I have many of the plants listed above in my shady areas as well as a few others: Shrubs: Rhododendron 'Checkmate', a 3 foot PJM and R. 'Yaku Prince' Apothercary Rose AKA Rosa Mundi Leucathoe Deutzia 'Chardonnay Pearl' and 'Nikko', both short, restrained shrubs. Hydrangea 'Penny Mac' and 'Endless Summer' though both these are probably too wide for your spot. Vines: Climbing Hydrangea/ H. anomala petiolaris likes shade, but it a very large vine and would need something substantial to cling to. I've seen it growing on brick houses and chimneys, but I wouldn't grow it on wood or metal siding. Clematis - a few will bloom with only 4 hours of sun, especially if they have bright shade the rest of the time. Do a search for Clematis for shade and you should get a lists. I have 'Diana', 'Venosa Violaceae', 'Gravetye Beauty' all growing and blooming in about 4 hours of sun, though they have bright shade the rest of the day. Perennials: Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum'/variegated Soloman's Seal Astilbe Pulmonaria/lungwort Hellebore/Lenten rose Cimicifuga/snakeroot Alchemilla mollis/lady's mantle Carex/Japanese sedge Aquilegia/columbine Heuchera/coral bells Tiarella/foamy bells Heucherella (a cross of the two just above) Vaccinium macrocarpon/Cranberry Siberian iris Veronica "Georgia Blue' Hakonechloa/Japanese forest grass - I grow 'Arueola' a golden form Carex 'Ice Dance' Nicoleternity - You must live somewhere with lots less snow than I do. ;>) Most years anything shorter than 4 feet or so aren't visible for much of 3 months, though this year was an exception. My winter interest has to be large shrubs or trees.

Thanks for the suggestions but I have figured out the name of my plant. It's called persicaria bistorta superba, or just bistort though the ornamental variety not the weed. It's also called a million other different names, two being dragonwort and adderwort, which is what my neighbor must have been grasping for when she told me it was called wort.

Here's some cheating The rose family- which includes roses of course, and also allows me to include apache plume and cliffrose. The mint family- includes russian sage, salvia, lavender, agastache, thyme : ) Penstemons Needled evergreens ornamental grasses Oops even cheating, still went over five succulents I think what is clear is that I can't make a list of five.

Is the hydrangea really that shade of mixed pink and purple? (Sometimes colors don't photograph well.) If you want something short to puddle at the feet of the taller plants I could see Nierembergia, which might well winter over for you, though for me it's treated as an annual. A short Campanlua like 'Blue Clips' or 'White Clips' would serve the same function. Both have enough flower power in my experience to be seen from a distance if planted en masse but are well behaved and come in blue and white. If you want other spikier plants, there are some Campanulas like persicifolia that might work, though I don't know if seeding is a problem for them or if they have enough flowers for your use. This also is available in blue and in white. There are some shorter summer-blooming "tall" phlox on the market now that would be a bit shorter than the daylilies and would sort of match the shape of the hydrangea flowers, but later in the summer. Don't know what colors those come in. A shorter daylily in front might work also. Some of the yellow hostas seem fairly sun tolerant and might work here if deer aren't a problem for you, depending on how much shade your part shade is and what time of day. I find the yellow foliage stands out against the greens. My Siberian iris can be pretty stunning in mid to late spring and the foliage is neat the rest of the year, but it looks similar to the day-lilies as far as foliage. Some of the shorter rhodies and azaleas might look good here if you don't mind the short season of bloom and have the room. How tall are your daylilies? That's what has occurred to me so far - don't know if any of those meet your requirements and taste.