Northeast Gardening: Advice on planning a border?, 1 by Meg_fw

Meg_fw wrote:
I'm starting almost from scratch in this border in front of my house. I'd planted a bunch of things, but some of them died (a gaura, an anemone sylvestris, and one hardy geranium)--I chalk that up to my inexperience. The malva, phlox, and achillea survived but were leggy and not terribly inclined to bloom (despite every single nursery, magazine, and gardener saying the malva was a whopper all season). Some trusted sources told me it's probably because there's not enough sun. Too bad, because I just planted some (expensive) roses in each corner...I hope they make it. There's a euphorbia and a dianthus that are doing okay (I think).

So, I'm trying a different tactic, choosing plants that can stand some shade. The idea is to stay in the range of pinks and white, and here are some things I'm thinking of:

--for the back, for some height: lily 'Pink Perfection,' foxgloves, phytostegia virginiana 'Variegata,' and anemone 'Honorine Jobert' or 'Andrea Atkinson'
--to fill in, aquilegia Nora Barlow, Asiatic lilies in a variety of pinks and white, hardy geranium, maybe pink coreopsis or potentilla if they can handle some shade?
--along the front: aquilegia flabellata, hardy cyclamen, pink and white balloonflower, maybe pink lavender in the sunniest spots?

The big question is also what to put in the middle, between the two windows. I'm leaning towards a trellis with a climbing rose (maybe zephirine drouin, eden, or new dawn) and a clematis (probably clair de lune), if they don't mind a bit of filtered light. But how about 'Blushing knockout' rose? It's supposed to be virtually indestructible. Or a mountain laurel, but don't those have different soil requirements? I want some kind of height and structure in the middle.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and advice--I'm new at this, and don't want to keep having to re-plan every year!