Flowering shrubs for shaded woodland garden? Is there truly such a thing? (N. Alabama - rock and clay) (flowers, grow)

[33458]

Gardening on 1/2 acre of every kind of terrain.

The woods:

I had a go at this last year after we first moved in...bought a huge assortment of 'shade loving' plants, paid attention to the zone and water requirement, but even with a 100 foot hose could not keep anything alive back there..."drought tolerant, grows anywhere, loves shade"? Not here, it doesn't.
Not enough loam. Must ammend...that's going to take a while. That area is 50x90x...more coffee, please.

Had to move it all elsewhere except for a few hardy bulbs. I will literally have to replace large plots of soil with something slightly more...something...to get anything to thrive back there.

Good news, this year I am seeing some native woodland bulbs (have the name bookmarked somewhere - looks like a large, ornately monochromatic clover) come up that were not there last year...we just cleared some trees, perhaps the additional sunlight helped.
Also seeing something resembling a white Crocus flower/bulbs...those did not bloom last year. Had dug them up this past summer while reworking the NW garden - there they were..HUH...so I put them back. 'Guess I'm doing something right.

So any ideas for this region of the south, either what might be native and tolerant of the existing soil, or that which will survive once I get some compost down?

I'll post a picture or two later so you know what I'm working with - on a foothill, so some is level and some is gently sloped.

(I love my back yard.)

[southernnaturelover]

Give Oakleaf hydrangea a try, it's native to the southeast and drought tolerant once established. They also like shade.

Floridata: Hydrangea quercifolia

[33458]

Excellent...already have two kaleidescope (think that's what they are - muted green/mauve flowers) Hydrangea planted in another bed by a Dogwood. Just saw an ad for a golden Oak leaf variety, will check hardiness. Thank you!

Posted an abundance of pictures in PROFILE garden album.

[DubbleT]

I think the flowers you have are bloodroot.
Maybe look at native azaleas and mountain laurel, both very pretty IMO, and should grow in your area. Mountain laurel can get pretty big under the right conditions though. It's also an evergreen.
Forsythia and flowering quince for early bloom before your trees leaf out.
I've heard of using viburnumm in a woodland setting, but never seen it myself.

You have a pretty spot for gardening, woodland gardens can be so interesting.

[southernnaturelover]

Yeah some of the viburnums like Arrowwood or Rusty Blackhaw make nice understory shrubs. Red buckeye and bottlebrush buckeye are also good choices.

[harry chickpea]

"So any ideas for this region of the south, either what might be native and tolerant of the existing soil, or that which will survive once I get some compost down?"

Ginseng and Goldenseal. Check the pH of your soil and check for tannins from oaks.