Where are you located (nearest big city, state)?

I wonder if your hydrangeas aren't blooming because it's the wrong hybrid for your climate. Anyways, since you've decided to go with perennials I'd choose a few large hostas.

The deer eat my hydrangeas....and hosta....and lilies....

The hydrangeas are inside the fence. They are the plants in the far back by the fence where the birdbath is. We also have outside the fence, a motion detector “scarecrow “ that shoots out water, it really works and is funny when animals or people get popped.

About the only reason your hydrangea are not blooming in those conditions is because they are Mopheads, Hydrangea macrophylla that are freezing to the ground over the winter or early spring. H. arborescens, H. quercifolia, and H. paniculata will bloom for you. You'd need the most dwarf paniculata for that space though.

I would save myself the hassle and go with hostas they love the shade come back nicer every year and so many wonderful ones to mix together you probably will not even have to [put annuals in at all I would like to see less garvel and more ground cover

The river rock "ground cover" will reflect the sun and potentially scortch the underside of plants - mulch may be better. Agree re: hostas - pretty much fool-proof and so many different varieties as Patricia mentioned. If you search here under Gardens you'll get an idea - very lush and they will "flower" - white or a lavender colour.

I have been researching different varieties of hostas and would you throw in some more ferns or flowering perennials?

Yes, you can add some companion plants. There are plenty that work really well with hostas (heuchera, heucherella, brunnera, astilbe, ferns, hellebores which are evergreen, digitalis, Tiarella, Pulmonaria are a few).

Japanese painted fern might be nice and I think those do not spread as much as other varieties. We have ferns in front of our house (northern Illinois) that we cannot stop. Another nice plant is Solomon seal - would be nice with hostas as it would give some height. Lots of different varieties.

You could be pruning them at the wrong time. What kind of hydrangeas are they and when are you pruning them? They will never bloom if you are pruning them at the wrong time and some Endless Summer hydrangeas take 4-5 years to bloom. Talk to a hydrangea expert before you take them out and then regret "what could have been."