Thanks for the suggestions, a few that I hadn't thought of. I've been cruising several lists but I'm not having much luck with hardy wind tolerant plants that are also shade tolerant. I didn't want to limit the suggestions so I left out a few details so where we go! Area 1: South exposure but completely shaded by mature lindens. Gets two hours sun at most. EXTREMELY dry location that is mostly sandy. Mature evergreen screen blocks wind from the south but otherwise somewhat open. I'm planning on using abies lasiocarpa glauca compacta and varigated Aralia to brighten things up. Some nice golds would be nice...hmm a plant that stays golden in the shade? Area 2: North exposure up against the house. Maximum two hours sun. One a slope but good moisture. Somewhat of a micro climate but strong northeast winds. I was considering Fothergilla gardenii and...

A followup to my own post: the gorgeous, heavily blooming begonia I took in the house quickly fell apart, with branches dying for no apparent reason. It now looks terrible. Either it didn't like the transition to the heated house, or it knew it was "time", or somthing. I'm not sure if I should wait to cut off the branches until they all die or do it now. The other ones (that I had potted myself) have all stopped blooming. No die back yet but new growth is leggy. I will dig and store them all but I'm not sure when I should do it: now or wait.

Linnea, Next fall, let your begonia be touched by frost. Much like dahlia, the frost will kill the foliage. That's your cue to bring them in --- to a garage or other place, where they have the stalks removed, flowers go too, and let them dry for a couple days before they go into storage. Just like geraniums, they can be stored where it is cool, dark, and dry. There left to spend the winter. No sprinkling, no water of any kind, no light which can initiate growth, no heat...just cool, in the range of 38 - 50ºF.... AT this time you might make note of the color of the flower on each bulb so that next spring, you can plant accoridng to that wish. If the bulb doesn't have a particular look showing which side is up, put them on a shelf designating which end had the roots. Most times though you can feel the concave end---that's the top. Old roots too can give it away. Now I believe the frost treatment allows the bulb to send its starches and sugars back down into the bulb....much like why we let the tulips wilt on the vine, to do the same. The next spring, the bulb has all the energy that wasn't destroyed by removing the foliage too soon. If the begonia goes inside to enjoy the bloom for as long as it will, then do much the same, remove the foliage, let it dry, then store it where cool. As far as why the foliage wilted, the distinct temperature change from out of doors to indoors, is probably what caused it. Keep cutting back the water and let the bulb use less and let it go dry.

the base problem with bloodgood.. as i understand it ... is that there is no known true plant... apparently.. for decades.. any red seedling off such a plant.. was presumed to be bloodgood ... and they are so mixed up in the trade ... who knows what you get ... so if you want a predictable color.. i suggest.. you buy some other named cultivar.. to insure you get what you are actually paying for ... in other words.. skip bigboxstore ... on the other hand.. price rules.. and who realy cares.. if it greens later in the year ... would you complain if the little rug rat with brown hair went blond in summer sun??? .. would you love him less??? .. multi season interest is usually a plus in the garden ... not actually standing there.. let me suggest.. that in no way .... would i consider that spot full shade ... if you have glasses that darken in sun.. and you stand in that spot.. and they stay dark ... that is a fair indication... that there is a lot of light there ... ken