So, I'm redoing another foundation planting bed. [View all]

It's ugly now. I tried some things in years past that didn't work out, including my original fig trees that were killed off totally last winter by voles (not a big deal, I started a number of new ones from cuttings a few years back in another spot).

So, I have this "L" shaped area on the southeast and east end of a house. Up against the east wall, I have three pink species roses (Sweetbriar, Apple, and Dog) on lattice trellises. Those do well and are going to stay. I have a few daylily plants that will stay. The only other thing now in the east part of the bed is some mint and lamiastrum, which are GOING BYE BYE for sure.

In the south part of the bed, I have a dwarf weeping spruce, a Wine and Roses weigelia, some hostas, some Autumn Joy sedum, one nice clump of variegated ribbon grass, and a weed problem with persistent Japanese thistle (Cirsium japonicum). The south part actually is shaded in the afternoon by a Freeman maple located to the southwest of the bed, so it gets less sun than the east part of the bed.

This is now one UGLY area now, not much color or interest except for a few short bursts.

I have been gathering a few things to put in there -- got lucky and found some good things on the Lowe's clearance tables -- some variegated boxwoods, some China Girl and Blue Princess Holly (and I got one Blue Prince for pollination), a Pinkie Winkie hydrangea.

What I need to do is come up with some COLOR in there for the summer. I may be better off just leaving some blank spots and planting annuals.

Any thoughts on anything interesting for partial shade, Zone 6, that would be good for such an area, either shrubs or perennials?