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.

Yes, I actually do have a plan and while I am not there yet (are we ever done with a garden?) I feel like I am doing well in terms of continual waves of bloom. I have a few spring flowering bulbs here to start things off. I plan to put in lots more this fall. Going for crocus, Daffs and tulips. Then I have many spring flowering trees and shrubs such as serviceberries, crab apples, cherries and many types of viburnums. That takes me into Azealea flowering season and very shortly after the azealeas finish, the roses start their spring flush. Next come lily bulbs as the asiatic lilies start soon after the spring rose flush. Then the oriental lily bulbs. This year I added even more lily bulbs than last years 400 bulbs of all oriental and asiatic. This year lots of trumpets, orienpets and OT and LA hybrid lilies. All new to me as I used to have only asiatic and oriental. But I added some of those also. This takes me into daylily blooming time and some of the lilies and daylilies will be blooming at the same time. This brings me into August and I don't know how much bloom for august as I have added many late flowering daylilies last fallm should bloom late July and early august. There should be some late flowering lily bulbs also. For fall, well nothing unless daylilies rebloom. I have also been working on more bloom before the start of the daylilies and lily bulbs by planting lots of Siberian Iris, which blooms now here and am working to make a tall bearded iris bed for the TB iris I ordered comeing this july. Of course there are many other plants in the yard blooming at various times. I like Hollyhocks, Purple coneflowers, Butterfly bushes, Sunflowers, Mexican Sunflower, Catmint, Hummingbird mints, various milkweeds and lots of annuals such as marigolds, zinnias, cosmos, varius annual salvias, Snapdragons, impatients and more. Usually looks pretty good here.

Thank you Silvergold, You are giving some very nice ideas about plant combos. Like Bonnie said, we have unusually cold weather here in Maryland and your pictures are just what we need. I will bookmark this page. I hope I will have a real garden at some point... Bonnie, I live in Montgomery County, not very close to you, but not too far either. I've been lurking a little at the Mid-Atlantic Forum, but did not post there. Since I do not have a garden yet (have a couple of severe plant addictions though) and do not have much to swap, I will not attend your wonderful swap this time. I have to stop ordering for this spring now - I ordered more than 40 types of Lilies already; it is kind of too much for container planting. I thought about spliting some Lily orders with someone in our area, because some wholesale offers are very attractive. For example, Brent and Becky's offers Triumphator for $1 per bulb if you order 25 bulbs. That's unbeatable! We can stay in touch if you are interested in this kind of deals. I would join some gardening club, but I should probably get a garden first :0) BTW, Helen lives in Baltimore area also. She is a very knowledgeable person when it comes to Lilies. I enjoy reading her posts very much. I am so glad to know that there are some Lily lovers in my area! Have a good spring swap, Bonnie!

I received a surprise today from Chris (grolikecrazy)! Thank you. :) The plain letter envelope had holes in it- looks like it was damaged in transit. There was no bubble wrap or other padding inside of it to cushion the seeds. Seeds sent to me with no bubbles almost always do get destroyed like this, because the PO runs mail through some hard metal rollers unless it's in a bubble mailer marked FRAGILE in big red letters. :( The Dianthus barbatus seeds were about 75% destroyed and the Red Noodle Yard Long Bean seeds were completely dust. Thank you grolikecrazy, for kindly sending to me. I can still sow the few Dianthus seeds that made it, and hopefully get some plants! Excited about that. :) I'm sorry this happened, Chris. You were so kind to send seeds to me. I'm very glad you were thinking of me, and some of the Dianthus seeds do appear to be usable. It made my day to receive this, even if it is just a few seeds. : ) Thanks, Grovespirit Wondering why the surprises I mailed out haven't shown up here yet. I do hope they didn't get lost in the mail.