We had a discussion about this plant early last year. A nice evergreen addition to a lightly shaded area, especially one that offers a bit of protection. Prefers light shade and a good organic, moisture retentive soil. May be subject to some winter foliar damage in a very exposed location, although my own has sailed through several winters now untouched.

Not the easiest plant to locate. Mine came from Heronswood when it was a still a viable NW enterprise and I have seen them at a couple of local GC's that tend to carry some less common plants. Joy Creek has it if you need to do mail order......don't know if they ship to BC.

Here is a link that might be useful: drimys discussion, last year

Where successful eventually a tall, tree-like plant. Cuttings can develop slowly and may remain small for years, as I have had happen with a couple here in less-than-prime spots. Plant looks OK, but does not thrive or form a substantial, well-furnished bush under such circumstances - this is a vaguely magnolia-like tree from a damp climate. It sounds like you need something tougher, shorter, denser and drought-adapted, like tall Oregon grape (compact form or height controlled with selective pruning) or evergreen huckleberry (natural presence actually said to indicate more summer moisture than elsewhere in region but abundant wild on sandy soils, along with salal, madrona etc. in (foggy?) parts of Puget Trough).

Another one that might work is common box. Some forms become quite blue in shade and have graceful growth habits there, not seen with clipped or overly exposed, unhappy (and discolored) specimens seen everywhere.

I don't know about box near a porch (didn't catch that part earlier), I don't like the smell. The huckleberry is a nice foil for deciduous azaleas and evergreen rhododendrons. You could have a compact-growing, fragrant one of these there with the huckleberry filling in around the azalea (or contrasting with the larger leaves of a rhododendron) - if site will be watered enough later for a rhododendron.

If you are still looking for this plant, I just bought one from Southlands Nursery in Vancouver, BC.