Dear all,

It looks like I'll have to replace an ornamental shrub near my front doorway. I need something that can reach 4ft high and 4ft wide, more or less, to hide some small utility lines that enter the house (telephone, cable, TV, etc). I've been struggling with a semi dwarf loropetalum, but I don't think it likes my clay soil.

Anyway, I'm thinking of changing directions completely and go for something fragrant since it's close to my front door. I'm in zone 10a, sunset climate zone 21, clay soil heavily amended with compost, direct sun from 9am to 1pm in southern California with dry heat during summers. It'll get irritated. It obviously needs to be evergreen.

I'd like to get a jasmine sambac for this spot. I do not mind needing to prune several times a year if needed. My main question is, which jasmine sambac variety is most ornamental for my purposes? I'm not talking about the actual flowers. For my purpose, the scented flowers are just extra. I need something that the shrub itself looks somewhat pleasing year round at around 4x4ft.

Appreciate any help!