Must it be a plant . What about an ornamental tree . I love a weeping cherry or similar .,if not a tree what about a standard rose bush . As you can tell I like the old fashioned ( or retro ) look .
Thank you for the suggestions. The site is in Lancashire facing SE and clay. I am tending towards the idea of a small tree or shrub. I don’t want anything too large. So far I’ve struggled to get beyond a small Japanese maple.
You could go for a shrub which offers berries and/or a good autumn colour. Euonymous alatus for example. Sorbus [mountain ash/rowan not whitebeam] would also be fine, and provides flowers, berries and autumn colour. Some cotoneasters are great - flowers then berries. The evergreen ones which have a weeping habit, are a useful shape. Amelanchier. Several varieties easily available. Ilex is an easy evergreen and they're often a good pyramidal shape which makes a nice focal point. An Acer would be fine, but they can be slow growing, so it just depends on how long you want to wait. Lots of varieties though, so it's a case of picking the right one.
Avoid anything which will start to become a nuisance for maintenance later on down the line. Many conifers, for example, take a while to get to any great size, but then you can have problems with light blocking your windows, and unless they're maintained from early on, that's the difficulty with many of them as you can't cut back into old wood and get new growth. Thujas are fine, but most aren't.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
A weeping Cotoneaster would work there are various ones. Happy in most soils unless very wet. Interesting in all seasons other than high summer. So perhaps think of some smaller plants for then. You will need to improve the soil and water anything new at the base at least once a week if we have a dry summer again.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
I am guessing you do not want to grow something which ultimately will block out the light from your downstairs windows. I would consider an evergreen shrub with variegated/coloured foliage, which has flowers. Rhus cotinus, Smoke Bush, can be easily kept under control, there is a green leaved and a purple leaved choice. I have a small shrub in my garden which I have just been out to look at the label to remind me of its name but it is pouring with rain and the label seems to be buried, it grows in a globular shape, has attractive small round leaves and small umbels of pink flowers just appearing now. It seems to grow very slowly, but my soil is such rubbish that may be why it has grown so slowly. My plant has been in for several years and is only about 2ft tall. (Not much help) I will try and unearth the label when it stops raining. There are one or two small growing pittosporums which have lovely scented flowers. Try to isolate what you want from your plant then type only that into Dr Google, also trawl nurseries that sell unusual shrubs if you want something different or striking. Good luck
I would be careful growing pittosporum if you live north of me could go the same way as the Cordyline. @Joyce Goldenlily is further South. They never flower here, I guess it is something to do with temperature or sun light. Also on a cold windy site Photinias/ bay and other evergreens may scorch. Cotinus are deciduous, I have seen them used as a focal point but they do get large and lax. As Joyce has said you need to avoid blocking your light too.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
Hydrangea paniculata Limelight will bear flowers which change from lime green in spring to white, then pinkish white followed by bronzed flower heads throughout winter. It is a shrub which can easily be pruned to your preferred height and width. It will complement the perennials you already have in your border and create an eye catching focal point.
Any suggestions for a plant to replace my cordyline.
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"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
Sorbus [mountain ash/rowan not whitebeam] would also be fine, and provides flowers, berries and autumn colour.
Some cotoneasters are great - flowers then berries. The evergreen ones which have a weeping habit, are a useful shape.
Amelanchier. Several varieties easily available.
Ilex is an easy evergreen and they're often a good pyramidal shape which makes a nice focal point.
An Acer would be fine, but they can be slow growing, so it just depends on how long you want to wait. Lots of varieties though, so it's a case of picking the right one.
Avoid anything which will start to become a nuisance for maintenance later on down the line. Many conifers, for example, take a while to get to any great size, but then you can have problems with light blocking your windows, and unless they're maintained from early on, that's the difficulty with many of them as you can't cut back into old wood and get new growth. Thujas are fine, but most aren't.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I would consider an evergreen shrub with variegated/coloured foliage, which has flowers.
Rhus cotinus, Smoke Bush, can be easily kept under control, there is a green leaved and a purple leaved choice.
I have a small shrub in my garden which I have just been out to look at the label to remind me of its name but it is pouring with rain and the label seems to be buried, it grows in a globular shape, has attractive small round leaves and small umbels of pink flowers just appearing now. It seems to grow very slowly, but my soil is such rubbish that may be why it has grown so slowly. My plant has been in for several years and is only about 2ft tall. (Not much help) I will try and unearth the label when it stops raining.
There are one or two small growing pittosporums which have lovely scented flowers.
Try to isolate what you want from your plant then type only that into Dr Google, also trawl nurseries that sell unusual shrubs if you want something different or striking.
Good luck
Also on a cold windy site Photinias/ bay and other evergreens may scorch. Cotinus are deciduous, I have seen them used as a focal point but they do get large and lax. As Joyce has said you need to avoid blocking your light too.