Shady borders!!

flowers or shrubs?

Lonicera nitida Baggesson's Gold, is a shrub you can shape how you please but always looks bright. Brachyglottis Sunshine, has grey foliage which remains even in shade and bright yellow flowers in Summer. Possibly Ivy 'Gold Heart' would clamber over the fence.

im open to suggestions, i would ideally like to border all the way around the fence, but there is a tree growing at the side of it,which overhangs the top of my garden so i need some colour that can grown in the shade!

I'm guessing it might be dryish shade with the tree nearby and the fence casting a rain shadow. Not all of these plants are particularly glamourous, but you could consider...

Iris foetidissima - stinking iris. The name is a bit offputting, but all you notice is a roast beef (no kidding) smell if you remove old leaves. The rest of the time I can't smell it. Flowers are drab in colour but the autumn seedpods open up to show striking bright berries. There is a variegated form which might brighten up the space a bit and the leaves are evergreen.

Sarcoccocca - compact shrub, dark shiny leaves, evergreen. Very shade tolerant but I'm not sure on the drought tolerance - I think Sarcococca confusa might be more so than some of the others. Tiny flowers in winter which are very highly scented, so its appeal might depend on whether you tend to go into the garden much at that time of year. Perhaps best nearest a doorway.

Vinca minor - will spread by creeping, making a ground cover. You could get a variegated kind (but don't overdo this if you get anything else that is variegated.

Corydalis will grow in quite a shady spot from my experience, nowhere near as delicate as it looks, self-seeds like mad although the seedlings are easy enough to weed out.

Ferns - some will need moist conditions.

Some of the hardy geraniums will take a bit of shade, so you could consider those.

Heucheras - I can't really vouch for how much dryness individual types will take but they seem to come in a huge range of foliage colours now so you can take your pick.

Tellima grandiflora takes quite dry shade from my experience. I find it a bit boring looking though.

Dicentra will take light or dappled shade, I love it but you need something to take its place when it dies down in summer.

Bergenia - not sure how well it flowers in shade though.

Brunnera 'Jack Frost' - forget me not like flowers, but grown for the big silvery leaves.

Foxgloves - but you won't have anything to look at except when they are in flower.

Climbers for the fence which need support - honeysuckle maybe or winter jasmine.

Hostas, if your garden isn't a snail refuge like mine!

For bulbs, I've found that anemone blanda takes a little bit of light shade although it's been much more prolific in my sunny spot.

If it's quite sheltered it might suit the smaller acers, but consider whether it's going to be a bit too dry.

Good grief, that was long - no prizes for guessing that I've struggled a fair bit with shady spots!

Yikes!

i think that has given me enough to be going on with!