You could look at boxwood or Japanese holly. Easy, very adaptable annd slow growing enough that pruning requirements are minimal. And neither one is particularly tasty to deer.

I tend to recommend native plants but, in terms of functionality, I'd recommend boxwood. I have a row of these in my front yard, in shade/partial shade, heavy clay, and they get twice-a-week watering from the sprinklers. They need a minor haircut every spring, but are otherwise as easy as pie and they look great. I keep mine in the 1-2' height range, but they'd probably get to 3' if I'd let them.

Dwarf nandina 'Gulf Stream'.

Both box and Japanese holly are prone to root rot. So, you might see problems with those on damp clay - it is typical for broad-leaved evergreens in general to need better aeration and drainage than various deciduous shrubs may tolerate - nandina my not like your ground either. And these days, there is a lot of mildew and leaf spot on it in this area.

Your screen name may actually point to a possible candidate: Salix purpurea 'Nana'.

Perhaps one of the well-behaved viburnums? I replaced an out-of-control laurel hedge in full sun last year with an evergreen viburnum (name escapes me, glossy evergreen leaves, just finished flowering-white & beautiful, blue berries in summer, tiny red seed pods arrive in late fall & stick around all winter). Really an impressive plant, 7 of 7 plants survived 1st year last summer (remember summer drought) and seems to grow maybe 6-12 inches a year, easily trimmed.

Viburnum davidii? I had trouble with the leaves yellowing, spotting, and falling off.

I have Gulf Stream and haven't had any problems with it. But I'm in Oregon and we have better weather than Washington. ;)

I'd vote for Hebe buxifolia or H. odora. Leptospermum grandiflorum would be fun as a clipped hedge.

Hebe or Leptospermum in damp clay?

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...first documented in the Pacific Northwest in 2000 occurring on several diseased plants in western Washington. The pathogen has been found in Oregon and California

Here is a link that might be useful: PNW Plant Disease Handbook - Nandina Mildew

This post was edited by bboy on Mon, May 13, 13 at 16:02