This may be totally off ... but how does a point of reference influence our perception of balance? If one were to step out onto RoseAbbey's patio from the house would the perception pick up on a mass over there and another over there, but the primary focus would be on the lake. Then one would realize that, "Oh, if I go to the gazebo, I'm going to have a better view of the lake?" How does the lakefront play into this, or am I rowing my boat in the wrong direction? I guess what I'm really trying to point out is that some of the responses have been frustrated with an apparent lack of demarkation or definition ...But doesn't something as big as a lake change things? Several hints from RoseAbbey point to a real spaciousness here. Possibly an issue of scale? In my neighborhood lots back up to the back fence of someone else's yard. In a way that tends to make one want to protect or enclose closer to the home, tricking the perception by blocking out the neighbor's in an effort to play with the impressions of both privacy and, oddly, spaciousness. But if my backyard backs up to a lake, there's something different going on, isn't there? So is "balance" here also helping to frame that primary experience? And, so, moving us over to the gazebo to get a better look? RoseAbbey- Without knowing what your plant palate already includes, it would be hard to suggest specifics. And what do you want? Simple, elegant, somewhat formal yet natural? Low key enough that your DH won't find it distracts from the gazebo's form? What has your designer used in the front and side areas? Any favorite shrubs there that would work as the base for the gazebo bed? Wellspring

Here is some information on dissected leaf cultivars from my web site. Rochester, New York is an interesting city to visit, While on a sabbatical from teaching in 1985, I roamed through Highlands Park and saw some interesting specimen conifers. Surprisingly, I came across some very large beech in one of the city's residential areas, which was formerly the site of a nursery. The specimens over 4 feet in diameter were Fagus sylvatica âÂÂAsplenifoliaâÂÂ, a cultivar with narrow, sometimes deeply lobed, green leaves. It originated in France sometime about 1805. With age the leaves tend to broaden somewhat and become like those of Fagus sylvatica âÂÂLaciniataâÂÂ. A witchesâÂÂ-broom from this cultivar has produced a shrublike form of âÂÂAspenifoliaâ called âÂÂMercedesâÂÂ. The dwarfest of the European beeches, it has small, narrow leaves. Fagus sylvatica âÂÂRohaniiâ is a very popular plant in parts of the United States. It has dark red leaves that are deeply incised around their margins. Fagus sylvatica âÂÂRohan Trompenburgâ is a seedling of âÂÂRohaniâ with improved color that shows little fading during the summer. A seedling from âÂÂRohaniiâ named âÂÂInterrupta Purpureaâ is so deeply dissected that often the leaf margins meet at the mid vein of the leaf, dividing it into two or three sections. Not every leaf has such extensive dissection, but every leaf is deeply lobed. The color is good and the growth rate is quite fast. A green form, âÂÂInterruptaâÂÂ, originated at the same time, about 1950, also at Trompenburg Arboretum. This dissection of many leaves into the midvein can be best seen on the second flush of growth that usually occurs during July in North America. Fagus sylvatica âÂÂQuercinaâ is a small tree, reaching 40 feet in 40 years that possesses irregular, undulating leaves much like those of âÂÂRohaniiâ with one exception. âÂÂQuercinaâ has green leaves. Discovered in 1888 in Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic), âÂÂQuercinaâ has become a very popular tree in America and throughout Europe. Bob Here is a link that might be useful: Beech article

Oakleaf hydrangea did not perform well (bloomage wise) for me when the shrub was planted near the drip line of a large tree. I re-read Glyn Church again and found this quote referring to oakleaf hydrangeas: best grown in a sunny site as too much shade will supress the bush and reduce the number of flowers but, a morsel of shade will be fine in hot climates. Direct sun is not necessary but if you really think this location is very shady then consider (1) planting one shrub to experiment, (2) raise the canopy of the tree or lower the hedge to see if that helps or (2) try other plants. If you choose mopheads, make sure they will be fine in your zone or get reblooming ones.

I'm not sure you are all that limited by plant choices. Clay is really not as much of a hindrance to plant establishment as many folks think. The only real caveat is to dig a wide, shallow planing hole and plant high, bringing the soil upto the crown of the plant in a small mound. I would encourage you to do as much amending/improving the soil as possible while it is cleared before planting. So much easier to do what you can to change soil conditions while the area is empty than after the fact. I'd bring as much compost or other organic matter as I could and work it in as best you can. You can also bring in just decent garden soil (check out bulk soil suppliers for this and the compost) and raise up the planting area. FWIW, plants with purplish foliage tend not to hold that color well in much shade. And plants with that coloring also tend to disappear in shade. Try things with yellow or gold foliage or variegated leaves. They really pop in shade and seem to glow. I am not all that familiar with works in z5 so check to see if these are hardy for you: hostas - a given!! epimediums heucheras, heucherellas and tiarellas Aralia 'Sun King' Pieris 'Little Heath' Tradescantia 'Sweet Kate' or 'Blue and Gold' Kerria japonica 'Pleniflora' Aucuba japonica 'Variegata' or 'Mr. Gold Strike' Hydrangea serrata 'Golden Sunlight' Hydrangea quercifolia 'Little Honey' Saxifraga x urbium 'Variegata' (nice groundcover) Lamuim maculatum 'Anne Greenaway' (another excellent groundcover) Carex morrowii 'Aureovariegata' Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' or 'All Gold' Dicentra spectabilis 'Goldheart' and of course ferns - Japanese painted fern or 'Ghost" fern will add color as well.