Thank you Littlebug! I love that Clematis…I thought about having my DH build me an obelisk or something…that could work.

You might try plants that attract pollinators. What about including some natives to your area? I know Natives is a big thing everywhere right now, if you have an interest in that.

Have you considered roses? Some are hardy to your zone. I shyed away from roses for a long time thinking they would be difficult, but, really I've included them in a mixed bed for 10+ years and now I feel they are one of the easiest and most rewarding plants I grow. You just have to be very careful about selection. If you become interested, you'd want to find an experienced grower possibly an organic grower and use the filters on a website to choose the healthiest roses they offer. Order bare root to be shipped in the spring. That would be my best recommendation because you have really FULL sun there and they love that. I would recommend a grower, but my 'go to' just stopped offering mail order roses. I'm looking for a new one right now.

'Beverly' is one I would recommend....and it would grow on an Obelisk very well....it is the tallest on the right of this photo, just getting ready to bloom... I didn't check to see what zone it is hardy to. I'm in zone 6.

And here it is when it starts blooming....

Another recommendation would be for a Hardy Hibiscus. I have 'Berry Awesome' and I really enjoy it. It has these huge blooms and dark foliage. I just looked it up and it is hardy to zone 4. It is a Proven Winners brand.

Here it is with Hydrangea in my garden....

Thank you Prairiemoon! I’ve always been afraid of roses because they are unfamiliar to me. I love the color of that Hibiscus! Im going to look that up as well!

If you want roses, groundcover roses, the kind along freeways are hardy, if they have them for your Zone. There are disease resistant varieties.

There are dwarf Blue Spruce that are a beautiful color with different sizes, dwarf up to 10-15 feet.

Lilac

Thank you tracefloyd! I’ve never even heard of ”drift roses”…Lots to learn!

Since you have so much sun there, I think some groundcover roses would be great! I also think that Japanese garden junipers would look terrific cascading downhill along the top and hanging slightly over those stones. That would give you something that still has presence in the winter and would make nice contrast to both groundcover roses and your existing shrubs. They are hearty to zone 4. Put the roses behind them.

More good ideas! Thanks!