I'm trying to get perennials going, especially gypsophilia paniculata, but it hasn't bloomed yet, tried some crushed drywall (chalky) to lower the ph a little. Coreopsis went double on me, loved that, but hard to train right, cut it back. I have grown annual salvia 2 years now but want to go perennial where I used that, blue crystal this year and sangria last year, also a freebie yellow coneflower looks nice, meadow sage is good, haven't had time to mulch it yet and can't get that bed watered much. Some Color Parade lilies. Trying to get some delphs and white foxglove going. Crazy daisy should bloom next year. And catmint, not doing much this year but hangin' in there. Annual alyssum is very drought tolerant. White, pink and purple phlox. I stuck in some Rudbeckia Prairie Sun, very striking but not where it is, supposed to self-seed. I want something medium height or tallish with purple bells. What might that be? Failed twice trying to get campanula? ladybells going from seed, will give it one more shot. Russian sage I love but it gets too big, should try to find the smaller variety. Finally, clematis. Have two kinds going well now; one too young yet, one won't bloom, and one isn't happy where I put it. Many of the plants people in warmer zones are using doubt will grow in my zone.

Despite conventional wisdom, I have success with hostas, trollius, bleeding heart, Northern Lights azaleas, white baneberry, ostrich ferns under old spruce. On the outer edges, I have some extra Stella d'Oros I couldn't see composting, Asitic lilies, nepeta, feverfew, and sedums. And there's a spring under story of squill, puschkinia, and muscari. Probably a couple of things I'm forgetting. It's an area that gets only rain, no supplemental watering. And it's been there for a long time and so far so good. My gardens all seem to be fairly drought tolerant; I have only had to water annuals and some newly installed shrubs and conifers. We're about 4" below normal rainfall, having gotten a fair amount in August, but little if any since.

I've had great success with Autumn Fern, Epimedium, Christmas Fern, Acanthus mollis, Tradescantia and Green n Gold in dry shade. You might also try Heuchera.

Thank you for the suggestions. I am strongly leaning towards hostas. My local nursery man also suggested them. I am trying to find plants that are approximately 2-3' tall and have a 3-4' spread. I am considering Paradigm hostas, Captain Kirk Hostas, Satisfaction Hostas, Paul�s Glory Hostas, and Jewel of the Nile Hostas. I know in some places hostas are over used, but in the area where I live they are hardly used at all. But where they are used they thrive.