A few comments. First, if you have really deep shade you won't get many flowers regardless of color. So plan(t) accordingly. Second, I would suggest using pine bark fines (AKA 'soil conditioner') instead of peat moss, which has a tendency to either repel or hold water (I've seen it blamed for both) in ways that are bad for azaleas. Peat moss is OK for potting mixes but not as the primary component of azalea beds. Try adding compost too. Remember to plant'em high. Now about your original question ;^>... I agree that white or mostly white flowers and foliage can brighten up a dark corner. A good small white-flowered cv is 'Hardy Gardenia', which stays compact with great foliage throughout the year. Flowers just starting for me in MD. There's a Kurume I just saw called 'Mizo No Yamabuki' that has starry yellowish flowers that would complement your color scheme (don't know how big it gets). Check into Rhododendron keiskei (sp?) selections and cvs; the species has nice small yellow flowers, but probably earlier than 'My Mary'. Could also add some of the variegated-flower types that are white with stripes, flecks, etc. of purple or red (I think pink and yellow together are obnoxious but that's just my opinion; if you like that combo there are many more variegated azalea cvs to chose from). If you want nice low growers that can function as ground covers try the North Tisbury hybrids -- some have light enough flowers to work in your conditions. There are some nice picture galleries on the Internet that might help you find cvs that you like, including at the ASA website (link below). Hope this helps! Here is a link that might be useful: Azalea Society of America website

Sorry for the late reply, HU-243901113. I don't regularly fertilize my Jiaogulan plants, but do occasionally water them with some 'Foliage Pro' in the water, which is what I water my citrus trees with. My first year growing them I kept them in a near total shady spot, and they grew very slowly. When I moved them to a sunnier spot they grew much faster, but too much sun wilted them badly. I now keep mine in a spot were they get the morning sun, and afternoon shade when the day is hotter. They have thrived in that spot. I started/grew Jiaogulan plants last winter in a SunBlaster Grow Light Garden kit I got off Amazon, and it worked OK. I also have put them in a window where they grow, but not as fast as when outdoors. Most of the Jiaogulan roots in the pictures above died this past winter (I should have moved them to a more protected area when the prolong super cold temps came), but they produced a lot of berries last year which I harvested for seed (berries are not edible by the way). Those seeds germinated and I now have replacement plants just as good as the ones above. When they sprouted, the vines had 3 leafs, but now they have matured into 5 leaf Jiaogulan plants. I don't think I'd be willing to sell any of my plants. I got my starter plants from Joe Hollis of Mountain Gardens Herbs, and highly recommend purchasing plants from him. I have purchased plants elsewhere. Not all Jiaogulan plants taste them same, some are bitter, some sweeter, some have no flavor at all. The bare root plants I got from Hollis were most vigorous and had a pleasant taste. I use mostly the leaves for tea, as most of the beneficial properties in Jiaogulan are concentrated in the leaves, from what I have read. I don't *think* the roots or flowers are edible (haven't confirmed they are), but I have read in Jiaogulan resource books that the berries should not be consumed. . Good luck!

I'd stick with viburnums but try one of the native species. Most are tolerant of less than full sun (much more so than blueberries), do not require any specific soil conditions other than decent drainage and are far less water-hungry. And they all produce berries that are attractive to birds and other wildlife, as well as attracting pollinators and are host plants to various butterflies and moths. Viburnum lentago - Nannyberry Viburnum trilobum - Highbush cranberry Viburnum prunifolium - Blackhaw Viburnum nudum - Swamphaw Viburnum dentatum - Arrowwood viburnum They also have very attractive flowers and most develop stunning fall color.

It was a bit less than 3' when I planted it. I bought it from a private propagator because it was the only source of Wintersweet where the seller assured me the flowers would be pure yellow as opposed to the purple heart ones that everyone else sells. It is doing fine except each bud only produced a tiny stem with a single pair of leaves this year so far, and last year it was longer stems with 5-6 pairs of leaves. But that is probably because it spends all energy on several new trunks growing from the base. Overall it looks good although I think the propagator could have trained it better. It obviously prefers a bushier form and the propagator sent it to me in a single trunk form with quite a lot of dead wood, but still very healthy which matters more to me. Anyway it was supposedly 4 years old when I planted it, so expecting some flowers if not this winter then maybe the next one.