You can tuck some Hepaticas, Hexastylis, and ferns such as autumn, broad beech, etc., around the bottom of the tree, but I am sure you know that veggies need sun.

There are many books on shade gardens. Check out your local library.

Checking out your local library is a great suggestion. There are many terrific books on gardening.

You could also look for Garden Gate Magazine. They are a nice little magazine that really focuses on creating ornamental and flower gardens. Each magazine has multiple garden plans and after checking out some of the plans, you'll get a sense of what kind of things may work for your situation. For each of their plans, they give the plant name including which cultivar it is - making it easy for you to get exactly the same things at your local nursery. I included a link to the magazine's website below.

FataMorgana

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Gate

Hellebores, Amsonia, Aquilegia, Athyrium niponicum 'pictum' (Japanese painted fern or any other hardy fern), Saxifraga stolonifera (Strawberry begonia), Pulmonaria, Hosta, Asarum, Aspidistra, Arum.

Here's another magazine suggestion....there's an 8-page article on COLOR plants for shade in current issue of Garden Ideas magazine (Spring 08). Shows and describes many brightly colored shade plants, colors available, growing conditions, appropriate zones, etc. Might be worth looking at for ideas.

I to am a novice coming up to northern tip of California in Happy Camp from the Barstow ca area and so much shade. I see some listings of plants but common names of them would be helpful