Question
I have a 13 x 18 corner area to the right of my entrance way along side of the garage.  The sidewalk curves from the driveway to the entrance.  The area is shaded in the am but gets full sun by mid morning and throught out the day.  In the center of this there was a sweet gum tree which we have cut down leaving the trunk about 2-3 feet high to install a bird feeder or bird bath on.  In front of the sweet gum we have a yucca plant that had grown to over 20 ft tall, now trimmed down to 2-3 feet.  the entire area is filled with brown pea shaped sandstones with purple jew, aloe plants and dark green 'monkey grass' for a border.  My wife wants to plant celisio, begonias and a border, most likely monkey grass.  I was thinking of elphant ears, adam ribs, and some larger flowering plants.  Problem is here in Houston TX the heat kills most plants but we want flowers most of the season to make the house look "happy and inviting" to guests.  Oh yes she wants the pea gravel to go away and replace with a dark mulch.

Answer
i'm in southern NJ. getting rid of the pea gravel will cut down on the heat near the plants. organic mulches won't heat up as much.
get to a local garden center and see what they recommend for your area. geraniums, summer wheat celosia, and a few other annuals may survive the heat. sedum autumn joy(perennial succulent) would be a good choice also.
hope i was of some help
rick