Hi Julie! Welcome to ATP, WA and the PNW!
I can't recommend deep-shade plants but I can help narrow down who to ask. I'll invite some people to view this thread, but which side of the state do you live on? The coastal west, or the dry east?
If you live near the coast, it's going to be VERY unlike AZ. Get used to overcast, drizzle, mist, moss and mild temperatures.
If you're on "the dry side" of the state, maybe conditions will be more familiar to you.
No matter where or what, that raised bed can probably use compost and mulch on top of that. Whether it's clayey, rocky or already well-amended, it probably can use more compost.
And the sooner you give the weeds a chop, the fewer offspring there will be to compete with your plants.
I live north of Seattle, between Everett and Lynnwood. I'm only a mile or two from the coast (Possession Sound / Puget Sound), so I have mild summers and mild winters, clouds and drizzle all fall, winter and spring.
Coastal PNW, with a Maritime or Mediterranean climate.
If you have a shady, northern exposure in the Pacific North WET, it sure is NOT going to get a lot of sun! At least, during spring and fall, the overcast will diffuse
some light around your house.
On the other hand, I don't know Eastern Washington at all. I understand they have more sun, more snow, less drizzle, fewer cloudy days, more freezing days, and hotter summers.
There are people in the PNW forum who garden in eastern WA, and they may be able to help if you live on the dry side of the mountains.
Which side of the mountains do you live on? I'll bring this thread to the attention of some people in the PNW forum, but which people to call on depends on which part of the state you live in.
BTW, you can find many ATP members by searching the Member List or membership map. If they listed their address in their profile, they show up in the map or in a "Search by Location".
For example, near Spokane, we have : anglebee, TiaLee and thomfoote
search for members near you:
http://garden.org/users/member...
see the member map:
http://garden.org/users/member...
Here's a thread about part-shade plants for the PNW:
Pacific Northwest Gardening forum:
suggestions for a low water, low maintenance, part shade plants
Some PNW threads:
East vs. West WA:
The thread "Gardening in Washington State" in
Pacific Northwest Gardening forum
If you're close to Portland or might make a trip of it for other reasons, I saw this "swap meet" where, if you don't have plants yet at your new location, bringing cookies and chocolate to trade might work instead:
The thread "2nd annual 'Shove Prune' plant swap (Portland area)" in
Pacific Northwest Gardening forum
