Shadylady post a pic of the area you want to redo and might get more help. It helps people come up with ideas.
Jill

All you really need for color in the (dry?) shade are many varities of hostas, coleus and/or massed impatiens.
(Hosta site: http://www.parkgreen.co.uk/gallery.htm )

Many other flowers or flowering bushes do great in more dappled shade or in moister shade. Hydrangeas are great, but need certain pH, more dappled shade or part sun, plenty of moisture, fertilizer, drainage, etc.

Per another site, there are a few bushes that do well in deep, dry shade, such as Acuba japonica (Gold dust - need male and female for berries) Mahonia aquifolium (Oregon grape holly), Ilex glabra, (inkberry), Symphoricarpos albus (Snowberry), Kerria japonica (Japanese Kerria), Ribes aureum (Clove currant), Eleutherococcus sieboldiana (Five-Leaved Aralia).

See link and be sure to check zones for all of these.

Here is a link that might be useful: shade gardening search from Spring Hill Nurseries