Why don't you experiment this year: Try impatiens, they should be OK with shade, also the begonias. I would prefer impatiens since there are generally many colors to choose from. If it works you can do that every year and add some perennials every year: Hostas, lenten rose, astilbes all could be tried. Yew hedge is beatiful background for anything. I am just starting one and will be trying to find good companions for them also. So if you find a good one please post it with a picture.

Thanks for your follow-up post, senko. I think I'm going to try hosta, heuchera, maybe a turf lily or two, since I want to try perennials, and see how they do. That's a great idea to add some annuals like the impatiens and begonias for a little more flowering and color.

I'm fond of yew hedges too. I will post photos once (hopefully) I find some good companions for the yew!

Thanks again for your help.

Hi topie,
I think the yew hedges were over-used in the past and may be alittle abused by putting them into very restricted spaces. So, people just stopped using them. Actually their colors and texture are unmatched with any other evergreen.

I liked your idea of heuchera very much. I will try that also.

Have a great gardenning season and please report in the fall, how it all went.

Thanks senko, hope you have a great gardening season too. I've been looking up the amazing varieties of hosta there are now. I didn't know there were so many kinds! I'm also thinking about ferns. I'll post some photos once new planting is taking off (hopefully) and growing nicely.

The problem with hostas, in my situation, is that I am on the path of a gang-of-deer and they LOVE hostas. So that is a NO for me. I never tried ferns though.