Your choices are almost unlimited in this mild climate; you can stretch the hardiness zone even further with the overstory of those trees. The obvious - rhododendron and azalea. Japanese maple, unusual ferns..Hydrangea or similar to it, Dichroa which also sets fruit. Viburnum. Sarcococca for the fragrance would be a must for me. Ribes, mahonia. Fuschia magellanica to 6' (with gentle shaping) to draw hummingbirds. And think vertical, put clematis through some of those shrubs and trees.

You need hellebores for some winter color from those new windows. Corydalis, mayapple, epimedium of all heights....my e. davidii blooms from Spring through late summer almost into Fall. Cimifuga. Solomons Seal, trilliums, tiarella, thalictrum, rodgersia. Brunnera, omphalodes for early Spring blue. Arisaema.

You need to go shopping....try some of the nurseries with display gardens, take notes, then comparison shop if the start up budget is crunched from the move....

Some faeries hidden in there would be cute too, but that's just my opinion. OH and is there room there for me? I'll bring my fern collection! I love your new house, its beautiful (and by that i mean i glimpsed the house while the rest of the pic with the yard was loading.. so I LOVE THE YARD REALLY!). I do think you need a japanese maple or even a gingko in there though. LOVE THE PICS! I'm jealous!

Paula

Thanks guys I will look into these plants and do some research. Funny thing is when my wife and I drove by the house first time we didnt give it a second look, but my wife went back and did a tour and fell in love, I did after I saw the potential, I was not real happy about moving cause I just spent about 8 years fixing up my other house, but it has been ok.
Heres a link to my old garden, its kinda weird working in someone elses garden!

Here is a link that might be useful: My ol backyard

Columbines, heucheras, hostas, many ferns, corydalis, the list is pretty long of shade plants. It cam as a surprise to me when my yard turned into a lot of shade what diversity there is. I am along way from you but I would love to start over where you are. Melting in the deep south I leave you.
larryd

Think of the old place as your "practice" garden. Congratulations and enjoy! I don't have any other suggestions except the lovely native plants like trillium, solomon's seal, jack in the pulpit. Wonderful plants for special spots like you did with the maidenhair fern.