I have a couple of holes, severe winter kills and I don't want to replace with the same shrubs. I need two different shrubs that mature to 3' x 3' don't need full sun and don't bloom red or orange.
The soil is clay that has been amended with compost for fifteen years and there are tree roots so it does get sort of dry in summer even with soaker hoses.
One spot backs up to a boxwood hedge and gets morning sun. The bed has rhododendrons, azaleas, fothergilla, helebores, Japanese maple, dicentra, ferns, foxglove, spirea 'Limemound', daffs, crocus and more. Thinking about Dapne 'Carol Mackie' the variegation will look good against the boxwood. Already have D. odora and D. x transatlantica 'Summer Ice' in other locations.
The other spot gets more sun but some afternoon shade and is next to a Double Pink Knockout rose and near a lavender blooming hebe with gray leaves and Russian sage also lav with gray and lavender so nothing with gray leaves! Prefer evergreen.
I have azaleas, hydrangeas, pieris and rhododendrons up the ying yang already and want something different!