Kaempheria grandifolia and Curcumas are good choices. K.g. and C. petiolara "The Emperor" are gorgeous.
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Hi there! I am in zone 8 as well. I understand what you mean about the hostas. I grow many, but some of them do look ratty sometimes. Have you grown alocasias, colocasias, and xanthosomas? How about banana trees and cannas? I also grow alot of plants native to my area, which really works out well. You could try heuchera, tiarella, heucherella, gingers, cast iron plants, Painter's pallette, lamium, coleus, purple heart, grasses, ferns, etc...

Good luck,
Deb

Look up the eye pleasing Tradescantia cerinthoidoes and Tradescantia pallida. Another genus I think is very attractive as well as trouble free is Ophiopogon, especially planiscapus species.

Ankrara's Hobby Corner

I tried hostas too when several people who should have known better said they'd do just fine here. HA!! But there are lots of gingers that love it--Nigella's suggestion of Kaempferia is especially good for a similar feel as hostas--there are LOTS of Kaempferias, and at least one that was a kaemferia when I got it but has since been reclassified as something I can't remember, but very bright for the shade. I have a variagated curcuma that's a little taller than hostas but not as enthusiastic as most my other curcumas--that's to say big, as in I sent someone out to dig an extra banana and he dug a curcuma he thought was it. Maybe a little large for a 'bowling alley'. We have so many things we can grow I try not to think about the ones we can't!