Well, I've been making a mad effort to get lots of odds and ends plants I've been collecting all season into intelligent, aesthetically pleasing groups in the ground before winter. This weekend I grouped my 'Kleim's Hardy' gardenia with Pyracantha 'Mohave'. I love the way that the leaf size and shape is practically identical, but the gardenia is yellow green and the pyracantha leaf is a very complimentary blue green. I think the plant forms will make a pleasing contrast also. I also included a 'Heatherbun' Chamaecyparis and a 'Limeglow' Juniper in this same group. The 'Heatherbun' has a purplish tint and the 'Limeglow' is a mellowed chartreuse. It feels like an inspired combination although I was just dealing with what I had haphazardly collected and found on sale. I just hope I can balance watering so that it continues to look as good.

I haven't read this thread in a while- I wish I had kept up because this question is quite interesting. It sucks that the plant croaked- believe me that was one amazing swan song you witnesed. The ones available at Home Depot / Walmart might have poor root systems and low humidity stress while they were in transit probably helped as well- especially in tough weather like winter or mid summer. For people who hate to see 10 dollar ferns die (like moi) there are a few great options. 1. The "Medusa fern" which looks real cute with curled fronds vary in length looking like a head of swinging snakes. It tends to get wild and woolly when taken home (and away from growth retardants) Mine looked so gorgeous in the store I nearly died when I saw it- it still looks great but it has grown like mad.The tag "Medusa" fits it to a T. I only water it every week or so- no problems yet. I'm sure once the central heat is on I will have to water more frequently to counter the dry hot air. 2. Button fern- this plant from Australia likes direct indoor sun (forget what the books say- it loves it and grows like mad when it gets it) it's leathery round leaves stand low humidity well and it doesn't need as much water as other ferns but be careful not to let it go thirsty for too long- it will drop or brown it's leaves and start all over again- you will have a sorry looking plant till it comes back. 3. Mother fern- this plant likes cool rooms and can easily stand the low humidity and irregular watering most busy indoor garderners put it through. As a reward it will bud tiny versions of it's self on all it's leaves and give you plenty of plant babies to raise and give to your friends. 4. Cobra fern- this plant is tropical so it likes high temps just fine. It is one tough mother! I had to wrench one from a pot it had over grown and it lost ALL of it's new root stock- no problem it just grew some more. This plant can get really huge so get a nice pot and watch it- when you find it reaching unmanageable height chop the longer fronds off. I have one called "serrated" which has one frond is 2.5 feet long! I put it in a low shelf and cheer it's exuberance. 5. Asparagus fern- there are 5 or 6 mainstream varieties- they all do well in low humidity with plenty of sun. I watch the watering and only water when the soil feels on the dry side. These are very fast growers- one plant I bought changed pots twice this summer and grew 3 pot sizes. Another variety which was half dead when I spent 2 bucks out of pity for it changed pots once which is amazing since I ain't E.T. Anyway I encourage everyone I know to buy ferns- I want to start a new Victorian fern craze! Help me in this romantic endavor- you will have my eternal gratitude.

Thanks, kathyannd, that's pretty much the way I've been thinking. I went ahead and moved it this morning - egged on by the fact that I bought another Autumn Fern a few days ago and wanted to get it planted and out of its pot. So I now have four ferns in a grouping still under the pine, but with a little space for the turkeys to hang out (and land). Now I just have to worry about the five little wintergreens I planted under the pine in June. No turkey damage so far. I've also been watching a miniature hosta (Change of Heart) that was doing reasonable well until a few weeks ago. Something, probably a turkey although it could be a skunk, has been scratching at its roots. I potted the poor hosta up and it's now on the deck with the houseplants for now. If it recovers I'll plant it in an area where nothing bigger than a Song Sparrow visits. Claire

Texas has a variety of hardiness zones so what may work well in one location may not in another. Try Googling "Texas, plants for shade" to give you a selection of listings that might be appropriate. Otherwise, search for shade plants under your specific hardiness zone. There are just many, many plants that could work. Other options are to post the same question on the Texas Gardening forum or visit your local library for texts on shade gardening. A couple I like are The Complete Shade Gardener by George Schenk, The Natural Shade Garden by Ken Druse and The Encyclopedia of Shade Perennials by W. George Schmidt.