Annabelle hydrangea can take a fair amount of shade. Some kinds of viburnum would probably work well too.

My Annabelle Hydrangea is blooming like crazy! And I agree with meeperx, viburnums are shade-loving, too. American Spikenard is a shade-lover, but it may be hard to find.

If you want to depart a bit from shrubs, but want large plants that bloom, my vote would be for Ligularia and/or Cimicifuga Racemosa. My ligs are about 36 inches tall and maybe 30 inches wide each. I have "the Rocket" and they send up tall spikes of yellow flowers mid-summer. The Cimicifuga has dark foliage (almost burgundy) and sends up tall spires of fragrant white flowers late summer.

Astilbe would be another good flowering plant for shade. they come in several colors and sizes.

Linda

Okay...those are some good ideas! I'm making a list! I have never done hydrangeas before. Do they need any kind of support when in bloom? Linda, there will always be astilbe in my garden...I love them!! I have many out front and I tried to do a few out back once but I think the dogs tinkling on them did them in (hence the fence)!

Thanks!!
Kristy :)

How dry is it? Is it in the root system of other trees and which kinds? Maples are notorious for sucking any other plant dry - out competing. This may impact your choices since ligularia and astilbe do not tolerate dry conditions well. Also if it needs to be deer resistant? Dogs may relieve themselves but generally they don't eat them to the groud! Search the forums for threads on shade lovers - there's also a woodland forum - very good stuff there.

bushes:
viburnum,
amelanchier
cornus

perrenials:
wild ginger - asarum
Dicentra,
Hosta
Tiarella
Aconitum
Jap iris
fern
Jap anemone
toad lily
lady mantle
columbine
baptisia
foxglove

How dry is it? Is it in the root system of other trees and which kinds?

Quite dry and acidic. The trees back there are almost all oaks with an aspen or two and then some white pines that we planted. The only things we have had success with are Hostas, Ferns, Pansies and Creeping Jenny (not sure what I was thinking there) and I found one lone volunteer Columbine that keeps coming back every summer. Deer are not a problem for us.

The things that have been unsuccessful have been Brunnera, Astilbe and the Wild Ginger is questionable. I have something growing in one of the Ferns that resembles Ginger but I don't recall planting it there.

I really do appreciate the help. I hate to buy things and learn they can't tolerate the dry conditions...it's too expensive to be experimenting.

Kristy :)

You should be able to have some success with the oak cover, it's usually the Maples with all the feeder roots that cause the most difficult underplanting. I agree - experimenting is expensive, and frustrating and that is why I love these forums - you get to learn from others mistakes and knowledge! Plants that may struggle with the dry - Astilbe, Dicentra, Ligularia. Plants that will probably tolerate it well - some types fern, Jap anemone, baptisia (once established has long tap root). The rest you will indeed have to experiment with. In years with normal rain fall things will be fine. In dry hot years you might lose some varieties

Thank you for your help! I will go with your suggestions and more of what I've already had success with. Then I will try a few others to see how well they do and add more if they work out.
Kristy :)

Kristy,

I am also in dry shade to part shade, on clay nw of the metro.

I've had good luck with wild ginger, Merry bells, all types of ferns. Ditch lilies (the orange ones) bloom everywhere it seems, except in the most dense shade. I've also had luck with barberry, though you'd be best to go with a plain green variety. Gooseberry and currants attract the birds, while weigelia, forsythia and lilacs reach high for the sun and bloom well, in spite of what the catalogs tell. For borders I am using mass plantings of ditch lilies, hosta, wintergreen boxwood, autumn joy sedum and berengia. I particularly like anything with a berry or seed to attract birds. Hazelnut is supposed to grow here, but my DH weed-wacked it down before it had a chance LOL! It would be best on sand, anyway.

Good luck!

Thanks, Bkoopman! We are in a sandy location...does your Autumn Joy bloom in the shade? Do you have it somewhere where it gets a little sun? I did go out and get a couple more PJM Rhodies and one Isanti Dogwood and while I was at the nursery I was eyeballing the Boxwoods (I think the Wintergreen). I may pick some of those up!

Thanks for your input!
Kristy :)

My Autum Joy are in every corner of my yard that gets at least filtered sun. I do not have any deep shade. They seem happy everywhere. They are easy to divide, they reseed, but never become a nuissance and, in my opinion, are worth trying. They are also so common who could do a division for you. If you are not too far away, I would be happy to give you some starts. I am west of the cities. Email me if you'd like.

I've also divided my boxwoods, although it is not listed as a method of propagating. However, at $4 a plant, you can hardly go wrong. They do winterburn, although the plants in shade fare best. I'm thinking of spraying with dormant oil this fall.

When I lived on sand, my azaleas grew like gangbusters. Now that I live on clay, they limp along.

Thanks BK! I do have Autumn Joy out in my sunny front yard. I'll probably just keep it there. I am finding quite a few flowering plants that I can try in the shade....but the shrubs had been posing a challenge for me.

Thanks again!
Kristy :)

Rubybaby,

I've lately been considering viburnums for the edge of my woods. There are a number of cultivars to choose from, both big and small. Their soil/moisture requirements vary, so do ask.

You might find the link about a few shrubs described at the UofM site helpful.

Here is a link that might be useful: U of M extension service: Hardy Shrubs

We did transplant an American Cranberry to our backyard a couple of years ago and it is doing very well. It flowers less than the other one that gets sun but it is growing quite nicely.
Kristy :)

A really great evergreen shrub for your situation is Russian cypress--Microbiota decussata. It grows full sun to full shade and is a low grower (1'h x 4'w) to face down taller shrubs and trees. Similiar to juniper but more soft and ferny. It tolerates tree competition and seem to prefer a bit dry rather than a bit wet once established. It would provide a nice contrast for the lovely shrubs and perennials already mentioned here and turns a plum purple color in winter.

A really great evergreen shrub for your situation is Russian cypress--Microbiota decussata

Thank you! I have seen this and really liked it but must have assumed it was a full sun plant like so many other evergreens! Now if only this dry spell would pass so I could go out plant shopping again!
Kristy :)