Dry shade under an acer

[LadyGardenersQuestionTime]

Looking for inspiration for a patch under next door's lovely purple acer, between a fence with shrubs and a large and lovely camellia. It's a proper dry shade patch. I've got some geranium phaeum there which is OK, and some acanthus although it had awful powdery mildew this year. Thinking a mahonia maybe - something tough but with some interest.

Ideas folks please? I'm feeling uninspired.

I think berberis may do okay in shade, it's thorny so something to consider with young children. It can have lovely scented flowers and berries. There's a variety with leaves like tiny Holly leaves, so evergreen, which I think is lovely. Or there's one that's reminiscent of the bronze cotinus, I think there may be variegated types of both.

If the Acanthus had mildew, then it’s too dry for it.

Lower growing than you were thinking, but a carpet of Cyclamen? A mixture of C hederifolium and C coum would give flowers from August to April.

Epimedium, Pieris, Fatsia all thriving in my shady spots

Lavender and geraniums thrive under ours, so does crocosmia.

hellebores and ferns