Yews, euonymus kiatschovicus 'Manhattan', hydrangeas, some viburnums and liriope (L. muscari only, NOT L. spicata) are some starters. Vinca minor and English ivy are good IF NOT INVASIVE in your area (varies across the country). Harry Lauder's walking stick needs a bit of sun to do well, a few hours a day minimum. I tried to grow one in 90% shade and it has struggled. Hortster

You have so many choices, what fun!!! I'm with esh - a mix of deciduous and evergreen is much more interesting. And I'm all for natives as well. I was faced with a similar foundation-type challenge this past year on the front side of my house. I had a whole lotta shade from huge Southern Red Oaks so I didn't need to add any more shade. In fact I had a hard time finding beautiful plants that thrive in full shade but I managed. I've been mostly happy with my choices (again assisted by all the wonderful GW folks here.) This has been a most beautiful autumn here (I'm just north of you in KY), despite the Easter freeze and summer drought so I thought about your question in terms of fall color. I ran out with my digital camera and snapped off a few shots of some shrubs I have around my foundation in full autumn glory. I didn't get around to all of them as I lost the light. Sorry for the flash pictures, I still don't know how to turn it off when I want to. For my part on the north side I chose heavy to moderate shade evergreens - Mountain Laurel, Pieris, Leucothoe and Sarcococca, and some shade tolerant deciduous shrubs - Itea, Calycanthus, Cornus, Hydrangea quercifolia, Fothergilla, Viburnum, and some perennials - Hellebores, Heucheras and Liriope. I can't remember them all right now. But just around the corner on the east side of my house I have the hottest, sunniest driest garden - and so the plants change dramatically from my northside shady garden - the transition is kind of tricky. I have a mature Fosters holly at the corner, limbed it up a bit and underplanted it with a Clethra (another native favorite of mine.)It'll take a mix of sun and shade. BTW it has a great golden fall color not to mentions its fragrant white summer blooms. I second the idea of planting an Amelanchier (serviceberry) in your front yard. It is a beautiful tree, larger than a florida dogwood with less disease problems and the birds love it too! Great fall color. Again the shade from it will be light. Don't be afraid to just dig in and go for it. There are no mistakes in gardening, just "learning experiences" LOL! Some late afternoon pics for you: Fothergilla - I LOVE this native shrub, I have several planted around my deck and in the wooded area in the backyard. Oakleaf hydrangea - also a native, and look at that fall color! The flowers are amazing too! My "hot" eastside foundation wall - with a rugosa rose and Miscanthus, a pleasing combination, in all seasons.

Thanks all for sharing your gardens. They are WOW! Davej, I LOVE your BIG hosta!!! Beautiful. LuckyKat13, Can I make an appointment to use your swing? mctavish6, I am green with envy with such beauty.

My house faces north and I use carissa holly, jade tiara cleyera (stays shorter than the standard cleyera), berries jubilee holly and dazzler holly and a pride of houston yaupon. Also have a bluebird hydrangea that gets morning sun. Have a short border of liriope. On the west end of the front there is aster oblongifolia and some flox subulata that gets afternoon sun so I get early season and lates season color there; on the east end there is a perennial hibiscus that gets morning sun and blooms all summer. Also use some impatiens and the purple large leaf oxalis with the pinkish/bluish flowers. Farther out where there is sun in summer I have zinnia augustifolia, white coneflower, and perennial plumbago. All the shrubs grow slowly to no more than 4 feet so very little pruning ever on them. Mostly all I have to do is make sure I water the oxalis and impatiens. It's all low maintenance looks good year round.