LL-What kind of space do you have for the shade garden? Enough room for large plants and shade shrubs, or room enough only for more petite plants?

Thyme- I have a shade bed that runs along the side of the house, with a little seating area in the middle. The bed is about three to four feet deep (slight curves) and ten feet on each side of the seating area (about 28' long total). Most of the garden is in shade all day, except for in the early morning. There's a grass path that runs parallel to the bed, which is my walkway. There's an arbor at the far end of the walkway, with a clematis on it. There's more sun right at the end of the garden, especially in late afternoon, when the sun peeks around the corner :)

Zone 4 'eh? That could be a little tough. What kind of height are you going for? I feel like for that length of border there should be some height here or there. I never underestimate how much I can jam into a narrow border! How wide is the grass path? Just trying to get an idea of how much "hang over" you may be able to get away with.

For shrubs I would see if there are any Pieris that will work. Do they sell them in nurseries where you are? I have a few dwarf variegated pieris that would be perfect but am not sure if they go to Z4.

You can also find smaller Kalmia varieties. I have a couple that have been in for about 9 years and they're just 4'X4' or so and those were not even the dwarf varieties. I like Kalmia a lot because the buds are darker and almost look like flowers themselves. They are on the shrub for such a long time before they pop open into the flowers. I find the flowers last a long time too. Maybe Clethra? There are smaller varieties. Could colonize though. I think shade shrubs for small areas can be pretty hard. I do have a rose of sharon in a small shade area and it does really well. Not sure what I was thinking when I put it there but it works and it blooms in a good amount of shaade. I just found one that is supposedly 3X3 'L'il Kim' but only planted this year so I'm not sure if it will really stay that size.
Most of my tree peonies have not gotten huge in terms of width except for one so even tree peonies might work. You can't beat the flowers and the foliage stays nice all season.

For shade perennials that I wouldn't be without:
Hellebore
Trillium
Epimedium (some OK for z4)
European ginger (may not be z4)
Double bloodroot (if you can get your hands on it)
Pulmonaria
Hosta of course
Astilbe
Aster divaricatus (white wood aster...spreads)
Bleeding heart (fringed)
Japanese painted fern (may not be z4)
Heuchera/Heucherella/Tiarella
Toad Lily
Alchemilla mollis

I don't usually do a whole lot with annuals but this year instead of planting coleus in pots I put it in shady areas in the borders and I'll definitely do that next year too. I also like caladium in shade borders.

I'm sure there are so many more that I'm leaving out. I really like ligularia, but I don't think that would work for you.

Here are some pictures of plants and places.....

Double bloodroot

Trillium/fringed bleeding heart/hellebore/epimedium barely showing on left. This was mid-april.

same border mid-may (burgundy trillim is blooming)
pieris on the right-hand side

Shredded umbrella plant, heuchera, japanese painted fern

Sorry this is blurry but you can see the kalmia on the left. It's only that big after years of growth.

Here's a fairly narrow border of mainly hosta, geranium and astilbe

Toad lily

I hope more people will add their plant favorites, ideas and pictures. There are so many interesting shade plants out there it's fun to see what everyone is growing.

It sounds like you have a very fun project on your hands!

Thank you for all the great ideas and what beautiful pictures! You've given me a lot to consider and I'll see what will work in my zone. Someone mentioned that alba roses do well in partial shade, so I may try a few on the edges of my shade garden. The last picture with the purple flowers is a toad lily? That's really pretty and it's lavender :)

My garden is mostly shade to dappled sun now. Pictures are from different spots in the garden. The last two were taken in my (secret) garden room :o).

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Annette

Annette- Great pics! What is the purple flower in the second picture? That's pretty. I like your "secret" garden :)