How tall do you want? A standard shrub is effectively a small tree. Have you looked at those? A geographical location is also useful since zones only tell us about winter temperatures. They say nothing about your summers.

splaker??? .....whats it been about 10 years since ive seen that name??... rural NY??? .. zone isnt enough info ..

does ground freeze in your z5? ... why is a standard important..

how about a pic or two of the spot???

ken

Southern Ontario, CANADA . Winters similar to Buffalo, Michigan, but a lot less snow cover than Buffalo. We are at least a zone colder than Biuffalo too.. summer mid to upper 80s and 90s common.. humid... winters on the cold side by US standards... but mild by Cdn standards!

Height - pretty open about that - I guess nothing exceeding 10'. I have a hysdgrangea there now that is underperforming and attracts a lot of stinging insects that i am allergic to... close to our patio area so something that doesn't attact hornets and wasps... I think i have pink diamond there now... I don't like it, neither the flowers or it's mediocre performance after 2+ years... Limelight might be what I want.. or perhaps a double knockout rose (standard..) but will DKO rose flower well with mid afternoon sun? It's shaded til 1 PM

If DKO rose works for the site, I do like the idea of a long, repeat bloom time

There's virtually nothing that is going to stay in bloom for months and months. Plant different things with staggered bloom times and you'll always have color.

Personally I would not site a rose where it doesn't get sun until afternoon- the damp mornings would last too long before the sun dried the leaves.

must have been another splaker ... oh well ...

What about the current hydrangea tree performance is mediocre? I wouldn't expect Limelight to perform any differently. While not as many as Pink Diamond, it too has fertile flowers and will attract the same sorts of insects.

I've seen Bloomerang dark purple on a standard so you'd get the full spring bloom plus whatever flowers it throws later in the summer/fall.

I have been thinking about it some more and I've thought about taking a different approach to what I could/should plant there.. I was thinking connical yew - not the most glamorous but a workhorse, neat appearance, easily controlled and would do fine with the type of sun/shade conditions I have in this spot.. would also give me some xtra privacy from a nosy neighbor.

Do you experience deer browse? Rutgers lists Taxus as "D," which means they can be severely damaged by deer. You do Yew, but if deer pressure exists, you might be disappointed.

Physocarpus 'Diablo' comes in tree form. I have the shrub form, but they are about as tough a plant as you'll find and can handle sun and part shade. Bloom time should be what you're looking for, and the seed heads are ornamental.