yellow, white, and/or orange flowering for shade

I'm looking for perennials or small shrubs that bloom in either yellow, orange, or white for an area that gets mostly shade. It's in an open area (not deep deep forest shade) but is surrounded by very tall trees near enough that prevent it from getting much sun at all. I'd like to get a variety of plants so that I have bloom spring to summer.

Any ideas?

yes, but dependant upon your definition of light:
no direct sun, but would you consider the area one that is "bright"?
Trees limbed up high?
Do you prefer green or would you like variegated foliage for your shrubs?
Is this enough Q's for you? =:0)

Yes, definitely bright shade. Not particular on the foliage.

I had some ligularia in there and it died. I'm not sure why. It could have been lack of water. I do have irrigation in there now. I'll probably try it again.

Here's a photo of the area. Taken during the brief moment of sun that it does get during the day. Probably no more than an hour or two worth of sun and it's morning sun, not hot sun. But you can see it's in a very open spot.

It's a strip along the fence about 2 feet deep.

I think papaver atlanticum would do fine there - that's a nice trouble-free pretty orange.

Do you want perennials or shrubs? White hydrangea would be pretty. A white cranesbill or astrantia would do well.

How about white Bleeding Heart (dicentra formosa alba), a white clematis alpina trained along the fence - obviously if we could figure out a way to make white foxgloves work reliably those would be great :)

Gosh orange for bright shade is hard - I like Katie's idea of the Spanish Poppy. You know, California Poppy might work too - those things will grow anywhere. Actually I just bought a very cute plant today (Katie59 made me do it - not my fault!) - Helianthemum 'Henfield Brilliant' which has really adorable orange blooms. It says it can take part shade if the drainage is good.

For yellow - Potentilla glandiosa (sticky cinquefoil), yellow aquilegia, yellow daylilies

I'm not very knowledgeable about shrubs unfortunately.

height preferences, Gwen?
I'll second Katie's Hydrangea suggestion - go for a smaller white, which will show up well if it's viewed in the distance.

Kymmco - keep your Helianthemeums very well drained - they don't like wet at their crowns. They will perform ok in part sun, but they really like to bake, plus they flower better. Henfield is going to town, here.
Also they prefer concrete pots or those Vietnamese clay pots to plastic, and will overwinter nicely in them.

Katye I planted my Henfield Brilliant on top of an open bank with very gravelly fast draining soil and pretty full sun, so I have my fingers crossed it will be happy. It's so cute, and even though I planted it just today it looks like it has always been there, so I think it's a good spot for it.

That sounds like the perfect place for it. Wait until it puts on the flower show - it is brilliant!
There's another - 'Stoplight' that is just spectacular. Red, but not a good red to place by HB.
Next thing you'll need to check out are the Halimiums & Halimiocistus. H.sahucii is maintenance free, and H. wintonensis 'Merrist Wood Cream' is my all-time favourite. Both stay on the small side, and require pruning only, just like the Helianthemums. Excellent plants for full-sun!

Reliable white fox glove is easy - but biennial. Sow white seed and plant out - when the plants mature, weed out all the foxgloves with a pink flush to base/centre of the leaves. White foxgloves don't have the blush. We grow all white in a sweep through three big beds and we are ruthless at this time of the year removing anything with pink. You do have to plant out a lot more of them than you would if you wanted pink knowing you will remove at least a 1/3 - but they do look good, and you can tell fairly early on. But instead, how about the coppery coloured foxglove Ferrunginea - fab colour, perennial if you dead head. Or foxglove lutea - the tiny little perennial with pale butter yellow flowers no larger than your little fingernail.

And for late summer/autumn how about Cimicifuga - atropurpurea or brunette have lovely darker leaves with tale racemes of lightly scented, buff white blossom - they take about 3 years to really bulk up, and then they make a great foliage display. Leave the seed heads standing through winter.

OK, who's up for a trip to Laurie's garden?

I'm definitely up for that! Oh, wait, I have no money. Other than that, I'm definitely up.

I want both those foxgloves - but for different areas of the garden.

In this bed, I'm using mainly bright bold yellows and oranges. Whites are sort of a background or filler plant.

I have no money, either. So maybe we could stow away on a ship.

How about Tiger Lilies? There are many different things called Tiger Lily, and I think many might work here:

Hemerocallis fulva - the species daylily I think. Orange and very vigorous.
Lilium columbianum - native, yellow-orange
Lilium philadelphicum - a woodland shade lily, native, orange

Oh, Kymmco, I had just read that Derry Watkins uses Hemerocallis in shade, and I am thinking about trying this to see how far I can push them. I've just bought some Lilioasphodelius (I think this is a relative - I'm new to these plants - I think it was Julie that got me thinking about them) and thinking about putting them in real shade. I don't know Lilium philadelphicum. Right now I'm trying to find xerophyllum tenax, Beargrass - has anyone else grown this - I'm fascinated by it, although so far, only in photos.

Portland and Gwen, As far as visiting - let me know the dates, you are always welcome (although be forewarned, I got rid of my Rayburn and replaced it with a fab Danish standing woodburner).

Feverfew makes for a good white filler, and would like nice and cottagey against your picket fence. Reseeds cheerfully but can be yanked easily if it gets too exurberant. I get a good solid show in early summer, cut them back hard in early July, and get another bloom in the fall. For migraine sufferers, keep one handy to your door and nibble down a leaf or two on a daily basis for preventative care. I don't get migraines so no clue if it works or not.

Does feverfew grow in shade? That would be nice there - I esp like the white plants with yellow centers in that area.

Feverfew will grow anywhere in the PNW!

Being in the Chrysanthemum family, it has a distinct smell. I like it. Some don't.

I agree that it's an awesome filler at the end of the summer when everything else is looking kind of fried.

It grows equally well in sun or part-shade for me - here's a bunch growing happily under a honeysuckle which shades it from morning sun, and then it only gets a small amount of overhead sun before the house shades it from afternoon sun.

Another good filler is the yellow form of corydalis - for a more woodsy look. These also self seed everywhere, but are equally easy to pull out where not wanted. I especially like the foliage on this plant.

I have ten tons of that yellow corydalis. I like it and leave it in places I like it.

I don't have any of it - which is odd because I know it just shows up in a lot of yards. I'll have to go in search of some. I think it would be nice, esp with the feverfew nearby.

If it quits raining, I'll send you a few small ones. They grow fast. I have to send pony some pond plants also.

Willow - You know how I told you that the Mianthemum that you gave me hadn't survived? I was weeding in the area today where I had planted it and lo and behold, there was a beautiful leaf!! That was pretty exciting to see.

Goodie goodie!