Follow these tips to help your garden survive in shady areas:

• Prepare the Soil. There needs to be an abundance of organic compost and mulch in the soil. The soil also needs to have good drainage and sufficient water.
• Know the Competition. If you are planting in a shady area under trees, know that your shade plants and trees will compete for their food and water. Begin a regular watering and feeding program so they are not depleted of nutrients. If you are planting below a deciduous tree, do not allow your plants to become suffocated by an overabundance of leaves in the fall. Also be aware that water dripping from overhead branches can cause damage and erosion to the soil and your plants.
• Scale Back on Water. Plants grown in a shady area usually require less water than sun-loving plants. Many shade-loving plants are shallow rooted, meaning they send feeder roots into a thick mat of leaf litter near the surface of the soil to catch available nutrients and moisture before the deeper rooted canopy plants can suck them up.
• Brighten up a Shade Garden. Brighten up an otherwise dark corner of your garden with plants that have white-colored blossoms and foliage. You can also lighten it up with shiny objects by placing mirrors near flowers, hanging metallic beads from trees and filling a small basin with water. Place a bench or chair near the garden to create a comfortable place to relax.

Pieris forrestii, rhododendron, azalea, pittosporum, foxglove, hellebore, goat's beard, coral bells, Peruvian lily, spider wort, lady slipper, impatients, coleus, deadnettel, astible, bigleaf ligularia, bleeding heart, daylillies, hostoas, peony and primrose.