If you have a shade or part shade situation that needs a bold, colorful, dramatic focus, take a good look at Foxglove. 

Easily grown from seed, Foxglove is a biennial that puts out a good-sized rosette-shaped clump of foliage the first year and blooms in the second year.  Flower colors include white, pink, red, lavender, purple, and yellow.  Flower stalks are tall - up to 6 feet with some cultivars, and are covered with small individual flowers with burgundy or brown spots inside that  bees, butterflies and hummingbirds find irresistible.  In colder regions, Foxgloves can take more sun, but in hot areas, they can be planted in medium to full shade with spectacular results.

Soil preparation for Foxgloves consists of adding organic matter to make a light, well-drained soil, and mulching heavily after the plants emerge to keep the soil moist. Foxglove seed requires light  for germination, so gently press into the soil without covering.  Seed is very small, so you might consider planting in a cold frame or in flats the first time, but if the ground is suitably prepared and the plants are happy, you shouldn't have to worry about handling seed in the future, as these plants self-seed quite freely when given proper conditions.  Be aware that since purple is the dominant color, self-sown seedlings may revert to the purple color even if they came from a different colored parent.  Plants bloom in the spring or early summer in the 2nd year of growth. Cutting the flower stalk after it is finished blooming often causes the plant to send up a few more flower stalks later in the season.  If you want to collect seed, leave the flower head intact and when the seed capsules split, gently thrash the seeds into an envelope or clean container.

Every part of the Foxglove plant is poisonous, so if you have inquisitive little kids or pets who are inclined to chew, this is not an appropriate plant for the garden, although there are very few reports of animals ingesting it, suggesting that they somehow "know" not to bother it.