You might want to try the perennials and shrubs forums for specific plant suggestions. Most posters here tend toward suggesting yard lay outs and conceptual plant placement.

I have an area on the SW side of some trees so it gets full sun about 3-6. I rarely water it. I grow a variety of plants, starting with my sunniest side: perennial lobelia, chocolate eupatorium, garden phlox, day lily, bearded iris, veronica, deutzia, bird nest spruce, false cypress, peony, Korean spice bush, clematis bushy bluebell, dianthus, lady's mantle, toad lily, astilbe (like it wet though), fern leaf bleeding heart, bleeding heart, digitalis, hostas, ferns, delphinium, heuchera, tiarella, salvia, monkshood, snapdragons, nigella.

Some ground covers that might do well there: pachysandra, sweet woodruff, lirope.

Thank you, trovesoftrilliums, for the tip and the plant suggestions.

-Tina

Maples have really shallow roots and so it makes it tough to find plants that do well in their shadow. I think the plant suggestions made by ToTrilliums were really good. I have a really deeply shaded backyard with Manitoba Maples surrounding, but it's really wet too since we're just off a lake so the maples impact us less. You'd do well looking for dry shade lovers and there aren't many of them......but here's a list that should work in New England (even though it's from the UofMinnesota)

Here is a link that might be useful: Dry Shade Loving Plants

Post another photograph showing the house front.