I wonder if caladium would do well there ?

Maybe some type of croton?

For a shrub, how about Turks Cap? One of my favorite shrubs!

Or bromeliads! You could have several there.

Or a decorative bench or fountain; or even some funky garden art.

Kate

Ooh, so many good ideas that would be great in terms of color and shape.

As for caladium, we have tons of elephant ears that grow happily here but they're plain green and too much like the philodendron, but I'll look into smaller colorful ones.

and turks cap looks terrific.

I've never heard of crotons so I'm off to look them up.

I forgot to mention that I have 3 early daylilies there that seem to do okay -- they blossom, though not much.

I like the novelty ideas re art or benches, but this particular area isn't a good place for sitting, and Art Will Be Stolen. (I have a neighbor who had a potted tomato plants stolen from his yard, and another had a bench lifted from his open front porch. Sometimes it's a student prank, sometimes not, but we don't leave valuables near the road.

Thank you all so much for the great ideas. Now I have a list to consider.

(BTW, I realized that it was my zone info that was causing the per cent marks.)

If you're looking for a splash of color, take a look at coleus. They do well in shade. Mine grew to about 4 feet, even taller including the flower spikes.

Just some thoughts off the top of my head.

You may be a bit far north for crotons.

Not sure about firebush (hamilia patens) - it can take some shade.

Gardenia, camellia, azalea, maybe even lilac?

African irises and some Louisiana irises don't mind a little shade, though the LA types like a little more water.

Nun's orchid perhaps?

How does plumbago do that far north?

There's a neat little nursery in Ocala - can't remember the name of it, specializes in camellias. A good place to wander around for ideas.

Terri

You are too far north for most of the plants mentioned here, especially Crotons. The best advice I can give you is to cruise around your neighborhood - out to at least 10 miles - and see what grows well. Then visit your local nurseries and see what that have. You'll eventually find several plants that you like.

But as long as I've commented, I will recommend a small red Japanese maple, planted in three different size river rocks with three large boulders. See if any of the nurseries have cold-hardy bromeliads and use them underneath.

I think the Giant Stuttgart Canna would work well there in the partial shade.

They are hardy to zone 7

Lou

Fawnridge, ladywing and vegbed,

Thanks for your very useful replies. I'll pay attention to hardiness when I go to the garden store. I'm also sure you're right about opening my eyes and looking around, right here.

The japanese maple & river rocks is a clever idea. Are you saying that the maple is planted in the rocks? and then boulders are added? I'm trying to picture it. I love rocks.

I've been wondering about leaf shapes as well as color -- the philodendrons are huge and bright green, the lantana/lirope make a fairly lacy detailed look, so I was thinking that maybe I needed a third contrasting shape -- but can't think of it.

FWIW, here's a view of the rest of the front yard. The area I want to fix up is in the lower left corner, on the outside of our driveway. (I've since moved the ragged century plant, a gift I got years ago for my 50th birthday. For my 100th, I'll get TWO.)

The maple is planted in the soil. The rocks are used as mulch. The 3 large boulders go in after the tree is planted, don't bunch them up. Next, you surround the boulders with the largest of the three sizes of river rock. The balance of the area is filled with a mix of small and medium river rock so that it looks as natural as possible.

If I could make two trees/shrubs from further north grow in Orlando they would be the lilac and the Japanese Maple. You would never regret planting a J. Maple in this spot. It's a great idea.