There is a plant called Wire Vine (Muhlenbrekia or something similar) that is often sold as a filler for combo pots or hanging baskets. I got some years ago and treated it like a tender tropical for years until I noticed a piece of it surviving winter and actually spreading and looking much better with neglect. Now I leave it outside and let it go to town. It looks good up until the temps get down around 10degrees and then the leaves will die back but the stems re-sprout once the temps get back to normal winter temps. It isn't the classiest plant for the garden but it does seem to choke out most weeds and it likes shade and poor soil - even dry soil (but you would have to water it the first year). It doesn't really make much of a vine, just simple looped stems about a foot long with little round leaves every inch or so. The loops stick up about a foot off the ground which makes the area hard to walk through, so it isn't a ground cover for high traffic areas but otherwise it is worthwhile plant for dry shady slopes. If the area is dark shade the only thing I have ever seen survive those places is vinca, with Vinca minor covering the ground better than Vinca major.

The advice you received was correct, despite the claims made by grass seed companies and their "shade mix" products: Grasses are definitely not going to do well with that little sun exposure. Mazus, Ajuga, and Green-and-Gold (Chrysogonum virginianum) come to mind as alternatives, but there are more options. Moisture will be the biggest concern as many shade groundcovers really cannot thrive if they are dry. There are some though, like barrenwort, that will do fine dry. Also, you need to specify how high you want the groundcover to be -- plants up to 1 ft. high are often considered groundcovers, but some people really prefer something that is only a few inches high. Personally, I really like U.S. native viola walteri var. 'Silver Gem' as a shade groundcover. Uploaded with ImageShack.us Click the link below, fill in your information about exposure, etc. and you will get some more choices. The conditions you list seem to leave you with many good possibilities. Good luck! Here is a link that might be useful: Groundcover Selector

Look for Microbiota decussata, also known as Russian or Siberian cypress. It is a true groundcover-type conifer, only growing about a foot tall (and that's being generous) but spreads nicely to cover 5-6 feet. It has a soft, feathery foliage texture and turns color in winter, becoming a bronzy plum color. (Ignore the "dirty brown" comment in the attached link. This plant gets amazing attention in our display garden in midwinter due to its unusual and attractive coloration) Pines or spruces really are not ideal chioces for a groundcover conifer as few grow low enough or spread enough to be effective. That's why junipers are so popular for this purpose. The Microbiota is a much classier and less common choice. Very hardy as well. Here is a link that might be useful: Microbiota decussata

@Lisa Adams Off topic: Thanks, Lisa. I subscribe to the theory that there's a "genius of place" to any large garden. If you listen, it will tell you what it wants to be. I'm lucky AND blessed to be able to garden right on the edge of where cool season plants and warm season plants will tolerate the other extreme. I can grow delphiniums (as annuals), and tea roses; tulips and camellias; lilacs and illicium; arctostaphylos and yuccas. I also have a large enough garden that I can "waste" space on single season displays. I won't post it again here, but there's a photo (from a few years ago) of my "daffodil glen" on Melissa's fragrance thread. It shines for about six weeks, then it's just a swathe of shady grass. But it's one soul-satisfying sight while it's at its prime. OT: Frangrance in your garden The daffodil glen pic is about 1/4 of the way down the page.