Hello I am new at gardening. I have always loved plants but stood alone in my my family of concrete lovers. I have a beautiful yard now and have spent 2 summers working on my love of flowers. I have an area on the side of my house that receives the least sun light it is full of rocks as it is beside my driveway. I have dug out alot of rock and put in a flower bed with landscapeing timbers I will have about 5 to 6 inches of soil then about an inch of rock. I am in need of suggestions for plants preferably prennials that will grow well in the shallow soil with little sunlight. I know hostas are a possibility, but want some additional items with blooms, as I adore the color. Any suggestions?

Pleione bulbocodioides Rockery Orchid its a psuedobulb that multiplies. If your spot drains really well then this might be an option.

Wintergreen (Gauitheria procumbens) This get red berries in the winter rather than flowers

These were the only two i found that seemed to meet your requirements. Sorry it wasn't more.

Maybe you could have some annuals in the bed too. Something that self seeds?

you know that hostas will bloom, right?

How about day lilies and Lily of the Valley? Also, blue bells and Snow Drops? I have all of these and I don't think that they have deep roots. The all do well in partial shade and full shade because that's pretty much all that I have! The L-O-T-V and Day Lilies send out running roots that will propogate the plants like you wouldn't believe!! Come to think of it...I think Irises will do the same thing...anyone else know?? Let's see. What about some type of succulant? Hens-n-Chicks maybe? I'll think about what else I have planted around the house and get back to you.

I got the hubby to put in another timber on the retaining wall and I dug out about an extra 3 inches or so of the gravel. This gave us about a total of 12 inches of soil. I ended up putting in some carnations and sedum - tri color and dragons blood some shasta daiseys in the corners which were actually a lil deeper. And of course some annuals for my color! It looks very nice! I get more compliments from the men in the neighborhood on this one! I think the sedum must be manly or something! Thanks for all your suggestions! Your all a great bunch of people!