mix
Hosta Earth Angel
Hosta Frances Williams
Inula orientalis Elecampagne
Lamium macula Lemon Frost
Ligulara Leopard Plant
Lobelia Siphiliti Great Blue Lobelia
Lychnis Orange Gnome
Michauxia tchihatchewii Michauxia
Milkweed Pink/Red
Mimulus Puniceus Red Monkey Flower
Mirabilis jalapa Marvel of Peru
Nepeta Blue Infinity Catmint
Nicotiana Only the Lonely
Nicotiana Fragrant Cloud
Nigella
Pachysandra Green Sheen
Papaver Checkers
Penstemon Pikes Peak Purple
Platycodon balloon flower
Primrose Oxlip
Primula Veris Cowslip
Ruellia humilis Wild Petunia
Salvia Evolution
Sedum Autumn Joy
Sedum Gold Moss
Tagetes African marigolds
Tagetes French marigolds
Thalictrum Yellow Meadow Rue
Thalictrum Columbine Meadow Rue
Thalictrum Adiantifolium
Torenia Clown Burgundy
Tricyrtis toad lily
Viola Brush Strokes
Viola Labrador
Showy Stonecrop
Rose Campion

Happy Gardening -

Deb

I would take foxglove off the list. just licking fingers after picking the beautiful flowers will make your heart race. digitalis is used to correct low blood pressure, in the correct doses.

My son's school is starting an Herbal Tea Garden. with potted mints, chamomile, stevia etc. A dedicated group will tend and divide the harvest between the classrooms. Then kids can make tea for snack time.

That's a good idea on the digitalis.

Also a great idea on the tea!!

I bought/and planted/ some clearance plants and the beds already look better. I noticed that a few new plants seem trampled, but I think my assistant (2 year old) did that.

The other day a few students said "Thanks" and many adults have shown appreciation.

But, I have been shocked to have some kids about step on me, while I am IN and tending to the beds - dumbfounded at the laziness and lack of common sense.

My goal is cottage garden plantings and it could take years to complete, but I already have MANY MANY seed varieties and it's not really trading season yet!!

To keep the project manageable, I'm going to WS the self-seeding plants this winter and then the more difficult to grow ones next year.

Thanks for the great suggestions -