The local nurseries have given us mostly pretty lame and obvious suggestions. We’ve already seen much better ideas here in the last few minutes. I love F.R....
Oh that’s a shame. Good luck, let us know what you decide. Such a nice thing to do in honor of someone!
If you go to a nursery, make sure to talk to their horticulturist (often the owner). The help usually only have superficial knowledge.
I believe NCSU is a land grant university. Consider calling their extension office - they are there to help with land utilization questions, including horticultural ones. The extension agents are usually well aware of all the unique ecosystems in the state and can provide nuanced advice. They can get you in touch with a lot of people who know what they are doing.