Great conversation! I didn't see Purslane- technically its not a perennial, but it does come back from seed = great ground cover, gorgeous flowers and whole plant is delicious in salads or by itself with a little balsamic vinegar. For ongoing perennials: I have five acres,so I'm limited on how many flowers I can keep that require "tending". I have an assortment of hedge roses that bloom spring through fall. Honeysuckle of several varieties. The kind of old fashioned orange daylily that naturalizes (don't know the name)- it blooms constantly too. Sunflowers, that I think came out of my feeding the birds (and some "mammoth sunflowers" - that have regular blooms but the plant is 12 ft high) = both bloom all summer through to frost.

I have many of the plants listed above in my shady areas as well as a few others: Shrubs: Rhododendron 'Checkmate', a 3 foot PJM and R. 'Yaku Prince' Apothercary Rose AKA Rosa Mundi Leucathoe Deutzia 'Chardonnay Pearl' and 'Nikko', both short, restrained shrubs. Hydrangea 'Penny Mac' and 'Endless Summer' though both these are probably too wide for your spot. Vines: Climbing Hydrangea/ H. anomala petiolaris likes shade, but it a very large vine and would need something substantial to cling to. I've seen it growing on brick houses and chimneys, but I wouldn't grow it on wood or metal siding. Clematis - a few will bloom with only 4 hours of sun, especially if they have bright shade the rest of the time. Do a search for Clematis for shade and you should get a lists. I have 'Diana', 'Venosa Violaceae', 'Gravetye Beauty' all growing and blooming in about 4 hours of sun, though they have bright shade the rest of the day. Perennials: Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum'/variegated Soloman's Seal Astilbe Pulmonaria/lungwort Hellebore/Lenten rose Cimicifuga/snakeroot Alchemilla mollis/lady's mantle Carex/Japanese sedge Aquilegia/columbine Heuchera/coral bells Tiarella/foamy bells Heucherella (a cross of the two just above) Vaccinium macrocarpon/Cranberry Siberian iris Veronica "Georgia Blue' Hakonechloa/Japanese forest grass - I grow 'Arueola' a golden form Carex 'Ice Dance' Nicoleternity - You must live somewhere with lots less snow than I do. ;>) Most years anything shorter than 4 feet or so aren't visible for much of 3 months, though this year was an exception. My winter interest has to be large shrubs or trees.

I have started coneflowers from seed and had them bloom in August and September, but you have to time the planting. There is a new variety called 'Prairie Splendor' which blooms in June. I bet if you planted seed now, you could get them to bloom this year. The blooming time of these plants depends on when you sow them. Get some seeds of them and try it. You'll never know unless you try, but I know coneflowers which are planted late often do bloom after your other ones are finished. I've had them blooming right up until frost. One year I sowed an early crop and a late crop. They will bloom at the normal time next year, however. Here is a link that might be useful: Prairie Splendor

There are better places to buy Hostas that are cheaper than PD. But, I usually buy mine locally. I just HAD to have H. Titanic this year, and paid a pretty penny for it. But, it was still less than the price for PD's hosta. You'll find great internet sites if you look on the Hosta forum here. Now, for you, Otis, my man! I think it would be okay to cut back the daylily foliage with your weedeater. And, I don't think L. Frank Baum ever had a thing to do with hostas. LOL. Are you growing them in shade? What kind of soil? None of the hostas are looking really good right now as we head into the heat. I have 'Sum and Substance' (really big--about 6' feet wide and 3' tall); 'Blue Angel' (bout the same size); Gold Standard, Night Before Christmas, Francis Williams, Remember Me, Honey Bells (fragrant blooms), lancifolia, Titanic, Sun Power, albo-marginata, and a few others I don't recall. My collection is not that big. I have a few asiatics, 'Oklahoma City' (orange with lighter orange center), a real big neon orange one, muscadet, and a mixed bag of whites and pinks). I really love the orientals (bloom later than asiatics), and have several of these. Also have L. formosanum, which blooms big white trumpets in the fall. Otis, you're gonna love gardening - that's your mantra for the remaining summer days. You plant the asiatics, orientals, orienpets, and other lilies in the fall. The big box stores will carry them pretty cheap, like Home Depot, where you can get several in a bag for $3-5. I really popular asiatic that is pretty is "Lollipop". Its pink and white. I'm sure they will stock that one. Maryl, as you can see, I really like the BIG hostas. I have so much yard to cover. Most of mine, I bought at Warren's before they became O'Higgins. You can get pretty decent hostas at decent prices at Home Depot, Wal-Mart, and Lowe's. Oh, by the way, Otis, I love Ellen Degeneres. I think she's hysterical! Susan