Plants and shrubs for shady area

lots of stuff will take a few hours of sun....azaleas, camellias, loropetalum, japanese maples are a few that I have in my yard in mostly shade/dappled sun areas

Hostas are great






food for deer.

The "Soft Caress" Mahonia (Mahonia eurybracteata 'Soft Caress') is a unique evergreen shrub known for its soft, fern-like foliage and bright yellow flowers that bloom in the fall and winter, making it a great addition to shade gardens.

Ligularia
Dwarf Itea
Camellia
Azaleas
Autumn Fern

Any of those will do well

Babywing and dragonwing begonias and they’ll come back each year even though they get ugly in the winter and in the random freeze. Don’t be afraid to hack them back when they get leggy late summer. Babywing is a a Louisiana super plant if you can find her

Camellias. Sasanquas for smaller spaces. Japonicas for bigger. White by the gate aka Nuccios gem is my favorite japonica. Pink perfection is my favorite pink japonica. All the southern living October magic camellia sasanquas (they have some that are conical and formal if that’s what you need)
Shi shi camellias are great for small shrubs.

GG gerbing azeala for a big space - a classic
Chinzin azaleas for smaller spaces- litttle leaves like boxwoods (water well first year)
Coral bells azalea is a great well behaved well sized shrub. (Covered in tiny pink blooms a few times a year) water well first year

Soft touch Hollies will do fine with just a few hours aka llex crenata (no blooms)
SO much easier than boxwoods
Set it and forget it

Vintage jade distillyium

And of course hostas