What to plant in this area of my garden

[Stormevey]

This patch of my garden has been driving me crazy for the past few years. It’s North facing just so you know and I’ve tried lavenders, lupins and all sorts of other plants but nothing seems to last into the next year. What I do get are some very persistent, encroaching plants that look like a type of grass, and at first I thought they would develop into something lovely, but all they did was strangle the life out of the plants that are settled at either corner of this section. I really need some plant ideas. I’ve been told to fill it with ferns but I just don’t like them. I don’t mind putting one in but I don’t like the idea of filling the entire area with them. I’m thinking of changing the soil as well if anyone is going to suggest that. Please help me guys I know this is the best place for help.🙏🤗

Plants that cope well in full shade:

Hosta, coral bells, geranium (but they'd not survive the winter), Astilbe, hydrangea, climbing hydrangea, fatsia japonica

The astilbe and hydrangeas would need a lot of watering to do well, but both have lovely flowers

I was going to suggest astilbe. I moved mine recently to a shady damp area and it's loving it there.

Jasmine does well north facing. I’ve just bought a rector rose to climb up my north facing wall too. it’ll be a thing of beauty when it grows. (I recommend Carbeth Plants for quality).

Foxgloves, euonymus, camellia, ajuga, alchemilla, hellebores, primulas, pulmonaria, violets.

Thank you all so much. I knew it was worth trusting you all to give me some wonderful ideas. I’ve googled these (not the hydrangea as I have one that’s settled in nicely just out of shot to the left of this pic). And I’m going to start planning the planting.👍🤗

Hardy geraniums would do well there, some varieties are better suited to shadier spots so double check before you buy. Brunnera Jack frost.
Everything @BeNiceWhenItsFinished suggested.

Some suggestions from my north facing border: acer, yew, holly, cotoneaster lacteus, hellebores, pyracantha, bergenias, ferns, viburnum tinus, skimmia, alchemilla mollis, honeysuckle, snowdrops and primroses.

And ... Japenese anemones (Anemone hupehensis).

I have a few things growing in shade which technically shouldn't be doing well but are actually thriving: Centaurea montana, Agapanthus, Welsh poppies, Campanula, Peony - in my defence some were planted there before we moved here, but they are totally happy even though not in full sun.

You could also plant Candelabra primroses if you water them really frequently.

Fox gloves are in a shady area of my garden and have appeared again this year. It’s a very neglected area and I haven’t watered it.

Like @Magicpaintbrush I have peonies in my north facing border and I prefer them there to being in full sun because they fade far less.

ETA: Mumsnet is not letting me link to the RHS page of my favourite shade loving geranium for some reason but it's Geranium phaeum Raven.