some tall annuals ...

what direction does it face.. and how much direct hot sun??

conifers are trees ... and that box is not big enough for any tree .. dwarf or not ... and winter might be an issue for trees in that planter ...

do you think it would be of any benefit to our ideas... to see the whole front of the house??? .... i do .....

ken

If you want a year round presence, boxwood or some other small, slow growing, evergreen shrub. If you want more seasonal color, a selection of annuals can take you from spring through into fall.

And the planter will need to be watered as necessary if it doesn't receive sufficient direct rainfall or in hot, dry periods.

I think ferns would be beautiful and soft there, alone or mixed with colorful plants.

Jack Frost Brunnera is dry shade tolerant.

https://www.bluestoneperennials.com/BRJF.html

That's a focal area next to your entry- it's important.

I would set the whole planter up as a sort of a group 'cache pot' so I could easily switch out potted plants seasonally. I'd either bury them or use a lot of mulch as camouflage but I would absolutely make it easy to switch out.

Then I'd keep several options going elsewhere like in my utility area. When the display gets tired looking just switch pots. I do this with annuals in several spots where I need good pops of annual color. It can be anything though- vary it by color, season, whim, holiday, whatever.

Even if you do decide to plant it I'd use permanent background plants like ferns or liriope and still switch out a pot or two for interest. IMO it's too important a spot- if that's your home's main entry it's the most important spot. May as well make it great!

Little to no direct sun (maybe 1 or 2 hours??), north facing. Here's another photo

I want it to be interesting as well, but I'm having trouble finding any sort of tall shade loving annuals.
I like the ferns idea, but high watering needs correct?
I am open to perennials and annuals, no shrubs

How deep is the soil in the bricked in area?

I don't think you need something tall. Now that I see the big picture, I'd plant brightly-colored impatiens there. They'll bloom til frost and require very little maintenance. I'm guessing on your actual planting space, but it does look large enough to plant in pots or even side-by-side window boxes that could sit on the existing soil-bed. That might give you more planting options through the seasons.

Hakonechloa All Gold would look perfect there against the blue house. It's good in shade, but does need to be kept watered.

Ime, ferns don’t need more water than any other plant. Looking at the view you posted further back, I like the idea even more. They’d be so full and soft there, and the light green beautiful with the blue of your house.

I agree with cearbhaill that, since this is right by your front door, an interchanchable display would be good. If you use any of the perennial suggestions, including ferns, there I’ll be nothing look at in winter, as mad_gallica says. (I’m not aware of evergreen ferns which would suffice in z6.) If you use removable pots you could have evergreens in winter, bulbs in spring and annuals in summer. Or do the annuals plus winter decoration solution.

The cordylines that are sold as summer annuals are reasonably shade tolerant. I've used them in my north facing window boxes a few times.

Thanks all! I decided on impatiens in the brick with boston fern hanging baskets on each side of the stoop. I'm keeping the impatiens in pots for now, adds nice height... may put some sort of filler along the bottom if I find something suitable.