Rob, (may I call you that?) that is a great idea! WHY, I hadn't thought to do that...I don't know!! UK--thank you for your kind words and I agree, we just can't have ENOUGH space for the collecting and displaying of hosta. The one you asked about is 'H.Jimmy Crack Corn'! It's such an easy one to grow and the pay-off is so good, too. I also have 'H.Sea Gulf Stream' and they are very similar, in my garden! Lois, I do not have 'H.Nigrescens' nor do I have 'H.Tenryu' and have always wanted to get one of them!! Hopefully, I'll finally get one, but, AGAIN I say, "I am seriously running out of space--REALLY I AM!!". Sorry, for all the direct links to HL, if you find them annoying--I just love the ease it provides for us to see directly what we are referring to, by way of that great resource. You can either blame or thank 'DonR' for my practicing doing that! :o) hehehe

gosh, I don't know! I have the very common one that blooms in the fall in deep shade beneath a magnolia tree. Stonecrop Autumn Joy. It looks nich in front of a couple of boulders. I also have a smaller variety that came with my neighbor's house. It has a tiny yellow flower, and it a lush medium yellow green. It is very happy in full sun to deep shade. Now, I have it in several places including under a Japanese Maple with deep red to purple leaves. It's possible it isn't a sedum but it sure looks like their leaves and it multiplies each year. I'll see if I can track down the variety. Here is a link that might be useful: Sedum kamatschaticum

Summer will do fine. Winter will grow shade tolerant plants. My interest is only edibles. Some of which initially below may not fruit in the lower deserts of Arizona due to lack of chill hours: SHADE TOLERANT Partial Shade May have less fruit. Alpine Strawberry Bamboo (some types) Elderberry Evergreen Huckleberry blackberry Full Shade Bamboo (in sunny climates) Carolina Allspice Evergreen Huckleberry Wasabi blackberry comfrey http://www.raintreenursery.com/Landscaping.html Some of the most common and beloved vegetable garden favorites are perfectly suited for shade, including: Arugula (fast crop) Basil Celery Kale Lettuce (fast crop) Peas Potatoes Spinach http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/shade-tolerant-vegetables-zm0z11zsto.aspx#axzz2gij52ibW shade tolerant vegetables from R. Kourik's "Designing and Maintaining Your Edible Landscape Naturally" (1986, 2005, Chelsea Green) p. 133 Amaranth Beans Beats Borage Broccoli Brussels Sprouts Cabbage Calendula (flower only) Cauliflower Celery Chard Chervil Cress Cucumbers Endive Fava beans Kale Kohlrabi Lamb's Quarters Leaf Lettuce ** Leaks Miner's Lettuce ** Nasturtiums Nettles Parsnips Peas Potatoes Pumpkins Purslane Radishes (fast crop) Salsify Spinach ** Squash Rutabaga Turnips ** tolerate deep shade Shade causes leaves to get bigger to compensate and can increase unit size of crop compensating for loss in number produced. Indeed overall final harvest yield in weight can be similar. Tall plants can fit closely to shorter ones provided the vertical plants are on the north side or carefully planned on the east or west side. Trellises support squashes, beans, cucumbers, peas, melons, vining leafy greens and tomatoes. Many tall plants shed their leaves close to the soil surface allowing shade tolerant plants to grow underneath. Tall vegetables include sunflowers, corn, Jerusalem artichokes, grain Amaranth. Tall skinny vegetables such as leeks, garlic, salsify, celery, and onions can fit snugly next to lettuce, spinach, endive and other leafy greens. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> http://www.arthurleej.com/a-shadevegies.html 80 Vegetables needing or tolerating shady or low-sun sites in Seattle

Sounds like the house is new to you. I'd live with what's there for a while and see how well it meet your needs. Once you remove a mature planting it's gone. Can be very pricey to get large plants and trees. Go smaller and you'll save money and maybe even have a stronger planting, but you'll have to deal with the lack of privacy while things get established. I'd be inclined to remove anything dead. Trim back areas drastically overgrown. Add color via annuals or easy care perennials below the limbed up shrubs in the ground or in pots. Then sit back and assess where you like the coverage and where you need a change. youll get better advice once you identify what you have. Sorry I'm not sure.