Space for a shrub any suggestions

Mahonia? Its structural and evergreen and the yellow flowers have a lovely fragrance.

Flowering currant might fit the bill? Ribes

If it's a semi shady spot, what about a Skimmia japonica. Pretty little flowers in spring, followed by red berries.

Thanks for the suggestion Hilda but I also have a Mahonia.

Gonegirl
I'll look up Ribes

Ribes smells like Tom cat IMO.
There are some beautiful viburnams with autumn leaf colour. Azalea?
I'm always trying and failing with ceanothus and daphne but you may be in a milder spot.

Grammaretto, my Mum always used to say that - must admit I'm not a fan either!

But it's such a pretty pink! (And it holds memories from my childhood ?)

I have a Skimmia Japonica in a very large pot at the front door and it is in full bloom just now and as MiniMoon has said the red berries come on later in the year. At Christmas time I weave a small rope of white lights over it so get pleasure out of it all year.

Not a shrub as such, but I am looking out of my window at Erisymum Bowles Mauve, which is evergreen, never seems to stop flowering it’s head off and is now three feet high. It started life as quite a small plant. You can keep them in bounds! Very handsome, bees love it.

Gonegirl, Quite agree how strong memories can be triggered by plants and how lovely that can be especially when a loved one is no longer around. Michaelmas daisies and peonies always remind me of my Mum, its a lovely feeling.

Bottlebrush. Evergreen and not particularly rapid growing.

PS. Bees love the flowers---June, although it flowered in November last year too.

Camellia?

Weigelia are good, red or pink flowers, and they keep their leaves. I have a red one outside front door, chop it back when needed and it never seems to mind how hard I go at it.

A large Hebe variety would give you all round interest and be as tough as old boots. Champagne or Midsummer Beauty are good, but there’s over 60 varieties.

Daphne Odora. The name speaks for itself. It's a slow-growing evergreen that flowers in late winter. It might need protection in hard winters.

How about Choysia the Mexican mock orange, evergreen flowers and fragrant leaves. You can get some with smaller variegated leaves. Virtually indestructible!

My Mahonia is huge!

I love Choisia too. Everygreen, no thorns, flowers late April to May. Flowers smell lovely, leaves aromatic too. Easy to prune to size you want.

How about an "English" Holly? Various Hollies offer support for the UK's dwindling wildlife population.

Another vote for Skimmia Japonica for all round interest if the conditions are right.

Plant male and female plants of you want red berries as well as the scented spring flowers which start to bud in autumn.

Skimmias prefer semi-shade, will tolerate full shade but may become leggy. Full sun will burn the leaves. They prefer a slightly acidic soil but will grow well in neutral soil with a bit of help. They tolerate drought too as the leaves are leathery and retain moisture.

I've had mine for thirty years and leave the berries on from year to year. Birds don't seem to like them but they can be squished and planted and will propagate new plants in time.

Rubella, Fragrans and Nymans are all good cultivars.

Pyrrhus- variegated, no flowers but shades of green, yellow and red leaves, changing over the seasons. Slow growing.

Oops spell check - pieris japonica.

Wow, thank you so much for your suggestions, I've made a list and will check out everything you have all suggested.
Thank you.

Pieris Forest Flame evergreen
Choisya Sundance ( bright yellow leaves)
Ceanothus Blue Sapphire ( evergreen dark blue flowers)
Hebe
Spirea Alpine