Hostas comes in such a variety of shades and sizes, though keeping them watered is a factor. They also die back, which is probably a factor because these are front and center on your porch. Astilbe would be good for getting some flowers on there, even in the darkest shade, but also die back in winter. However, have you thought about Helleborus? Evergreen, early flowers, not too fussy (usually). Or some potted English Ivy, maybe a nice little topiary form (and so easily kept from spreading into ... well anywhere else). You could probably also do an upright Fuchsia, though I'm not sure if it'd be hardy there (the zone sounds like probably not, but in a covered porch maybe?). And with the annuals, as was said Coleous would be great, and have a wide range of sizes and colors (Kongs would be the biggest). Also Impatiens, Begonias, Abutilons, Lobelias ... there's a long list.

Yeah, I am strongly considering another light fixture. I am very happy with the one I've got, but it won't fit on lower shelves - I need to shave off about an inch off the 13-inch depth of the fixture. Thinking of sawing grooves on the sides of the fixture, so that it can be slid into the shelving unit. Looks like it can be done. There are four shelves for plants with the fifth top shelf for the fixture itself. I am definitely not getting four fixtures in total - thinking on hanging the lights every other shelf, but setting pots looser, so that some light reaches the lower shelves, where more shade tolerant plants will live. >> are you combining [plants] because of limited light/shelving? Several reasons. I like the look of full pots. Aesthetics can be improved (I would not do it otherwise). Experimenting with combos is interesting. Limited space with good light (plenty of other space though). All of these are my reasons. >> another thing I would do - hang smaller plants off the sides, elevated mid-shelf to maximize exposure. Yes, I also thought of that. I deliberately bought the 4-foot wide light fixture for the 3-foot wide shelf to max the light availability for plants, and because 4-ft fixtures are so much more widely available. Those plants off the sides of the shelves are hopefully benefiting from the light, as well as from slightly higher humidity because plants are grouped.

I'm thinking the annuals selection at your local garden centers or big box stores (our Wal-mart had some good looking things for at least half the price of the garden centers) would be pretty much the same for those of us in Indiana, Minnesota and Illinois since we're not too far away in the hardiness zones. If you're fond of daisy-like flowers, Osteospermum or Cape Daisey comes in more pastel shades of purple, pink, white, yellow. The Gerbera Daisies are bigger and bolder colored. Calibrachoa is a nice trailing plant, like a tiny petunia, and if you pinch it back a little it'll stay fuller. Petunias come in a good range of colors and would be a good container choice, and pinks (dianthus) come in shades of red, red fringed in white, white fringed in red, salmon. For foliage - as noted above, dusty miller is a real good choice since it's a silvery gray color it just goes with everything. Ivies, sweet potato vine, coleus, there's just so much variety to choose from. And if you need a tall accent, there's a plant we always just called "spike". Have fun - if you see color combinations you like, go with it. Pretty hard to go wrong.

Thanks cyn - the porch is 7ft deep. We gain a little space by having no railing (it's only 18" high except at the end where we did need to put a railing). I don't know that we could have put a coffee table in front of a LS though. Might have to put things on angles. I just don't want chairs lined up along the wall like Cracker Barrel! I would love to have a deep porch/sunroom like NHB and natal. Silly me, 7ft seemed huge on paper (with no experience to go by). There is one house in neighboring town I absoultely love - wide front porch with stone walls/planting beds and stone steps in front going down to front lawn with a pond. I think I love it so much b/c the porch is so big and has so much furniture you can tell it's made for entertaining. But extending the porch or stairs on ours would mean pulling out stonework and plants - not sure I'm up to that since we've spent the past 2 years putting them in. Our porch is just for us sitting out with coffee watching the birds in AM (though it's west), sitting and shucking corn in summer evenings, etc. Maybe we can build a big screened porch/sunroom out back instead of a deck off the FR/kitchen. But that's another post/another project. I'll just have to keep looking for front porch furniture - any idea on size/depth/arrangement of furniture to avoid the "Cracker Barrel" look? NHB - I love both your houses, you have done an awesome job designing and decorating. What did you ever decide to do with curtains in your DR?