Yellow pattypans would be a great choice if I didn't have such troubles with the SVBs. No peashooters in the summer in this climate. I don't usually use them in the game once I achieve the starfruits anyway. I hadn't thought of peanuts. That's a definite possibility. The whole thing was my 10yo's idea really because this fall when we were putting in the cabbages he commented that we were planting cabbage-pults. :-D

@duluthinbloomz4 I know I have at least three types aside from my Dream Queen, because three are HUGE greens, one is small green and one is varigated. I'm going to a local hosta farm this weekend to try to locate some "different" varieties, and relocating my plain jane green and varigated ones to a different spot. I have a Dream Queen I need to plant, but I want stuff like Brave Attempt, White Feather, Blue Ivory and Stained Glass...anything but the solid greens! Although I *might* get a Niagara Falls because it looks so neat. So, on the theme garden front, so far I have: Sea Shell Cosmos Yellow Sand Coreopsis Sand Love Grass "Nautical mix" petunias Lake Currants Cottage pinks (Dianthus) Summer Breeze Hosta Beach Music Day Lily Great Lakes gold hosta Coastal Mist bearded iris Toy Boat dwarf Iris Beach Dance iris Ship Shape Iris Lake Effect day lily Lakeside Pebbles Hosta Aye Captian day lily Great Lakes Gladiola Sea Lavender Sea holly Queen O The Lakes rose Sea thrift Rosa rugosa/beach rose The area is probably only about 6' deep by 10' or so wide so I won't need a HUGE amount of plants. I plan on making a list, then researching zones, heights, sun/shade requirements and bloom times to create a garden plan. This one won't be going in until next year for sure, although I might pick up some plants here and there as I come across them.

OK, I understand better now. And since you are away from the area where I have any experience, I may not be your best advisor. If I understand, you don't really want a "closed canopy" kind of grove, but you want to have some space between the crowns of the trees so they can express a more or less open grown form. If that is the case, I would space the permanent larger trees at least 40 feet apart, and maybe further, depending on species and growth rate. Then to get more shade while these trees are growing, you can plant something faster growing in between. here in Virginia, I would recommend something like black locust, which can grow 5 feet a year or more at first. Out there maybe there is a species of alder or something if black locust won't grow there. The thornless honey locust also grows very fast, but it is not nitrogen fixing like the black locust and the alder. The other possibility, and maybe a really good one, is to just plant twice or three times the number of trees of your favorite species as you will eventually need to provide shade when they get more mature. Then you can remove the weaker/less attractive ones, and in the end have more beautiful trees. But of course you will spend more money for these trees just to cut them down later, and maybe that will be hard for you to do. --Spruce

I could have helped on suggestions. Hostas surrounding the trees and coral bells are some of my favorites as well as ferns. I would love to have your shade garden. Mine is small but it's present. Bleeding hearts and astilbes for a bit of color come spring. Lily of the valleys, ajuga for ground covers (which is really beautiful and hardy. so glad I planted black scallop. Mine is even deeper colored than what's pictured.) Whatever you decide to do, it will be beautiful. These are just a few suggestions.