That is a tight space for shrubs. And the moist habitat will bring out some potentially aggressive behavior. 'Little Henry' Itea virginica, for example, is fine with moist but it tends to sucker a bit in ideal conditions (i.e., moist). Stay away from Clethra alnifolia 'Hummingbird' - that really suckers. Ilex glabra 'Shamrock' or 'Compacta' might work, might need occasional pruning but probably not every year as these are not fast growers; like all hollies they tolerate pruning very well.

Could you consider a larger herbaceous perennial? Cinnamon fern and Royal fern would love it and get tall and gorgeous - an almost prehistoric effect with up to four foot fronds. Black cohosh (Actaea racemosa now) or Goatsbeard (Aruncus dioicus) would have similar looks.

Dwarf skimmias should work well and they are beautiful though you have to make sure to get at least one male.
I don't remember which gender are more attractive but overall they are small, refined and lovey.

Holly fern would be very attractive. Also leucothoe (sp.?), which I believe is a Southeastern native evergreen, relatively lowgrowing shrub that may be indigenous to the SC/GA/NC mountains. Is there enough sun for butterfly ginger (_Hedychium coronarium_)?

Hi Jay:
You have some great thoughts for this area! Although I want ferns, I will probably choose a fern for which I can grow fiddle heads to eat :) Our hope is that eventually either on or near the fence we can put scuppernogs or muscadine for a little more shade. Right now we can't put those supports on the fence as the City has decided for my neighbor and I that anything non fency is a structure we should not have the right to want. Both of us want! The extra shade will make a lovely place for leucothoe and yes, there is some place for the gingers. Including the other side of the fence (my neighbors yard). I'm working on some simple gardens to run along her fence as well, and we need anything that creates a nice network of roots as there is erosion and an occassionally digging dog.

ggg,
Another shade plant that I dearly love is the old-fashioned, Southern heritage perennial--the August Lily (_Hosta plantagenia_). It is one of those traditional passalong plants, grown for generations. In fact, it is the only hosta that I care anything about growing, largely because of the nostalgia associated with the plant but also because of its many fine attributes. It's a little hard to find in the nursery trade. Plant Delights has it available, as do several other high quality online nurseries. Carried on long petioles, the leaves are large, cordate, and prominently veined--a pleasing shade of apple green. The bold, white, intoxicatingly fragrant trumpet-shaped flowers are borne in August--hence the name "August Lily." Like other members of the hosta tribe, the August Lily produces many flowers per flowering stem.

Jay, I did have tons of August Lily but they got wiped out in the tornado in my back yard. They are also not evergreen. Right now I'm on the hunt for evergreens simply because it makes it much easier on me. This is a very little used space but will be "viewable" through windows which have always had curtains on them (so close to neighbors). I can't wait until we can keep the windows open and see something all year (the evergreen-ness also helps keep weeds smothered)