Space for a shrub any suggestions

The evergreen Viburnum ‘Spirit’ would be perfect.
Reaches four or five feet but can be easily trimmed.
Pinky white blossom several times a year with a pleasant scent.

You hit the nail on the head, Jura when you said “the huge one we had in UK”. We planted one and despite judicious pruning it romped away and became too big for its site. Ditto the two “dwarf” lilacs. However, in both cases, the scent was heavenly.

It could be a spirea

A Philadelphus (mock orange) has white flowers in the spring and, I think, is evergreen.

We have a shrub which is flowering spectacularly at the moment; however it is not evergreen and unfortunately has lost its label! If I can find the label or google it, I will post again. It is really lovely, with tiny white flowers.

Daphné grows wild here in the Jura- all in flower in the mountains on bare wood at the moment- gorgeous smell Anno. Bought a mock orange today- miss the huge one we had in UK, and hope it will do ok in our harsh climate.

Another vote for Flame Bush - pieris.
I have two in the garden and the are looking quite pretty in my spring garden.
I would estimate that they are both about 3 ft tall.

Sorry, did not notice that you already have hydrangeas, but don't forget they come in many different shapes and sizes and colours,

A hardy fuschia? Not evergreen though. Pittosporum Tom Thumb?

Viburnum bodnantense...flowers all winter from October'ish and smells of honey. Has pretty bronze tinged leaves in Summer.

Is your soil acid or alkaline? Some plants such as Pieris prefer an acid soil and you may have difficulty growing them. If your soil is acidic a camellia is a lovely evergreen with beautiful flowers late winter/ early spring - flowers come in white, red, pink or Apricot and can be double or singles.

Bijou don't tell me you still do gardening!
I've just about given up.

I have a purple hebe which is continuously in flower even in the very cold weather but it does need a lot of cutting back.

Spirea maybe. I have a lovely bridal white one.

We planted a Ragged Robin, green and red leaves, several years ago to fill a gap between our garden and neighbours. It's worked perfectly. Leaves all year round, now about 4 feet high but easy to trim and a good shape. It's grown nicely to fit the gap.

Sorry Sarah, you are right they do shed leaves - mine late in the year and is covered in new growth now. I do however give it a good chop back as it's beside a pathway one side and drive the other, often ten inches or so and as and when needed. It has lived and flowered happily for many years.
Hebe is a good option, I have one with very dark purple leaves and it has purple flowers. It's 3/4ft high.
Choisya Sundance is lovely, bright foliage (again easily kept trimmed) and pretty flowers.

Hydrangea would get my vote. Not fussy and flowers profusely, and there is a huge variety to choose from.

How about one of these, gorgeous mauve berries.
www.gardenia.net/plant/Callicarpa-Japonica-Japanese-Beautyberry

Also vote for Pieris Forest Flame. There’s something going on all year round with Pieris. Pretty white flowers (now) followed bright red bracts which look like flowers from a distance, and it’s evergreen.

Likes acid soil.
But is slow growing, and can get a bit leggy (though responds well to pruning - I just chop off any sprig which is going off on its own and that seems to keep it a nice bushy shrub.)

We used to have a hedge of salvias. There's a huge range, I think ours were salvia grahamii. They have a very long flowering period.
But not suitable for all soils.

Sarcocca confuisa - sometimes known as sweet box or Christmas box. Evergreen, doesn't grow too big and although the flowers are pretty insignificant, the scent is amazing in January/February. Wouldn't have a garden without one.

I second ceaonothus. Evergreen rounded shrub with blue flowers, which can be quite a spectacular display.

There are several varieties with flowers ranging from powder blue to almost indigo. Bees love them. They also come in different sizes.

Some of the varieties suffer from frost damage ( though mine just grow back and pretty quickly too).

Quince sprouts heavenly coral coloured flowers in early spring before its leaves appear, not very interesting the rest of the year though.

Peony, smokebush, tamarisk, rosemary.

Also, you could plant Hellibores along the front of the bed. They are amazing in that they flower from January (uneffected by bad weather) through to May. So you will have colour from January through to November or December, with a huge burst if colour in June, July and August.

Not evergreen, but if you want colour, I’d suggest a few shrub roses (David Austin, old English are my preference). They are the Navy Seals of plants. They start flowering in May, are at their best in June, but continue through the Autumn, still giving some blooms in December. Despite some people’s fears, pruning isn’t rocket science (there are even YouTube videos showing how to do it) and they are a joy to behold

You can get dwarf lavatera now too - height about three feet.