Today we too were considering not-too-tall shrubs for the shade. We loved the pieris japonica, but they were marked as hardy only to zone 6. On a good day we are a zone 5. So it's back to the drawing board for us. Good luck.

Hostas should do well. The astilbes and columbines should do well provided the shade is not too dense. If it's fairly bright, dappled shade, it shouldn't be too hard to work with.

Janet's Garden

I see that my original post did not really have any content of what the subject was about. Actually I have several pieris japonicas here and they have not been doing very well which is why I was looking at other shrubs to transplant. I now have a couple of hostas and a couple of astilbes. Just got a couple of columbines that will plant next week. Any experience with sweet shrub?

I am in zone 5 and have been growing Pieris japonica for 40 some years. Below about -15 I lose flower buds, but otherwise it is doing fine. Have you thought about its American cousin, P. floribunda?