Someone in another thread was asking about flowers for shady gardens. I don't remember what thread it was, but there were some great suggestions. You can try daylilies, asilbe, and spiderwort for color in the shade this time of year.

Many people use different plants with interesting and colorful foliage. For that, try hostas, coleus, ferns, etc.

Tracy

Hi rosy_grower, I have forget-me-nots in my shade garden and they were lovely until just a few days ago (I am in zone 5 though). I have cut them back and expect some to come back and bloom again. I also have both pink and white bleeding heart. Foxgloves do well in dappled shade and my delphiniums like dappled shade too. Astilbes are a very good choice, mine are putting up their flower spikes now. I really think it is always going to be like two different gardens because it is. I would enhance the "difference" with colorful foliage plants and maybe statues or a gazing ball or fountain. Let us know how you decide to solve your challenge.
Bonny

Rosy_grower - you might try some different ferns as well, the japanese painted fern, and the Ostrich fern are my faves. Also Lily of the Valley is an easy filler. I second the recommendation on the old-fashioned Dicentra (bleeding heart) both pink and white. Astilbes would be great, I love the lavender ones and could mix in some different hostas for color variation. Of course you could always to some pots filled with shade lovers, I have one with mona lavender, Silver mist, Silver Frost and Clown plant (white and purple).

Here is a link that might be useful: Mona Lavender

Wow, I didn't realize so many things would flower in the shade! Thanks for the great tips everybody. So you don't think it will look strange to have two different types of plantings on either side of my front door? I guess I'm used to the symmetrical front door gardens in my neighborhood...but I'll get over that, because I really want flowers, any kind of flowers!

Oh, about the daylilies, can they be planted in sun and shade?

You've already gotten some great ideas so I'll suggest something for the beds themselves. Would you consider changing the shape of one of the beds? That can really help, as well as adding something like a birdbath or sculpture, or even a taller shrub as a focal point.

I have a similar situation off my back deck and that is what I did. One bed is rather straight and, yawn, boring (space constraints), while the other one is wider with one third of it sweeping out even further. The larger end has an Arizona ash tree that provides filtered shade and is surrounded by mini roses, snaps, pansies and penstemons. The roses, snaps and penstemons may not work for you since your oaks provide a lot more shade than my ash but I'd definitely use pansies.

Diana

No, it really isn't unusual for different conditions to require different treatments - even if the beds are close by. You can tie them both together by repeating a color or texture in each bed. For shade (is it dense shade, or dappled, bright shade?) I agree with the recommendations for hostas, ferns, astilbe, bleeding hearts, and would add some of the annuals like impatiens or tuberous begonias for lots of color, coleus and caladiums for dramatic foliage. The lacey foliage of bleeding hearts and astilbe would compliment the rose foliage.

Daylilies need about 6 hours of sun to be at their best, otherwise you'll get more foliage than blooms.

coral bells/heuchera are blooming now. They do well everywhere but the deepest shade.

In addition to the excellent suggestions already offered, I will beat the drum again for Brunnera 'Jack Frost'. It produces delightful sprays of tiny blue flowers in the spring and has outstanding foliage the rest of the season. I receive more comments from people about "Jack" than just about any other plant in my gardens.
PattiOh

To me, having two "different" gardens makes it more interesting and appealing. Good idea from angelcub to change the shape of one. Also to add bird bath or something as a focal point could look very nice.

I have the same type of yard - one is in sun most of the day and the other side of the front yard is shaded by a huge tree. And it is not symmetrical. I love it...the DH who loves everything symmetrical has had to get used to it, and he's coming along. :)

I have some of the other suggestions above - and also hostas, jacobs ladder, white swan coneflowers and lambs ears.

Estelle