I agree on the ones that TX said. Salvia regla would be great for the part shade situation. Your winters are mild and sandy feet is what they like.. American beauty berry or any beauty berry. The Mexicans have a turks cap that is much larger and very interesting . also known as Sleeping Hibiscus, Malvaviscus arbors var mexicanus. It is less hardy that the regular turkscap and the larger flowers are pendulous.. . I think it is hardy toZ8b ( -9C- -6C). But I see other people on DG that say they grow it in places colder than Z8b. I also have a pink Turkscap of the hardier variety that is beautiful in the shade. The paler color really pops in the shade and I think the flower is larger. I will look to see if I get seed off of it this summer. I do have salvia regal ,Eupatorum havenense (or whatever they changed it to lately) seed and cow pen daisy (this fall). I didn't know Cowpen was a shade plant. I have it in brutal sun. The E havanense grows here in part shade to brutal sun. In England, It would probably need more sun than shade. There is a person on the Salvia forum that grows an amazing collection and sells salvia seed in England. He/She is really free with his/her knowledge and I bet he/she would know the best salvias for that situation. There are other growers that know a bunch about the different varieties over there. I have a lot of salvia gregii , salvia romeriana seeds that I can collect for you. They do part shade. One perennial that would be great in there would be hydrangea quercifolia. An east Texas native, I think but it is gorgeous with foot long flowers that turn a several colors and great fall color. It also needs sun and shade.I love this plant. Lorepetalum chinense var rub rum AKA Chinese fringe plant.. Many varieties, many sizes. I grew it wit a bit of morning sun. Mine grew to 12' before I sold the house. I was expecting 3'. So much for labels. How do witch hazels do in your neck of the woods.. Chionanthus virginicus ( Fringe tree) might need more sun than what you are asking for but I just love this tree and which I could grow it. It is an understory tree but can grow in shade to full sun in a landscape. A shadeplant I like was Bear's britches, Greek Pattern plant or Acanthus mollis. I understand that it can become a thug in some conditions. I did not find this so. Mahonia , We grow Aesculus pavia var flavesens here ( Texas yellow Buckeye) but any of the Buckeyes would do well in part shade. It likes our "moist" (everything is relative) canyons. There are some gorgeous ones. I love the californian white one. I can get seed for a the Texas one. It is a small multi trunk tree, large bushy shrub. I would not mind getting my hands on a A. glabra var arguta (Texas Buckeye).It can do a dryer brighter hotter situation.

I was under impression that this Lysimachia, along with many others in the genus, likes moist soil when it's in growth. Are you sure it's getting ENOUGH water?

Hello, I watched some which grew in a garden which I tended for 3 years in Berlin (zone ca. 6-7). So there it is kind of native and it was the plain green variety. It was planted around a pond and small waterfall and grew very well. It covered some patches and grew underneath larger perennials (never bothering those). It was contained by a path formed by stone slabs. I never found seedlings in a pernennial border on the other side of the path, and I guess in didn`t spread by seeds, just by rhizomes. The cultivar ÃÂurea`is more well behaved. A friend of mine has a group in her yard. There it covers a nice bit, brightening things up with its great foliage. With you gardening in zone 5 I wouldn`t worry too much. It spreads slowly by rhizomes, but is a perfect partner for taller plants or even Hostas. As long as you dont plant it along a creek or in areas bordering to open landscape it should be fine. Hope that helps, have fun with the Aurea in 2011, bye, Lin

I don't grow it but I have heard of its invasive tendencies. I read that it will be less spreading if you situate it in dryer shade conditions so perhaps that is an option for you. I have never grown a plant inground with a bottomless container but imagine it would depend on the depth of the roots on the particular plant. It does look like a beautiful plant and I have often wished I had a spot for it. Good Luck!