What plants can tolerate afternoon sun?
Sun loving coleus and bronze leafed wax begonias may work. Just keep the soil moist. Purple Heart (Setcreasea purpurea), pentas, and four o’clocks are other annuals to consider. For perennials try dwarf Mexican petunia (Ruellia), lilyturf, daylilies, and speedwell (Veronica). Other shade tolerant zone 5 perennials include hellebores, astilbe, and spring bulbs. Look into woodland plants that are native to your region. Phlox divaricata, woodland phlox, does well in my garden. There are asters for shade, Short’s aster, big-leaf aster, Drummond’s aster and ferns.