I have tried mondo grass and vinca minor, but both need supplimental water, especially the first couple of years. This year I turned all my ratty grass paths to mulched paths with stepping stones. Autumn ferns are amazingly drought tolerant and evergreen. Asiatic Jasmine may do well too.

hellebores.

Jeff Thank You

I have Holly ferns and vinca minor under live oaks. I don't water them and they look pretty awful right now because we haven't had rain in so long. But I know as soon as it rains again, they will perk right back up. You may have to water the first year to get them settled, but after that, they are stalwarts in dry shade.

Thank you. We have a lot of different fern and a area of vinca as well. And yes, between drought and a leggy nature it can be rough looking for long periods but is nice in spring and summer. I was trying to consider the driveway run as a big more formal, down the north side it has 6 fully grown crepe myrtle with boxwood bases anchored with a maple on one end and a golden raintree on the other. The southern side, which is also the edge of the property, has a matching golden raintree, the 2 braford pear, then 2 river birch, then 2 more bradfords, at the entry are pink dwarf dogwood type trees. The Bradfords really soak up the sun. Interior of the crepe myrtle on the lawn side are some half grown oaks. I think I will post a picture, leaves are covering the bare areas but the areas are discernable. And thanks all for the help.

The hellebores are working out, I am going with a mix of fescue grass and have started with creeping red fescue, which I will overseed in the fall. I still have some spots left and will try them there. Thank you

cast-iron plants are pretty tough and can handle dry shade easily after establishment. i grew a cultivar with white spots on the leaves called 'milky way' and there are other named selections with variegations but they don't seem to be as tough as the species plant. i am unsure of the spot you are wanting to plant after seeing your photo. it appears that you are growing grass successfully except under the shrub on the right side of the path/driveway.

aspidistra elatior

We have large specimen cast iron plants growing on the house end of the driveway. Also Hellebore is successful. That bare area you mention is pretty flat, and does not drain particularly well, but I notice the CI plants like to grow out of a leaf compost pile, while being on a slope which drains well. Some other lawn areas pond and suffocate the fescue there. These are areas where some mounding might serve? I will take a pic of the cast iron plants we currently have when the light comes up.