Not exactly a shrub but presenting a pretty shrubby appearance, I'd consider Aralia cordata 'Sun King'. This is a gold leafed perennial that looks like a shrub, has high shade tolerance and fits your size requirements. Color won't be as intense in heavy shade but the gold color should be light and bright enough to be very noticeable in low light conditions.

Thanks, Gardengal. I had thought about aralia but wasn't sure if it would get too wide.

I vote for Daphne. Flowers are small but fragrant. Nice form that doesn't get out of control.

Shade loving shrubs

Gardengal, is it possible a Goshiki false holly would work there? Or does it need more sun?

It should grow there OK but may become very open and leggy in heavy shade, not the same dense, more or less conical form it exhibits in more sun. And the color may not develop as well. But it does tolerate low light conditions.

If it's next to a lawn, is there any chance of cutting it back to allow for more plant choices?

Mike

Hi Mike, there is a walkway that curves around this little bed. It's okay if the shrub overhangs it a little, the hydrangea there now does that. I just don't think it does it's best in that amount of shade.

Most hydrangeas get a lot larger over time, if not pruned, than most people realize.

Here's one of mine.

Mike

I have several of those types of spots and have had great success with aucubas, specifically Picturata and Mr Goldstrike.

Thanks boxofrox. I have thought about aucubas. What kind of soil do they need? I've seen aucubas that drop a lot of their leaves and end up looking kind of sad but I've never grown one myself.

Mike, what a gorgeous hydrangea.

My kind sure works :-) Typically average well drained is what they say. I have tons of hardpan and years ago when I was building my garden I used a lot of soil building compost to amend my beds and ten years later or so they are still quite happy campers. I have very little problems with leaf drop.

All the nursery ratings on Plant Lust/Monrovia etc are the same for 'Picturata' (4-6' tall, not quite as wide) which pretty much matches my results exactly. Mine is 5' tall and 4' wide.

Unfortunately, plants don't read the websites :-) And they don't simply stop growing once they hit the tagged 10 year or "mature" size, either. Given decent soil conditions and adequate water, these guys just keep growing - I see massive ones frequently in client gardens. But they grow quite slowly so one would be able to keep size in check rather easily. It just seems a rather overscale plant choice for a 3' wide area.

I have a bad tendency to plant things that get too big and am trying to mend my ways!

For a 3' space over the long term a dwarf aucuba cultivar would have to be used. Among the more or less easily found selections (plant availability at local outlets varies dramatically over short periods of time) 'Rozannie' has a comparatively compact habit. Nevertheless one I planted on Camano Island not that long ago may already be as much as 3' tall, or pretty close.