Which shrubs please?

Hallo we are not fantastic gardeners and like it easy also south facing with a high fence round. We always find Hebe's do very well stay green in the winter and flower in summer. I have a nice Eunymous (I think or is it Euphorbia) that has big stems like bottle brushes fascinating plant and so easy.

Fatsia Japonica
Bamboos
Choisya
Portuguese laurel
Euonymus
All evergreen, and with either flowers or variegated leaves and bamboos are wonderful IMHO ?

I’m not very good with shrubs but we had a lovely photinia “red robin” on our north facing fence and it did very well - until DH, despite being instructed not to, cut it down. By mistake, he says .

Ah, just noticed ‘small’ garden, so no laurels.

What about Daphnia Odora? Winter flowering, gorgeous scent, will tolerate shade, but doesn’t like having its feet in water.

For berries, the. cotoneaster or pyracantha.
For amazing perfume in the summer and beautiful flowers, the double Philadelphus. Also evergreen Jasmine is highly perfumed.
For winter Witchhazel or Daphne,
For all round interest Acer Sango Kaku or Cornus Midwinter fire.
My other favourites for no fus easy to care for are
Weigelia especially the variegated varieties
Dwarf Robinia Frisia. It has twisty stems and the leaves fall like Wisteria
Sorbus Cashmiriana
Pheasant grass
And any purple hebe

Depends on your soil. We can grow camellias, rhododendrons, etc here. But I couldn't in my last garden. Have a look at what grows well in neighbouring gardens, then decide on the plant and the colour you want.

Spring I think you can do little worse than Daphne Odora Aureomarginata

Grows about 1 1/2 metre high and wide.

Is evergreen

Perfume is divine and mine is just coming into flower now.

Quite honestly it depends on the style you want to achieve.

I have bamboo but it is my woodland bit as it tends to be a bit unruly.

If you have a small shrubbery then I think it is important to get the most bang for your bucks. I would definitely go for fragrance as well.

So summer you have plenty of choice . Philadelphus is a good choice although not evergreen is so easy and highly fragrant. A magnet for bees. Flowers June to July. Be careful of the one you choose though as they range tremendously in height. Mine is about 3x3 ft

For autumn you could go for leaf colour.

I’ve got a Hydrangea Quercifolia Snow Queen. So oak shaped leaves that turn lovely autumn colours with the added bonus of huge coned shaped white flowers between July -Sep.

Winter of course is the berry season and skimmias are a good choice Although they do need a more acidic soil - I feed mine with sequestered iron in order to keep them healthy - you need 2 a male and female to get the berries.

Just more ideas .

I have my shrubbery underplanted with spring bulbs from snowdrops through to blue bells to fill the empty gap.

Be interested in your eventual choice!
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Callicarpa, with its purple berries, is very striking if you have the soil for it. Azaleas, too. I would be wary of bamboos in a small garden - even the “compact” varieties can be a bit of a handful.

It’s not evergreen but I wouldn’t be without potentilla shrubs because they flower their socks off all summer long, especially the yellow varieties, and are easy to keep small. I have clipped box for winter interest.

Be very wary of bamboo! Only plant a clumping non invasive one. And Fatsia grows very large eventually.
Agree with hebes. Spend hours resesearching. And visit garden centres.

Hebes are lovely shrubs. Browse others in the catalogue to see what they are like.
www.gardenbeauty.co.uk/hebe-specialists.php

www.gardenbeauty.co.uk/plant-details/mrs-winder/hebe/hemwi/hebe

They are on my list for this year.

For all round interest, what about a couple of hollies. My DH has two or three in our garden. The variegated one has beautiful berries in the winter.