What about the taller, bigger Bleeding Hearts? They've worked for me.

Wanda

Skimmia, sarcococca...hit a nursery and look at their displays of 'Plants for Shade' or 'Shade Plants'.

Acubas (yeah I know, they can get big but in that much shade they will take forever), Variegated Fatsias, Sambucas (some) As bboy mentioned, a trip to the nursery is a good idea.
How about garden art......

Unless the fence is VERY tall or there is some other source providing the shade, it is unlikely that this is as heavy a shade situation as you imagine. In full summer, this area should receive direct sun for a period of time during midday and is generally bright if indirect light the rest of the time. Heavy shade is generally defined as receiving no direct sunlight and typically exists under the heavy canopy of big conifers or under overhangs or decks. The area along my north facing fence is planted with bergenia, lily of the valley, leucothoe, carex, a couple of hellebores, hostas, hydrangeas and clethra. There's even a couple of rhodies and Boston ivy climbing the fence. Pretty much any shade tolerant plant should work.

I had the same thought: if this fence is the only source of shade it will not be full shade.

Lots of native plants do well in the shade.

There are several tall trees on the neighbor's side to south of the fence. The base of the fence stays quite shady -- never any full sun, though it can be bright shade in the late afternoon during the height of summer. Denser shade quickly returns. There is a retaining wall a mere foot to 18" in front of the fence, so I need something tall but narrow, which can be planted basically right at the base of the fence.

Check out Japanese Aralia. Tropical looking and it needs FULL SHADE, no
afternoon sun. Grows 5-8 feet, large leaves. I just purchased one for a total
shady section along my back fence. Check out California Gardening forum, there are lots of entries and questions about this plant. I think I'm going to
give it a whirl. I also want something that does not get huge, or much taller
than my fence. I think it has a real lush look to it. Also have some "rainbow
leucothe" planted there. Gets variegated new foliage and is an AWESOME
shade plant maybe getting 4 feet tall. What about hydrangeas?

Ekinanthus! slow growing, upright and narrow. Has fabulous fall color and nice if not spectacular spring bloom.

BTW, Fatsia japonica, "Japanese Aralia" can take quite a bit of sun at least here in Portland it can. It is really quite common around town. In California it might need total shade but not here.

I have a similar situation and I plan to put in several hardy fuchsias, some of which will get 4-5' tall.

I planted two sasanqua camellias which have done very well. If you are not familiar with sasanquas, they bloom in fall and early winter. The flowers are smaller, flimsy, and fragil, but lots of them with some acid fertilizer. The growth habit of the type I bought is more like a sturdy vine than a shrub. I just tie the long branches up once a year so they spread out along the fence. After several years, they are about 5' x 5' but less than l' deep.

Daphne in Tacoma

Hmmmm.....I'd not suggest hardy fuchsias for full shade, unless you are growing them solely for foliage color with those that have that feature. Blooming will be quite sparse and the plants likely to be rather leggy and rangy looking. Hardy fuchsias will take full sun in our climate and varying degrees of part shade. The best looking 'Ricartonii' I've ever seen was in full-on sun all day at the top of a rock wall where it cascaded a bit. Bloomed like a sunofagun.

I'm surprised your sasanquas are blooming heavily for you in this situation as well, unless your shade is not as heavy as you think.