Are you looking for year-round deep-shade plants for zone 9B? Or winter annuals?

It really doesn't matter, but it is an area where there's
room for small plants near the carport. I'm not afraid
to try different things.

Thanks

I'm sure this is probably wrong, but the old school impatiens seem to do well for me. Not the Sunpatiens with the purplish leaves, but the old green leafed ones.

Oh, you mentioned frost as well. Not sure impatiens are right for that. I usually don't get frost in my shady areas. They are either covered overhead so they don't frost, or they're next to the concrete house so they don't frost.

I might try your idea of impatiens. Sometimes when we
get a real cold snap the frost gets them, but I have a
lot of sheets that could be used to cover them. Anyone
else with some more ideas would also help.

Thanks for the suggestion

Given where you live you need responses from Anna and Hester, hopefully they'll be along soon....

Tom

Ferns

How about variegated cast iron plant? The color in the leaves make it showy. They could be put in back of the impatients

I like the idea of a variegated cast iron plant. I have
a green leaf one in a container that has always done well
in deep shade and would love to try a variegated one.
Thanks. Also I have a fern in the ground in another spot that I could try to take pieces of. Also, today I went
to a garden center and got a snapdragon, some new wave
pansies and an aztec grass which should hopefully turn
out good. Thanks for all the suggestions

Hi fellow Sarasotan..
Sorry to be late to your thread....
I have a deep shade garden which is full of bromiliads, yellow walking iris, dracenas, crotons (do surprisingly well in shade,) ruellia repens, pencil cactus, spathylium,ferns, among other things. Also loads of cane begonias for color.They are always in bloom.
Since it is not easy to find flowers for shade (and I don't use impatiens as they will freeze easily), I concentrate on textures Seems to work.
I would post some pics but I don't have the patience today to figure out the new photobucket!(If you want to go back to some of my old posts, you'll see some pics)
I don't cover anything in this area as it is protected by trees and so far, all has been well.
Hope this is helpful!
Hester

Thanks for the info. Sorry it took so long to reply.
I decided for some temporary color and for hardiness
to get snapdragons, new wave pansies and in a spot
with a little sunlight an aztec grass. The aztec grass
may make interest because of the variegated spider plants
that look similar. I'll have to try the ferns. I have
one type in a container that gets some morning sun
and another type in the ground in part sun that i could
try to relocate some of them to the deep shade. Thanks
for the help.