vinca minor, juniper, or try Stella D Oro daylilly

A favorite of mine Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum), it stays evergreen in the winter, has starry white flowers, deer resistant and you can run over it with the lawn mower if it gets ratty looking after flowering. Also has some insect repelling qualities and other uses.

Annette

Hmmmm...juniper is not going to be a very good choice for full shade and a moist condition :-) You could try Oxalis spiralis var vulcanicola (colored foliage and a year round presence), baby tears (Soleirolia soleirolii - comes in both a golden and a variegated form) or golden creeping jenny, Lysimachia numularia.

Annette, I don't know what type of sweet woodruff you're growing but mine sure didn't stay evergreen over winter!

Geranium "Biokovo" (I posted a pic in a recent topic regarding "Biokovo", you should be able to find it easily)

Pam, my S. Woodruff is in shade, in a small concrete planter against a concrete wall outside our back door, even after the below zero temps and all the snow we had this past winter it was flattened but still evergreen. I sometimes clip it back after the winter as well as after blooming if it looks too ratty :o).

Annette

I have a Carex groundcover called 'Treasure Island'. It is a good grower, but not especially aggressive like some groundcovers. It is variegated cream and green and really brightens up shade. Grows about 6" - 8" tall. I think there is a similar one with gold edges.

How big is your spot? If it is really big, you might be better off with something aggressive. If it is too small, you might be pruning and clipping and ripping constantly if you get something too aggressive.

Symphytum grandiflorum, ground cover Comfrey, has flowers in spring. It is tougher than weeds, but you may never get rid of it again. I have it in my orchard under trees, it is no-care. Also some geraniums in photo.

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Vinca minor Illumination or Mojo's Gem are beautiful, stay low, and easy care. Not as impervious to weeds. Bloom in spring. Illumination-

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Geranium macrorrhizum- very tough, spreads, blooms in spring.

Epimedium- slow growing, choice, blooms in spring, herbal tea.

Not sure if you get too warm, but for me the fernleaf bleeding hearts are real workhorses.
They bloom all summer in no sun whatsoever and are truly lovely.
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Flora

Lily of The Valley (convallaria Majalis) is a great groundcover in my garden and it is supposedly an OK grower through zone 9, however, I have heard that it does best only through 7. The reason I bring it up, though, is that if it would work for your area, I think your other requirements fit it perfectly -moist soil, shade. The upsides to it are that it's pretty and fragrant and spreads readily, and the downsides that is spreads readily..... (Also, I think it's poisonous.) In my garden it edges out both bishops weed and periwinkle. I believe that there is a new variety out now with pink flowers instead of white as well. Amy

I have a few spots of full shade around the base of Maple trees which are notorious for sucking out all the moisture in the area as well. Dry shade is supposed to be one of the toughest conditions to grow in. I know you have moisture, but I think all those I recommend will be just as happy with a little more moisture. In my dark corners, what has been happily growing without issue are.... Epimedium, European Ginger, Variegated Carex, Solomon's Seal and Viola labradorica does grow there and it is a native and very cute, but it does reseed, which I don't mind, but you might.

You didn't say whether you wanted to stay away from anything invasive. To me, I really don't want to make more work for myself than necessary and if something will spread too far from it's position or is difficult to get rid of once you plant it. [I do change my mind on occasion] Those plants suggested that would fall into that category for me, would be...Vinca, Lily of the Valley, Golden creeping Jenny, Comfrey, and Geranium macrorrhizum. Some suggested, I don't really know about.

gardengal, never ever had a problem planting juniper anywhere here in Pa. sun or shade, they seem to grow anywhere, i've planted hundreds of them. don't be a pessimist.

It is not being pessamistic to avoid suggesting plants that are unlikely to do well under the existing conditions....it is realistic. Look at virtually any resource that describes junipers and their uses and they will state that junipers should be planted in full sun and in well draining soils. Most will also state that junipers thrive in hot, dry locations. My own experience with junipers in shaded locations is that they become loose and rangy and sparsely foliated. And they do not care for moist conditions either, developing all manner of fungal blights. Why take the time, effort and expense to plant something that is highly unlikely to do well in that situation?? That's not being pessamistic.......it is merely being practical!

It would be helpful if the OP could confirm their location. I am assuming they are located in California, zone 9 and not all the suggestions made here are really suitable for that climate.

Thank you all so much for your detailed replies! Sorry it took me a bit to get back to everyone.

gardengal48~I am indeed in CA--East Bay, with a desert-like micro climate but since we have in-ground sprinklers to keep the yard green, the spot I'm looking at stays pretty moist (since there's no sun to evaporate moisture). The spot is between the front yard and house, and is about 10-15ft wide by 4-6ft deep (I haven't measured yet, and don't think this would be considered "large").

I've looked up a few of the plants that have been suggested, and I like the idea of a low growing ground cover like the vinca minor, but want to avoid anything that is invasive and requires more than minor maintenance.

I think what I'll do is make a list of what I like from the suggestions, and take it to a nursery to see what they offer for this area, and see if there is something I can plant in the next few months. I think it's good to have a list to go off of instead of walking in there and having to go with what they suggest (done that, didn't like the results).

Momma S, I know you are in a totally different climate, but one plant that works great for me in sun or shade is Veronica 'Georgia Blue'. The growers suggest it as a sun plant, but with shade and some moisture it grows better for me. We are normally hot and dry here. I have it in the same bed with Canadian Ginger (Asarum?), Solomon Seal, Epimediums, hostas, ivy and a slow growing black liriope. The Veronica is a low growing creeper that spreads out in an even manner. Not invasive here at all. With really deep shade, the veronica might not bloom as well, but the leaves are delicate and pretty by themselves.
cindi

Oh--I have Sweet Woodruff also and it is evergreen in our zone 6 winters.

I have a neighbor who grows lamium in her deep and dappled shade areas. It looks great!

Veronica Aztec Gold! I am growing it in my raised bed, and it looks lovely, chartreuse color, and blooms with tiny true blue flowers in spring. My bed where I have it is part shade. I don't know how well it would do in FULL shade, but mine does well with part shade. It spreads but is very easy to control with sheering off when it starts to spread too much. Here is a pic of mine:

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Here is a link that might be useful: Aztec Gold Veronica

Hi, all. I just wanted to let you know I chose to go with vinca minor as my ground cover. Out of the 4-6 varieties the nursery I love visiting had, this is the only one I had on my list (I recall seeing viola hederacea and ajuga as well).

It took some sweat and blisters on my hands to get the ground broken up and soil amendment added, but I got everything completed yesterday! Thank goodness for working in the shade!

I let the owner of the nursery know my dimensions were 12'x7', and he recommended 1 flat of plants--that's 48 plants! I forgot to ask how far apart I should plant them so I went with about a foot between each plant and 16-24 inches between rows to get 4 rows. Hopefully they won't take too long to fill in the dead space...

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Very cool, hopefully the vinca will do well for you. I get some via my neighbor who has it in her yard. I'm always ripping it out as I just planted wintergreen which I would like to be come establised in place of the vinca. I was going to suggest Wintergreen until I saw you were in CA. I know it is native to these parts but not sure if it would become invasive in your zone. Anyway, it looks good!

Thanks, luvahydrangea. Yeah, I've heard plenty of complaints and warnings about the invasiveness of mints, so it's probably best for me to avoid it. I grew spearmint for a while in my back yard, and I loved picking leaves to chew on while I gardened. Unfortunately, it all got fried by the sun/heat (*that's* where I get the sun exposure!) before it had the chance to become a pest...

Wintergreen is not a mint :-) It is a low, shrubby evergreen groundcover related to the everpresent salal here in the PNW and more distantly to rhododendrons and azaleas. Produces little white flowers and big red berries and the leaves bronze up in cold weather. Not the slightest bit invasive and I'm not even sure it would survive in a zone 9 location.

FWIW, here's a little tip to file away for the next time you plant groundcovers.......avoid planting in rows. Instead, use a zigzag or triangular pattern. You'll need less plants for a similar coverage and the result will grow in to look more natural and less "regimented".

I like ajuga, but it can be aggressive once it gets going. It does well in sun or shade and will tolerate dry soil once established. Very thick - does a good job of suppressing weeds.

gardengal48~ but the label on my gum says wintergreen, therefore it HAS to be a mint! HA! Just kidding (and blushing). I know a little about growing veggies, and less about growing anything else (duh)--it's my 1st year gardening.

Thanks for the zigzag tip. They do look sort of funny. I may move them around since they've only been in the ground for a few days...