Pretty plant for a very shady bed

[DesolateWaist]

Nothing I ever plant in this bed grows.
It either gets eaten by all the slugs or just turns up its toes and dies.
Today I've realised that it is because it never gets any direct light.

Any suggestions? I want something with flowers in an ideal world that would grow to about a foot high.
My garden is, in essence, a woodland so anything woodland like really.

Thank you.

Have you tried a hydrangea? They are pretty good in the shade. Hot lips aren't bad either.

Acanthus do well in shade. Bit taller though and evergreen as well as long flowering

I've already got a couple of hydrangea in the garden.

Oh they look perfect Tween, thank you.

Dicentra (bleeding heart plant) is a woodland plant & very pretty, can't remember the exact name of the variety which is smaller & with more fern-like leaves but that one is especially delicate & gorgeous. It does die back after flowering though so you have a few months of nothing there.
Lady's mantle is very pretty in spring, rain droplets sitting on the leaves are especially nice, but it's a bit of a slug trap. A hardy fuchsia might manage, they are shade loving.

Periwinkle does well in quite deep shade and provides good ground cover. It comes in lots of varieties - pink, white and blue/lilac.

Acanthus a 'bit taller' than a foot? They're fucking triffids!

Does it get more light in the spring before the leaves come on the trees? Our front garden is like that and we've planted loads of daffs, snowdrops and bluebells.

It does get some light in the spring, but not much.
It's a south facing bed but there are so many trees it doesn't stand a chance.
I'll see if I have a picture.

I don't mind it being taller. The only thing is that the bed is between two lawns so it is nice to see over it.

It's this bed. The problem is at the front.

And here is is in the spring.

It looks lovely, I was expecting much worse! You could go for an acanthus at the back against the fence and something low growing at the front. Periwinkle would fill the space quickly but you might find it takes over a bit.

Cranesbill geranium do well in shade.

Ah, the fence is actually further away than it looks. The lawn that the fence is alongside is about 5foot lower than the top lawn.

How about Hellebores?

Do take a look at plantsforshade
Spring and Autumn bulbs are good but not a foot high
Hostas ferns acanthus alchimella Mollis Spring to mind
Hellebores
Solomon's seal
Tiarella
Epimediums
Primula in spring
Some grasses
As monty says less is more so choose a few plants and repeat

I have Jacobs ladder and Marguerite in my west facing shady border (I'm a complete novice but they've been there all this year and are thriving, phew!)
The tallest marguerite were from Aldi and have a woody stem - very pretty

I also have Pieris in there and some grassy type plant that comes out in an orange feathery flower - seeds like a bugger but again, colourful

Crocosmia is the orange one!

The PlantsForShade nursery is very near where I will be over the summer. I might have to drop in.

My acanthus grows but always has terribly ravaged leaves ,slugs I expect .
So if that worries you ,you might want to avoid .