In deeply shaded areas covered with trees, only true woodland plants will grow. Many woodland flowers bloom in early spring, before the trees leaf out, while the sun can still penetrate the forest canopy. By early to mid summer they go dormant, not to reappear until the following spring. Woodland plants are adapted to the cool, shady environment and moist soil, high in organic matter, usually found in forested areas.

Jack-In-The-Pulpit, Arisaema triphyllum, is a wonderful woodland plant for moist, shaded sites with well-drained soil high in organic matter. The medium green leaves appear in early spring and are quickly followed by the unusual flowers that give the plant its common name. The leaves are made up of three leaflets and the flowers consist of a greenish-purple spathe surrounding a central spadix. The plants multiply by small corms.

Longspur barrenwort, Epimedium grandiflorum, is a low growing perennial for heavily shaded areas. The flowers often emerge in spring before or at the same time the foliage appears, and persist for 4-6 weeks. They are pale pink with long spurs, somewhat resembling the flowers of columbine. The foliage has leaflets of three and emerges a beige-brown color in spring, greening up by early summer. It makes an attractive ground cover but does not tolerate heavily alkaline soils.

Trilliums, members of the Lily family, are the epitome of the American wild flower according to Allan Armitage, author of "Perennial Herbaceous Plants". All species of this plant have a single stem, topped by a whorl of three leaves, often with attractive mottled foliage, and a solitary flower. Great white trillium, Trillium grandiflorum, also known as showy trillium, woody lily and trinity flower, produces white or pink flowers in spring and is hardy to Zone 4.

Liverleaf or Hepatica sp. is a tiny plant, never reaching more than 6" tall, for very early spring color in the garden. Its leaves are 4-6" across with three lobes; they emerge bronze or purple in spring and change to solid or mottled green by summer. The flowers range from white to light blue. These ephemeral plants make a nice early season ground cover under deciduous trees but will disappear as the season progresses and the later emerging shade plants begin to appear.