gardening novice, please recommend shade loving ground cover plants I can get tomorrow!

[cakebaby]

Just that really, I have a north facing border which is under a cherry tree and large vine growing up the fence with massive leaves that keep the border very shady. Its not a dry shady spot, but not soggy either. The border is about 3' wide. I need the border spruced up very quickly, it looks dull, dark and bare now I've finally got round to weeding. I would like something with good, low ground cover, colour if possible, easily available in garden centers/nurseries.

I need to go there primed as I have form for buying hopelessly inappropriate plants on the advice of well meaning staff!

[Purplewithred]

vinca/periwinkle. Grows like a weed so feel a bit of a cheat suggesting you buy it but it will do the job

[cakebaby]

Oh it's so pretty! great idea, thanks. It'll go well with the other weeds

[Minimammoth]

Pulmonaria, spring flowering spotty leaves, white or purpleypink flowers.
Dwarf comfrey, also spring flowering, grows like fury though. Hellebores.
Put some bulbs in for next year. Primulas.

[cakebaby]

Love the hellebores too, thank you!

[funnyperson]

All the things for next spring may not be in the garden centre yet
You could plant some autumn flowering colchicums and some asters for now and in the autumn plant your bulbs and hellebores

[Gooner123]

Brunnera 'jack frost',or 'looking glass',great for shade.Epimediums are also good for ground cover.

[Halsall]

How about Ajuga? Very effective ground cover and it has attractive flowers. This one is good for partial shade.

[PetulaGordino]

Lots of different coloured heucheras, lots of leaves in interesting colours. I put a couple of purple ones in in spring this year and they're very happy

[MaudantWit]

Lamium White Nancy - a sort of fancy nettle - might also fit the bill.

[thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter]

Heuchera (comes in lots of shades from burgundy to lime green) - mines in a similar spot with the added bonus that it's obviously disgusting to the local slug posse!

[cakebaby]

Thanks all. Limited stock at garden center, but I found 3 very large Ajuga with pretty blue flowers, at the bonus sale price of £1.99 each so I am delighted with that!

Will plan some bulb planting next now I'm inspired

[GreedyBitch]

Cyclamen.

[chocomochi]

Am watching to steal some ideas!