For my zone 5 climate in north-central Ohio I have slightly different favorite bulbs for the shade. I was very happy with a planting I did in the shade of Lycoris squamigera. In one area its inflorescence come up through the fern Matteuccia struthiopteris very nicely and in another area its flowers were so intermingled with hostas that some people thought we had pink blooming hostas. The Lycoris didn't bloom for a couple of years after planting but has performed well for many years since. Hyacinthoides hispanica has already been mentioned as a great shade bulb, and I would second that and take the opportunity to get on my soap box about Dutch bulb dealers. I planted a wonderful sweep of Hyacinthoides hispanica in a shade garden. I was so pleased that I ordered more of the same cultivar from the same bulb dealer. As has happened time and time again the Dutch bulbs sold under the identical name from the same dealer in a different year were not the same at all. They had a slightly different color blue flower and the leaves were finer textured. The planting looked worse. Clivia miniata has been mentioned as a shade favorite in California. In Ohio it is a shaded patio favorite of mine. It is grown in a container and put in a window for the winter. After reading lots of Internet advice about Clivias I let mine go dry for the last half of the winter and kept them in 40 degrees F. There is a record number of inflorescences elongating now. I had thought they were blooming well over the years until I saw this year's production. Chuck Gleaves Kingwood Center Mansfield, Ohio