Clematis Nelly Moser loves a shaded position as full sun tends to scorch the flowers, a few other suggestions are

Berberidopsis
Jasminum nudiflorum
Clematis Etoile violette
Akebia Quinata
Tropaeolum speciosum

Have fun looking them up.

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The grass may be greener on the other side,but you still have to mow it.

Loz, i don't know how carolina jessamine will overwinter, but it is definitly a shade lover. i'll send you some and you can try it. i gotta get about 6 of them out in the next 2 weeks, so i'll just add you to the list! the good news it that mine hasn't even lost their leaves yet

Have you ever heard of the clematis, virgin`s bower?

It blooms in the fall with a wonderful jasmine like scent. In the books it says sun to partial shade. I have seen it bloom under fairly dense shade under a hawthorns, in the woods, etc.

[URL=http://www.hort.net/gallery/view/ran/clevi/ ]virgin`s bower[/URL]

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aarrgghh! [URL=http://www.hort.net/gallery/view/ran/clevi/ ]virgin`s bower[/URL]

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Hi Loz,
Or should I say howdy neighbor? I live in Maryland too, between Baltimore and Washington.

First to address the problem with your clematis. Do you know which one you have? Clematis often disappoint people because they expect those beautiful blooms the first or second year. Clematis, like many other perennial vines, need 2 or 3 years in the ground to first establish their root systems. They don't particularly like Miracle Grow as these types of fertilizers will cause vines to have lots of green growth and not much bloom. But they do love lots of organic matter such as compost. It's best to add lots to the planting bed when planting. You can even top dress the roots with it. It can be purchased in bulk or bags. Another fact that is often stated about them is that they like their feet in the shade and their heads in the sun. That isn't totally true either. They do like their roots to stay cool and moist and don't need as much sun as most people think. There are even some that will grow on a north facing wall. Here's some sites on clematis that should be helpful. This first one is a list for part shade and north facing walls.

http://stores.yahoo.com/chalkhillclematis/clematisforshade.html
http://www.rainyside.com/ornamentals/clematis_care.html
http://www.clematis.org/home.html

I don't think the jasmine will work in zone 6. How about a climbing hydrangea? They like shade, but the caveat here is that they will take about 5 years of root growth before they take off. Once they do, look out as they can grow 30' or more and get very heavy. Heuchera's suggestion of akebia might work for you
http://www.aragriculture.org/horticulture/ornamentals/plant_material/plant_database/Vines/Fiveleaf_Akebia.asp

as well as Rue Anemone's suggestion of the clematis virgins bower. It's also known as sweet autumn clematis. It can be cut back to control the growth in late winter or very early spring. The scent is delicious!

Newt

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When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant.

Hi Newt.....I'm so glad to see another person from Maryland on here!!!! I live in the Cumberland area way out west.....Thank you for taking the time to answer me--I really appreciate it.....maybe I just need to give the clematis another year or two to really get into full gear.....the leaves just didn't seem very healthy on it, and I wish I remembered the type of clematis but I can't.....I'll just try to be patient for a while I suppose......

And Bob, I grew some black eyed susans last year....they are our state flower afterall......very nice....and I got some seeds for sweet williams....can't wait to start them. My mom had a ton of them last year and they looked very pretty.