Joe, you'd be better off posting this on the Perennials forum since it has a lot more activity. Maybe the Shrubs forum as well, though it's not quite as active as Perennials.

I'm guessing from the forums you chose to post your question, you would like something fragrant that attracts butterflies. One possibility is butterfly bush. You would need to choose one that is both sterile and compact. Be careful, as most of them would get too large for that area and the common ones at box stores are probably not sterile cultivars. Otherwise, you will get WAY too many seedlings. If you live in the Pacific Northwest, they are quite invasive. I believe they only sell approved sterile cultivars in Washington and Oregon. I live in Missouri and they don't cause as much of a problem here but sterile is still best.

Then - I think it would be happier in a large container with thick sides rather than in the ground because they like good drainage.

Removing dead blooms will help it bloom better and prevent seedlings which are still possible even with a sterile variety but it's much easier with a small butterfly bush rather than one that grows over your head.

More on sterile butterfly bushes - Sooner Plant Farm has a good list of cultivars and they're linked so you can see the mature size. Even though you're in zone 7, the general rule is to plant something 2 zones hardier if you're planting in a container. So you would need one that is hardy to zone 5 for it to survive the winter in zone 7 in a container. Even then, you might want to move it to a sheltered spot over winter.

https://soonerplantfarm.com/Blog-Post/Not-All-Butterfly-Bushes-Are-the-Same

I had considered butterfly bush but was a bit concerned about the reports of its aggressive/invasive nature. Trying one of the sterile options in a pot may be best to get started.

Thanks for the ideas.