I'm right between zone 5/6 and hostas do ok in full sun all over town. I am over-run with variegated ones and the green/white contrast isn't as nice in full sun compared to the ones in shade. A quick count tells me I have 42 hostas (probably forgetting a few) and many could be divided further. Half are in really sunny spots. I like to divide in early spring when the shoots are just showing purple tips because then they leaf out really nice for the whole summer. Along side them I have tons of yellow daylillies and tons of Autumn joy sedum and they like full sun. Lets see, I also have some salvia and coreopsis and some bright pink dianthus all near hostas. I also have tons of purple bearded irises, but they are really boring, in my opinion, once the blooms are gone. I actually have a Jacob's ladder in a pretty sunny spot and it does ok. But perennial will all die back and you'll have nothing in winter. But I"m guessing in zone 4, you'll be under a blanket of snow anyway? Also, the burning bush loses it's leaves - not evergreen.

Mara, Pink would be the ideal color for that watched dog lol.. and then he could hide in the tree and jump on deer & rabbits :) Haha... Stush, I did notice the pup and actually I meant to comment on his presence in the picture what a nice addition to your garden and I think Mara is on to something with a new color for his coat lol.. 3 grandkids that's awesome! right now I have 6 grandkids but only one enjoys helping me around the yard, actually he really enjoys being with gramps in the yard doing anything I'll have to post a picture of him helping me out. Lol.. so you thought you saw a snow flake huh? the only place I ever see snow flakes is on TV :) Kathi, Please throw up some of your award winning pictures & please Join us on this magic school bus ride over to Uncle Stush's garden for a free for all. Greg

Thanks Amy! I think I cheated on the penstemon, they had flower buds when I got them, being fresh pot bound nursery plants and all this year. I do have a penstemon that was supposed to be P. mensarum but I'm fairly certain it's not it hasn't flowered yet so I don't know what it is. I also have a couple P. pinifolius that haven't flowered yet either and a P. eatonii that is still just a rosette. Hey! If you swing by my newest post (Hiking) I have some pics of P. virens and P. secundiflorus that are going crazy at work!

Maybe all the weather stress was too much for some of them. on the other side I have plants that are just starting to flower, crazy... I love my Green Acres, that evening color is so nice! I will get a big Niagara Falls next week from the same source :-) And I need another June! I want to see the colors in shade also. It is beautiful in all light conditions...