Michael,
Before we can give you any suggestions for plant material, we would need to know what city/state or horticultural zone you live in.
How much sun does the area get? Is it morning, all day, or afternoon?
All plants and shrubs have environmental requirements that need to be met for them to survive and thrive. For example, I love roses, but I only have a small area that gets enough sun. Most of my property is partial to deep shade all day long. Accordingly, I plant things that will do well in the shade such as hosta and fern.
An exception, in my case, is spring flowering bulbs such as tulips and hyacinth. The trees don't start leafing out until mid-late April, so I can still plant those kind of things. They will be able to grow and bloom before the trees block out the sun.
Once we know more about your environment, we can give better advice.
Check with a local nursery, preferably a real nursery and not the big box places like Home Depot, Lowes, etc. A real nursery will have staff on hand that are familiar with you growing conditions and provide valuable information and suggestions on suitable plants, etc.
