I absolutely can't live without violets, geranium maculatum, hostas, bergenia cordifolia, polemonium caeruleum.

I've given up on lupines - in the shade or the sun. ...For now anyway.

Hostas, Primulas, Spiderwort, Monkshood, can't come up with a fifth.

Hosta, pulminaria, ligularia, brunaria (like them aria's), asiatic lily. ;) I could go on and on,, but I'll limit it to five. ;)

Diann
Iowa Z5

Lungworts, Columbines, Monkshoods, Cordalys and Hardy Begonias. Perhaps Campanulas and hardy Geraniums too, I havent tried them all yet. In general, I would love to see a wider choice of summer and fall blooming shade perrenials with REAL flowers on them.

JTFR Im sick of Hostas. I have them, I use them but I most surely do not love them.

Springcherry

Hosta,Astilbe,Meadow Sweet,Bloodroot,Merry Bells
Can't think of any I would never plant again.

2. Heuchera

3. Primula

4. Bergenia

5. Solomon's Seal

6. Yellow Foxglove

1. Astilbe
2. Pulmonaria
3. Lobelia/Cardinal Flower
4. Cranesbill/Hardy Geranium
5. Columbines

Hard to pick just 5 cause my shade garden is my favorite [right now] and I love the Heucheras/Coral Bells, Lily of the Valley, Eupatorium, Goatsbeard, violas, Johnny Jump Ups, Painted fern, Lamium, Bleeding hearts, Ajuga, and Hostas too!!!! Love them all! :-]

in no particular order:

ferns
columbines
pulmonaria
hosta
myosotis

Painted ferns, selaginella, lily of the valley, tiarella, astilbe...and hosta, I know that's 6 but hostas are in a class by themselves!

1) annual lobelia -- love that rich blue color!
2) callas -- white or colored, although the whites are bullies that try to take over all the beds
3) dwarf rhododendrons -- I have one that is fragrant, what a treat
4) abutilon pictum 'Thompsonii' -- I love abutilons, and this one is the prettiest, IMHO
5) clivia -- just planted two of them a month ago, one orange and the other red. Great foliage, too!

Hostas
Ferns
Epimediums
Heucheras
Brunneras

Texas gold columbine, pigeonberry, salvia coccinea, salvia regla, Brazon penstemon

Hostas,Epimediums,Ferns,Solomon's Seal,Columbines

Many of the plants mentioned above are favorites, but some of them are part shade plants for me. For SHADE my favorites are:
Brunnera
Omphalodes
Primulas
Painted Fern
Maidenhair Fern

The most difficult shade perennials I have tried is blue Corydalis. Unless they come up with a more heat tolerant form, I will not try it again.

Also difficult for me are Astilbes. They seem to need a little morning sun, constant moisture and high fertility without the use of commercial fertilizer. I killed several chlorotic looking plants with just a touch of fertilizer. I use blood meal now for nitrogen and organic fertilizers and they seem to be doing better, but time will tell. I have killed about 25 so far, but I like them so well I keep trying. I think I finally have the key to success.

Though not a perennial, my favorite shade plants for huge bloom impact are Camellias and Rhododendrons. Camellias are the easiest.

Liqularia, Heart Leaf Brunnera, lungwart, Goats Beard, Anemone, lenton rose are my favorites.

Strelitzia, Artabotrys, Mangifera, Eugenia and Tamarindus. I said that I would not try to grow Acer again until
a trip out of town to the northern part of Arizona when a few of the delicate lacy foliage hitched a ride home with me. LOL!

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