Lamiastrum galeobdolon 'Herman's Pride' is a clump former, making mounds about eight to twelve inches (30.48 cm) tall in deep shade. It will grow right at the base of a tree, as you can see in the photo, and do some modest self-seeding around, but it's not a spreader like the species, so you will need many plants to cover space. This one put itself in a bed of Vinca minor and makes a nice accent. I have noticed that some of the self-seeded plants have reverted to plain green foliage. Also, the clumps tend to become more open as the season progresses. This may be due to the intense shade where mine are located, or it may be a normal occurrence. In addition to putting up with dry shade, this is an attractive plant, with its intricate leaf markings - and much better behaved than the species.
Lamiums, closely related to Lamiastrum (which was once included in the genus Lamium) will also tolerate dry shade. This one is Lamium maculatum 'White Nancy' (rated hardy to USDA zone 3), which I discovered is better suited to my conditions than the pink flowered 'Beacon Silver'. I've found this to be slower to establish and spread than Lamiastrum, but once it gets going, it will cover ground. It also spreads by rooting at stem nodes and modest seeding. The stems, however, are much shorter than Lamiastrum; the whole plant getting six to eight inches (15.24 - 20.32 cm) tall when in bloom. I've had better luck digging bits to put elsewhere in early spring than any other time of year.
There are several cultivars of Lamium maculatum on the market with flowers ranging from pink to deep mauve to cream to white. They all have different leaf variegations, too and 'Aureum' has golden leaves, if you prefer yellows to whites and silvers.
Vinca, also known as Periwinkle or Myrtle, is another a workhorse for dry shade or sun. Pictured is Vinca minor 'Variegata'. As you can see, the leaves have a gold edging in early spring. This fades as the season progresses, turning dark green.
Vinca minor, rated hardy to USDA zone 4, is an evergreen ground vine, rooting where the slender stems touch down. It's not as rampant as Lamiastrum, nor as weed-proof as Pachysandra, but once established, it will cover ground under trees and shrubs in just about any soil that isn't perpetually soggy. There's also the bonus of flowers in spring, ranging, on different clones, from clear blue to purple and white. I grow daffodils through some patches. The daffodils don't mind at all, but the Vinca resents the dying bulb foliage lolling over it and dies back, leaving a bare spot where the bulbs are. It fills in the spot just in time for the bulbs to come up in spring and repeat the cycle. I don't think using the minor bulbs would create this kind of problem, since their foliage is not as thick and heavy and dies back quickly.
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