Ooh, I wouldn't bother with the petunias or salvia; they'll want more sun than you have. But you still have some choices!

The polka dot plants will take either dappled or full shade, but if I remember correctly, the colors tend to wash out if they catch too much sun. They mound neatly, and grow to be about the size of an impatiens, maybe a little smaller. Impatiens *should* have done better last year in the dappled shade than the full sun, I don't know what to tell you there!

Wax begonias will grow in any sort of shade, or full sun for that matter. They're a versatile little bugger. When I had a shade garden, I was surprised at how well snapdragons did; you might try a few of those to see if you have the same luck. How about some New Guinea impatiens for the dappled shade? Or torenia? Mimulus?

Are you trying to grow these plants within the root zone of the ash trees? Competition for rooting space, water, oxygen, and dissolved minerals may be a factor in the lack of success for all that you have planted there. There is also considerable evidence indicating that Fraxinus species exhibit allelopathic properties via root pathways, as well as via run off from leaves and stems.

Something to think about ;-)

I realize that trying to grow something at the base of a tree is difficult, because of root competition if nothing else. I was aware that certain trees are (in short) hostile to having other plants growing underneath; but I do have daylilies and columbine in one bed, and hosta, astilbe, and other things in the other bed. So I think I can still grow small annuals there, if I just figure out which ones! Wax begonias sound like a good idea: I will look further for those. I haven't planted them in years as I sort of gave them up in favor of bigger-flowered splashier things. I could mix them with the polka dot plants. New Guinea impatiens sound good too, if I can still find any: I can see putting those in pots, maybe, around the base of the nearer tree. That one is close to the deck and looks so bare compared to the rest of the garden, with just green stuff under it now. The other bed is at the end of the yard and really small plants don't show up: but I can't think of anything big and shade tolerant.

Hmmm... BIG blooming shade-tolerant annuals?! You got me there. If you massed the impatiens/begonias, would the burst of color make up for the tiny individual flowers?

Or are you hoping for big=TALL blooms in shade? 'Cause in my shady garden I used an assortment of perennials to do that job, with the annuals in front for continuous color. I can't think of anything over about 12" tall that's an annual shade-loving flowering plant. I'll be interested to see if others do!

No, I wasn't looking for tall: just bigger flowers. I'm very nearsighted, so the back garden is always a blur. I'd like to be able to see color there at a distance. In spring my red tulips and daffodils work fine. For example, right now I have a white Lamium with very pretty pink flowers. But I can't see any pink until I get right up there.

Perhaps what I need (besides the major issue of shade tolerance!) is something with a greater ratio of flower to leaf. That's why wax begonias would work for the bed that is closer, but not for the one that is too far away. I would end up seeing nothing but the leaves.

In that case I'd give impatiens another try; closely planted, with a healthy shot of fertilizer and regular watering to give them a good start. The flowers are so bright, and never tucked into the leaves but held above, that I think you'd be able to enjoy the punch of color.

I used reddish-purple impatiens that way in a small bed that surrounded a boulder at the back of our last property. Many plants were just a mass of green at that distance, but adding the impatiens really made it pop.

Unfortunately, I don't know anything about growing flowers beneath ash trees, but impatiens have never let me down. I think it's worth one more try!

I second trying impatiens again.....perhaps you didn't water enough?
If you don't have enough sun for impatience you certainly don't have enough for anything else that will bloom.
Easy on the fertilizer or you will have all green...plant with a nice potting soil with a long lasting, timed realease plant food.
Linda C