Very shaded and damp - what to plant?

[HoundMother]

I have bought my first home on my own, I am so pleased to have gardens again. The back garden is large, exactly south facing. This is where I will have a patio, vegetable beds, flower boarders etc. However, the downside is that my front garden is north facing and totally in the shadow of the house. It also has a high water table and as I’m in NI, I can’t expect that to dry up much as it rains so much in the summer here.

Has any kind soul some good plant suggestions for this dark, wet front garden? It is currently lawn with a path up the middle but I don’t like lawn and don’t want my dog to have space to take the zoomies and rip the muddy ground up so I’d love it all filled in with plants. Ferns? Shrubs? I’ve not had these conditions in my rentals before so not sure where to start! I am not in a rush for it to look perfect right away so happy to grow from seed, buy very young plants etc.

Thanks in advance for any ideas/experience

How big is your front garden? What pH/type of soil? What style of garden do you like?
My first thought to deter a dog would be a simple dwarf box parterre interspersed with shade loving plants such as hostas or a dwarf acer. It would depend on whether you like a formal look.

Hostas (if you can deter the slugs), ferns, lily of the valley, brunnera, hellebores, Solomon's Seal? My shade is dryer (under trees) but fatsia japonica and climbing hydrangea do well.

Our house is the same OP. Woodland bulbs like snowdrops and bluebells do well, I love cyclamen, Pulmonaria is brilliant and spreads in a nice way (great for early pollen for bees too, they love it), primroses are cheap and pretty - I find only the yellow ones stick around year after year for some reason though. Alchemilla Mollis does well (but not my favourite as no pretty flowers). Meadow rue for a bit of height seem to cope but probably won't like the deepest shade, snakes head fritillaries seem to prefer my damp front to sunnier back.

Wild garlic loves the shade, also bluebells and sweet woodruff all for spring. THe latter is wonderful if you dry the leaves in the oven and use in baking.
Camelias are usually happy in the shade especially white ones as the flowers can scorch a bit in the sun. Some geraniums are shade happy as is toadflax for summer colour. I find Japanese anemones are also happy in the shade they just flower a little later than the ones in the sun.

Thank you so much for all the suggestions! Hellebores, hostas and fritillaries are jumping out at me as I love them. I am thinking I would do well to just put some things in pots if the damp is more an issue than the shade, I’ll check all your suggestions on the RHS website.

I’m not sure what the PH is, getting a box of tests is on my to do list. Size wise… maybe 7m x 15m? The hedges around it are all in good nick thankfully so I haven’t boundaries to worry about. It is really overwhelming to be doing all this on my own, I must admit

Op I would advise buying a copy of Beth chatto's 'the damp garden', you'll get a cheap second hand one on Amazon. Also have a look on her website.

Hydrangea will love your front garden and geranium Rozanne will most likely also do well.

I planted alchemilla mollis and I'm regretting it. It went mad, last summer and is really hard to get out again.

Hydrangeas are happy in fairly shady conditions, and very thirsty. Astilne are good for wet shady spots too, fascinating feathery flowers. And of course ferns, hostas and foxgloves.

Astilbe (it won't let me edit)

Agree with all the other suggestions. Camellia is lovely, and also rhododendrons if you have an acidic soil. Hostas, astilbe, geranium rozanne, hellebores, Japanese anemone, foxglove and dicentra (love lies bleeding) all do quite well in my very shady garden. Mines too dry for lily of the valley but would love to grow that.

My shady damp front garden (rich soil) loves fuscias and they bloom from summer through to winter, so good for colour in the cold months.

There’s a big red peony that loves the shade too - sorry I don’t know the variety.

Choysia (Mexican orange blossom) - smells amazing, beautiful little white flowers, and does fine in the shade.

Perrenial phlox manages shaded well too - vigorous in a north facing spot in my garden.
I also have a beautifully fragranced Daphne which is thriving in semi-shade though I think they prefer well drained soil over

Our back garden is north facing - shady, damp. Things that do particularly well are hostas, ferns, philadelphus/mock orange blossom, and any climber that likes its feet in the shade, head in the sun - hop vines, clematis, honeysuckle, and Mediterranean climbing roses.