Liriope muscari or lily turf, Geranium macrorrhizum or epimediums come to mind. Could you prune lower branches on plum tree whenever right time to do that is? I grow all of the above as well as some lovely ferns, hellabores and grass in a shady dry border. Hope that helps.

Thank you Amsterdam , plan to prune the plum but it didn't get done this year coz of my stroke but now have to wait till next year.Just been looking at Linope muscari, great minds think alike 🤣. Found one that in spring, leaf are white which I like look of. Wish hubby didn't hate ferns so much as I think would look nice there.
Oh while I think of it. Have you been to Norbridge Nurseries on the Telford Road. I went 1st time this year. They do lots of unusual plants. I got a dwarf Chinese banana plant there. Doesn't look much from the road but when I went early summer, was impressed with selection 😁

also consider Sarcococca, a good evergreen shade happy shrubs. also produce wonderful winter scent apparently [I cant smell it but the rest of the family can]

Cyclamen coum will be happy and flower spring before the leaves emerge on the tees. Actually C hederifolium is doing well for me too under the beech tree and hedges.

Pachyphragma and Pachysandra do well in my very shady areas. There are some very pretty ivy varieties if you fancy those too. Depending on how dry then there is Ajuga [bugle] that come in a range of leaf colours. Lamium also do well for me and form a good weed suppressing carpet.

Yes Jenny I went there recently, lots of interesting plants & birds!! My favourite local plant nursery is still Oakgate though. Seaburngirl has added some good suggestions, certainly worth considering. I have Pachysandra which looks after itself.

Thank you so much Seaburngirl, will look them all up.

Amsterdam, agree about Oakgates. We go there quite often and bought a few pots from them and hubby likes their cooked breakfast 🤣

The driest part of my small garden is a west facing border next to the back wall of the house. I've had a few disasters, i.e. mildew on Phlox and a Clematis but what seem to thrive are Fuschias which are doing well and giving a lot of colour, a pale blue variegated bearded iris and a creeping campanula, lots of colour as long as they are watered regularly. p.s. what is it with men and their dislike for plants? My husband has a thing about Lupins and has no real explanation as to why!

Thank you Cammomile. I did plant 2 fuchsia there few yrs ago but they have struggled and this yr not even flowered. Did a have dwarf rhododendron but that looks struggled.
Hubby says ferns are pointless and boring. He is same with my hosta but puts up with them as he says at least they flower. Was even the same when I wanted to buy that blue bottle in photo but after agreed he like it lol.