Evergreen huckleberry.

Sarcococca, although the flowers are tiny and not showy at all, they are extremely fragrant, and bloom in the dead of winter.

Salal, evergren huckleberry, creeping or tall mahonias, sword ferns - all native shrubs that grow in the shade and are accustomed to our poor sandy soils.

Dwarf hollies, again not showy flowers, but something, and the female bushes will have berries, and there are variegated forms. Take a lot of shade but need some water in sandy soil.

Hellebores, not shrubs, but evergreen, and very showy flowers in winter, and take part shade and lean soils.

I was out for a walk today in the dull grey weather we are having. I saw a grouping of the new mahonias with very vivid yellow tops. Incredible!!!!!!! Perfect for shady, poor soil.

If this is going to be an entryway specimen it really needs to be something of specimen quality, like a rhododendron or other fairly dramatic shrub. Evergreen huckleberry, Oregon grape etc. are good supporting characters but don't really have what it takes to command the stage.

Pieris 'Flaming Silver'. The right size, tolerates shady conditions, has variegated foliage with bright, salmony colored new growth and white flowers in spring.

Here is a link that might be useful:

What a lot of great ideas! Many thanks. But I still need some info on skimmia, if anyone has any thoughts. Otherwise, I think I'll go for the Pieris, if I can locate one.

Skimmia wants full shade, otherwise it bleaches - many specimens also pick up mites here and are chronically discolored (stippled) by those. Like others suggested this and the pieris may not have large enough flowers or other sufficiently commanding features (even with variegated leaves) to quite pull it off as solo artists. But, you may also have something bolder planted next to this spot already and may really be just finishing (ending) a plant grouping with this latest addition(s).

The fragrance of a male skimmia would be nice near an entry. I'd plant a drift, rather than relying on one, and have something else as the specimen plant.

Female skimmia produce poisonous fruits.

Still seem a bit confused... the area is a very small bed by the front door, so I wanted a showy specimen, (really, the only large plant in the space) which I would surround with lower plants for extra colour. What about Fatsia? The space is triangular, about 6ft x 6ft x 4 ft.

What about a Japanese Maple? It isn't evergreen but the form and shape of the trunk and branches is lovely. One of the prettiest that grows slowly, is "Full Moon" My daughter has one and it always looks like it has a ray of sunshine on it. It is her favorite plant and loves shade.

If I was going to plant something with overall habit and size potential of a fatsia I'd probably use Mahonia x media instead. Unlike the PNW native species this is quite bold and flowers during fall/winter. Eventually bony (like a fatsia) 'Charity' is dominant offering but more compact forms like 'Lionel Fortescue' and 'Winter Sun' have been available at some local outlets also.