This goes to show how local deer preferences are, because in my area, while Japanese maples are sometimes damaged by deer, they definitely not "deer candy." I do cage them in the winter and spray them in the summer, but I have to do that with all immature trees and shrubs, against gnawing critters as well. Also, as to cost, I purchased several small Japanese maples on eBay for under $20 each, and have also gotten a few free seedlings at plant swaps. To me they are worth the effort since they are beautiful year round.

During the morning hours, I would say that it is bright shade. The sun rises behind and to the left of this area, during the midday hours. By 2-3 pm, it recieves less sun, b/c the sun has passed over, and is now infront of and slightly to the right of the proposed site before setting. ( this is all backyard) Basically, the sun rises behind our house on the left hand side, crosses over the backyard towards the front, giving the veggie garden in the back on the right side, sun between 11- 5 pm, and the front yhard sunlight hours in the afternoon.

Japanese maples are another thought - I have them up further on the deck more as speciments but they have grown into rather wonderful mounds and they do not flower but have lovely foliage color. I wonder how a few of them would do if planted next to each other and kept pruned nicely. I noticed they had really wonderful maples up at our local Ace hardware of all places the other day for very reasonable prices in the $40 range per plant and they were very nice ones. Those maples grow on this side of the house further up the deck. The green one is really too large, but the deep burgandy has stayed quite contained and has been in place 20 years. Mine sit as three specimens...

Thanks! Is there a tall upright shade-tolerant, slow-growing grass or plant that I can plant at the back of this bed for vertical interest? The Japanese forest grasses I looked at appear to be short. I am a little afraid of the climbing hydrangea, it might be hard to control...? For ferns, I originally had my heart set on Tennessee ostrich fern since it is more upright than the other varieties I looked at, but then I read that it spreads rapidly and so dropped the idea. Dryopteris erythrosora ‘Brilliance’ looks very nice, but not sure if I want an orange shade in there. I will keep looking. I want to have Dicentra 'king of hearts' in that bed. Not really finding a source, but there are seeds available. Can they be grown from seed easily? I planted some astilbe from home depot in a different location, and I think maybe it is too much sun, though only morning sun .. they are dying. I am hesitant to try again here, considering in this location they get 11am-1pm hot sun. So, on the whole, now I am thinking some bright colored hostas, ferns, king of hearts dicentra. I will go to the nursery this weekend, I hope they have some nice varieties that were discussed here. Otherwise I will have to order online. I am wasting way too much time on this.. :) Thanks so much.