Shade Gardening: Help me plan my plantings for this corner shade garden, 2 by DonnaMack

DonnaMack wrote:
My cornus alternifolia was originally planted on the north side of my house in full sun, where it languished. I dug it up and replanted it on the south side of my house, using the house as shelter on the north, adding lilacs, and eventually putting in a paperbark maple to the west. I left the overhead clear. It thrived. It went from having a single leaf and being 1 1/2 feet tall to this.

I think that they like a location that shelters them from wind, but mine loved direct sunlight from above, even in 90 degree heat.