Garden bed ideas?

[SunshineAndSoil]

So I have a garden bed that is currently sitting empty in the middle of my yard, and this spring I would like to put something in it. It gets full sun for part of the day and full shade for part of the day, so it's partial sun/partial shade(little more on the shade side though). Our soil is clay(grrr), but if needed I can add a few inches of garden soil/compost on top. We live in the country, so deer and rabbits are factors. I want to go for a more wild, untamed look for this. The two plants I'm considering currently are astilbe(false goat's beard) and phlox. The bed is about 9x4 feet(2.7x1.2 meters), and it's pretty short. Any plant ideas?

 

[Marck]

Clay is fine for many plants, but do incorporate a lot of compost into the bed at time of planting. Also mulch with woodchips or bark.

Astilbe and the more shade-tolerant species of Phlox, such as P.divaricata and P. stolonifera, can grow well together.
Astilbe might require additional water but as long as drainage is adequate, both can be accommodated.
Other plants with similar needs would include Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium spp), Lungworts (Pulmonaria), Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia), various Lilies (Lilium), and sun-tolerant Hosta. Among the larger plants include violets (Viola) and woodland Spring bulbs such Snowflakes (Leucojum) and English or Spanish Bluebells (Hyacinthoides).