I want to make a shade garden also and I have been reading info on Enkianthus.
Sounds very interesting. ;)
HTH

Here is a link that might be useful: Enkianthus campanulatus

Oooh. That's pretty.

I need to sit down with my Forest Farm catalog. It just seems so daunting to me with two little ones to tend to. Maybe I should set a date for DH to take the kids so I can have some 'alone time' with my catalog!

I have Clethra (Summersweet/Ruby) planted in a dappled shade area that is also wet in the spring if we get our normal amount of rain. The description for this shrub says that it can stand wet feet and some shade. It is to have a nice fragrance, too. The flowers are tiny, shaped somewhat like the flowers of a butterfly bush. The Ruby varitey has deep rose red edges to the flowers and the rest is cream/white. I got mine (3 small) in the fall of 2003 and since the rabbits love this shrub, they are still small. I forgot to protect them over the winter & spring, but they are coming back. The sales person at the nursery said it would probably be beneficial to the shrub since more of the nutrients could go to the root system.
Jane

There is Fetterbush (leucothoe racemosa), which gets about 4 - 6 feet tall and wide. It prefers moist, acidic soil. It does best in partial shade, but can tolerate sun. I have a few beneath some Douglas firs, where the atmosphere is shady and dry, and they are doing well. They send out delicate strings of white flowers around the end of May. And in the fall the stems take on a reddish/deep amber color. Not to be confused with leucothoe fontania, which is more of a sprawling shrub (height 3-4 ft)that is native to the Southeast.

I also have Swamp Azalae (rhodendrum viscocum), which is supposed to have a fragrant white flower in June/July. I planted it two fall ago, so this year I am hoping for its first flowers. It likes moist soil and sun. It gets 3-8' tall.

And there is Mt. Laurel (Kalmia latifolia), which grows so slow, but I tolerate it because of the beauty of their delicate white flowers laced with pink, which bloom in late May. It prefers acidic soil and is an understory shrub. The more shade the more straggly it gets, but believe me the growth is so slow it will take you a decade to realize the plump, compact, little bush you bought is becoming unshapely.

Research Itea "Little Henry" and possibly Cherry Laurel..how about some Kousa Dogwoods...Deadnettle "Hermann's Pride" as a ground cover or area planting...Ferns...Bleeding Heart...Dragon Lady Holly...China Girl Holly (and a China Boy too)...Purple Palace Coral Bells..giving you more than just shrubs...Oakleaf Hydrangea...

Mahonia not mentioned yet. Some euonymus do OK in shade.

Hmmm... I'm sure there are alot more.... Can you give any more specifics on characteristics you'd like to have? (eg, why a 'shrub'? Does it have to be evergreen? If you want screening, is there a certain size you are after?)

Oh, and if you go to ForestFarms website, I think you might be able to pick 'shade' as a category from the front page, and browse that. Easier than that thick (and dull!) catalog.

red twig and yellow twig dogwood. they do well in either sun or shade, and like wet soil. and in winter the red twigs are stunning against a snowy backdrop.
and they propagate easily...prune a small branch and stick it in the ground.

Thank you for all the suggestions so far!

Sure I can give more specifics. As I mentioned, the area is about 1/8 of an acre, and it is already filled with a number of trees - a sweet gum, a few dogwoods, a maple or two, and oak tree, redbud tree, and two huge spruce trees. A stream cuts through a teeny tiny corner of the property, so it is attractive to wildlife, including deer.

I would like all-season interest and be attractive to birds, but deer-resistant if possible. I'll be putting in some rhododenrons and winterberry hollies, and I'm not necessarily looking for any more evergreens, but since it's shade, and there won't be much bloom in the summer, then a few shrubs with attractive foliage is a must.

Oh, and I ask only for shrubs at the moment because I think that I might be able to squeeze in some time to plant those this year and get a start on the garden. I will eventually be adding perennials and native plants, but the soil is pretty heavy clay, and will need some amendment for most shade plants that I want to put in. Right now with two little ones at home and countless projects lined up for inside the house, I just can't take on the entire job right now. So I'm looking for shrubs that can go in with little to no soil amendment, and will do well in the conditions that exist.

I forgot about fothergilla !!
Spring blooms, fall color, and clay is OK ;)
I purchased one late last spring so I didn't see it bloom but I did get to see fall color, which is fantastic. This spring the blooms were just beautiful.

Here is a link that might be useful: on the forum..fothergilla

I'll second the enkianthus. It has spectacular fall foliage as well and doesn't seem to be a favorite of the deer.