High or open shade has been critical for all of these. Low or dense shade will not end well.

Undoubtedly there are others but these are mine. All are planted under the maples and compete with a thick mat of maple roots (ie. bone dry). I helped them for the first few years with irrigation and despite that, growth was slow. After 3 years or so, they were able to compete (growth accelerated) without irrigation. I would not use any fabric (maple roots grow through it anyway)....to much work, not enough benefit.

These ones failed - mainly lack of moisture, some b/c of light:
Oak Leaf Hydrangea
Paniculata Hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens
Carolina Allspice
Ribes odoratum
Viburnum opulus
Ilex x meserveae