They aren't evergreen though @Cambridgerose12 I love my oak leaf Hydrangeas, and they'll take more sun than most hydrangeas do, but even in a very mild winter here, they don't retain their foliage, and they won't have new foliage until May, late April at the very least. The one under my front window is still looking good, but we're experiencing the mildest winter I've ever known. They might generally do better in very mild areas, in the right spot.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
If your soil is slightly acid, a Camellia might be a good choice. Though from what you say about the other plants I'm wondering how shady that area really is! You've had Cistus and Erysimum in there, which suggests that there's a fair bit of sun. I couldn't grow those in my shady garden at all.
If it is indeed quite shady then Hydrangeas offer a lot of variety. H. quercifolia only has white flowers, but a lot of interest in texture through the year, brown papery bark, and red autumn colour (pick the right variety...). H. aspera forms are subtly gorgeous with purple flowers and furry leaves. H. paniculata now comes with red-flowered forms.
Camellia seem to do well here alright and this could be a good option alright. The shade is more of an issue in this spot in winter and it does get some direct light in the evening in the summer. Still thinking an evergreen would be best and maybe a variegated form of Eleagnus or Pittosporum would be my favoured options at the moment.
Thanks for all the suggestions posted for what to do to improve the area of the garden here shown in the video linked in the opening post. Just thought I would post a video of how the area has progressed and showing how it looked yesterday. Went with a variegated pittosporum to replace the dead Erysimum Bowles's mauve as I have some of these already growing well in other parts of the garden so think it has some chance of making it through the winter and improving the view from the back of the house in the long term. The Pieris forest flame is not really noticeable in the recent video with the climbers over it, but it seemed to benefit from the honeysuckle being cut back more than I had done previously. Also put some Ajuga in as a ground cover but it is only just starting to get established.
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I love my oak leaf Hydrangeas, and they'll take more sun than most hydrangeas do, but even in a very mild winter here, they don't retain their foliage, and they won't have new foliage until May, late April at the very least.
The one under my front window is still looking good, but we're experiencing the mildest winter I've ever known. They might generally do better in very mild areas, in the right spot.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...