I have a border on the southwest side of my garage that does well echinacea and hardy rosemary (the variety we grow is named Arp). The rosemary doesn't survive every single winter, but we've only replaced it twice in six years, I think. Our hose does not reach as far as this border so it's dry in addition to the shade/baking situation. I've also had a clump of coreopsis over there and it looks pretty good except for in late August when it gets rusty looking because of the lack of water.

In my formerly* full-shade bed here in Southern New England (Zone 6a) are planted many various personally selected, named hostas but also Heuchera/coral bells, variegated false Solomon's seal, Carex 'Ice Dance', Gentian andrewsii, Aquilegia/columbine, Japanese Anemone, Tricyrtis/toad lily, Hellebore/Lenten rose, Pulmonaria/lungwort, Stokesia/Stoke's aster, Alchemilla mollis/lady's mantle, Chelone/turtlehead, Brunnera/Siberian bugloss, daylilies, Dianthus/carnation, among others.

* I say formerly full-shade because gypsy moth caterpillars stripped all five of my mature (150+-year-old) oak trees of leaves back in mid-June and will again next June leaving my full shade garden beds exposed to full sun about the time of the summer solstice. The well-established plants are still alive but showing signs of heat stress. I use recycled gallon milk jugs with a hole punched an inch from the bottom opposite the handle with an ice pick, fill the jugs with water and set them at the base of the plant. It's the poor gardener's irrigation method but the plants get watered close to the base. Water remaining in the container when the level drops below the pinhole keeps jugs from blowing around in the wind.

I'm in a cooler zone/climate than you are but I hope you find some perennials that suit your site as well as please your eye. My garden pleases mine and it's a huge rush to walk out and think, "I did that!!" each morning. Best of luck to you.

Thanks, those are some great ideas. I have a rabbit problem, but I know exactly what I'm going to move into that spot. I have a bunch of hellebores from sunshine gardens that will be a good fit. But I'm definitely going to try the Japanese anemone again even though they got eaten last year. And I also have some echinacea that needs division so I know where they're going now!

I do have drip irrigation in that area, but the area was all weeds before and I made some slightly raised beds but they're pretty infertile at this point so I'll keep amending them to help the poor scorched plants. Thanks!

What kind of shade do they get before 3 pm? If it's bright you may find that you don't need to restrict yourself to shade plants. Something like one of the smaller spireas, thread-leafed coreopsis, lady's mantle or even Hydrangea paniculata might do well there.

I have an area like yours, and planted Zinnia (Profusion), Gaura lindheimeri (Whirling Butterflies), and various Salvia varieties. All thrive in these conditions, with very intense Texas heat, and dry conditions.

But, like Babs said, mine do get bright, dappled shade in the morning, not complete shade, so that helps.

no non established plant is going to be heat and drought tolerant until fully established ....

dont know your experience level.. but whatever you choose.. will have to be coddled for at least a year ... perhaps that is the root of your failure???? [pun intended]

ken

ps: it does not sound like a spot your hated hosta will thrive in ... lol.. those are the hours of sun you avoid with hosta ....

It's pretty shaded in the morning, it's got a large norway maple sitting south of the area and 2 big oak trees to the north, as well as it backs up to the house. I have a salvia glabrescens which is supposed to be fine for part shade, and it barely grows.

I've been avoiding spirea for their limited bloom time, but that is about the right size, I need something short enough as it's right against the foundation so I don't have chipmunks living behind there. I don't dislike Hostas, in fact I probably have 100+ bunches, I just have the entire rest of the house covered in them, so may need some variety.

I managed to love to death my Guara Lindhermi in the front perennial bed, too wet of a spring rotted the roots! But that seems like a good spot for them where it's baking hot in the afternoon.

How about Abelia? I really like Hopley's (sold as Twist of Lime, I think.) It stays shorter than Kaleidoscope.