Hi obnurse,

You can find lots of suggestions and ideas at the Gardening in Shade forum. You could also cross check information that you find there at the Perennials forum.

You didn't mention hostas but would you consider them? I wasn't sold on them at first and even ripped out 6 mature plants in my early gardening days because I thought they looked ratty, but once I discovered how to take care of them I never looked back. I favor the slug proof (and low maintenance) ones and they are as pretty as anything else in my garden. They also mix well with perennials that flower in shade. Hope this helps and don't forget the Hosta forum!

I have astilbe, hosta, goats beard, bleeding heart, jack-in-the pulpit, and turtle head in my shade garden and they are really thriving.

What about lobelia (cardinal flower)? beautiful red blossoms in the shade--

Ostrich ferns and the Japanese Painted ones, the bluest hostas you can find, and something called a black snakeroot- the foliage is almost lacy, it's so deeply cut, and it makes a nice non-woody shrub. it's how I dealt with a deep shade bed at my old house, and I even managed to get an azalea to take back there...you can also plant lilly of the valley along the front edge.

I have an area in the back of my house that receives sun about 1/2 hr in the evening. The soil is very moist and mosquitos LOVED it for a nesting ground.The only perennial I could find to stay alive was lilies! They are doing great.I can also depend on these to spread.:>)