Hi sheshebop! I'm new myself! Welcome. My best friend has a nearly full shade yard and she created a rock garden with a pond in the center. She has tons of hosta, sweet william, peonies and spiderwort in her yard. Many of these around the stone patio and rock garden. You are plenty creative enough for gardening. It's easy after time.

Plant what you think will look nice after finding out if they are hardy to the coldest temperature that you live in. Put taller plants to the back of the beds you create and graduate down in height toward the front.

After the plants take off, decide if you like them where they are, if not, then move them somewhere else. We all do this. Gardening is trial and error just like making a new recipe!

Here is a few links to some online nurseries that offer suggestions on shadey perennials. Take a look and see if anything looks nice to you!

http://www.ruthsgardenshop.com/Shade%20Perennials.htm

http://www.4seasonsgc.com/main%20files/pages/perennials/shade.html

http://garden.superpageshosting.com/shadeloving/

This next site not only has ideas for plants but also design plans for your beds too. If you look further down the page you will find a link to rock gardens as well.

http://www.wilsonbrosnursery.com/DesignsPerennialShadeGardens.html

Good Luck and let us know what you do!

Hi Sherry! And welcome. There aren't many alpines that do well in wetter areas, but tracyvine gives good advice.

Sherry, I found one more website that offers excellent site preparation directions for starting out on creating a rock garden. I am posting the site for you.

http://www.thealpinegarden.com/rockgarden2.htm

Let me know what you think.
Tracy

Thank you for the welcome and the links. I have not had time to look at them yet, but am excited to get started with them. I am sure I will be back here often with questions.
Sherry