Perhaps if you would narrow your request down to what your preference is such as trees, shrubs, vines or groundcover and how much growing area
there is, you may get more response.

ACtually, I need some help with this very question, too. I have a new house that has two tall NE facing walls. It is cold, colc, cold there in the winter...almost always frozen here in Albuquerque for about 3 months.

The front of the house on the last day in April at 9:30 am is in complete sun and will be until about next October. The back wall in the courtyard however is till half in shade.

As to type? I was thinking Italian Cypress against the back wall in the courtyard until I learned they are on the no-no list. I'm searching for alternatives. I need tall and interesting there...but not wide.

And the front? Probably a grid of moundy xeric plants would serve.

Suggestions anyone?

BUMP -

To narrow down the question....

North facing wall. Summer sun. Winter shade.

Good for Grapes? Blackberries? Citrus?

Planning on a couple of small raised beds along the wall.

Suggestions?

Are you really following up on this almost 6 years from your original post?
Have you tried anything in the interval?
What's your soil like? How much water can you use, can you even get water to the site?
Have you tried some spring blooming bulbs in there? They'd like the winter chill and would be gone by the time the heat hits.

For flowers, we have nasturtiums growing on the north face which gently spread and grow tall to about 3 feet in the shade and in spring and summer flower in abundance and they easily reseed. For trees, don't plant citrus as they need full sun year round but an apple tree would do well which needs to be dormant in shade anyway(the only winter conditions we have in desert SW) and will begin to bud in late spring. Good tidings to you!

I'm glad you mentioned the apple tree, Farmer Jim. I just planted an apple yesterday on a south facing fence, after humming and hawing for a day about whether to plant it there, or against the north facing fence. I was really torn about which was the smarter location. I was concerned it would be too cold and shady in the winter, but in fact I think it will be too warm where it is now, and won't set fruit. I think I'll move it tomorrow before it has a chance to settle in at all.