It looks like a nice spot for a beginner garden, and it's great that you're researching it ahead of time.
Because the dirt is dried out, one thing I think I'd do is add a few bags composted cow manure (no, it doesn't smell) such as Black Kow, which is the brand I usually see for sale. It will add moisture and low levels of nutrients- not enough that it will burn your plants. Others with more experience with urban gardening might have other suggestions for conditioning your depleted, dry soil.
Hostas, caladiums, coleus (let them flower- the pollinators love coleus), daphnes, wood hyacinths, hellebores, camellias (if you have room, you could grow a cold-hardy camellia in a pot, and take it with you if you move), ferns, etc. are justifiably recommended for shade, but also keep an eye out for woodland natives. There are some beautiful wildflowers that do well in your dappled shade.
I like the look of grasses in shade gardens; Inland River Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) and Pink Muhly (Muhlenbergia) are native to your area, and I think they're beautiful. A non-native that should be hardy there is Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra).
Have fun deciding, and feel free to share progress reports.
Virginia
