I would go with Heuchera for just about any color you could want. Helleborus will flower before most spring bulbs and the flowers last much longer, also it is a nice compact almost evergreen plant. Athyrium ( Japanese Painted Ferns) for texture and silvering color. Hakonechloa Grasses they are compact and have nice coloring and give movement with just the slightest breeze. And Tiarella for unique leaf shape and color, I think it is the most underused of all plants plus it does great in dry shade.
