Advice for filling big hole in flower bed after blizzard

[Cathpot]

Looking for advice to plug a big hole left by the snow killing a stand of echiums . I was hoping they might rally but they all clearly properly dead. It’s about 3m x 2m, acid soil , reasonable sun but quite windy in a large bed with mature trees behind . Camellias do very well there but I’ve got a few in there already so trying to be more adventurous. Could get some hydrangeas but again have some elsewhere. Looking for small trees or big shrubs . Just thinking about an elder maybe? Also open to things like gooseberries / fruit trees eg sour cherry but not sure about the exposed site. I’m a beginner so any advice welcome.

Would a black elder (Sambucus nigra) give some good contrast?

www.rhsplants.co.uk/plants/_/sambucus-nigra-f-porphyrophylla-eva/classid.2000004449/

That looks lovely - will look up if I can plant one now. It’s to go next to a lovely big evergreen tree which I thought was a lime but just down loaded a tree ID app and it doesn’t think it is. I’ll go out and have a proper look later. It’s also very unhappy about being snowed on and has dropped all its leaves on one side . I’m hoping that’s temporary.

What about Amelanchier or some flowering cherries

Rhodedenrons

Rhododendron can be quite invasive, though, can't it? Never grown it myself.

I don't know, ours is planted in the ground and hasn't spread too much, it's evergreen, thick and bushy and likes acid soil.

Hello Cathpot.
You could try a ceanothus, Trewithin Blue. I think they are pretty unfussy regarding soil type (we have virtually undiggable clay).
Ours has grown to be about 8ft tall from a 5 litre pot in 4 years (with lots of pruning along the way). Smothered in lovely purple flowers from early spring. I underplanted with fuchias, salvias, penstemons and a tall red persicaria so get a lovely show of colour from spring through to late autumn.
Fully hardy, fast growing, evergreen and likes a good prune. I shaped ours so it has a sturdy trunk and a broadly spreading top, perfect for obscuring the neighbours view into our entire house (in a nice way)!
Sorry, waffle over (I love gardening!).

Thanks- ceanothus looks lovely. I’ve got a couple of rhododendrons elsewhere but I do like them- I don’t think I fertiliser them enough actually as the leaves look a bit ropey on the established ones. I’ve inherited the mature plants in the garden and the last people were enthusiastic gardeners and put in lots of very different plants over 15 years . I’ve done quite a bit of clearing out things that were out of control and now I’m trying to put things back in a coordinated way - but it’s not my strength! In that particular bed there are already an acer, a late blooming magnolia, a Moroccan broom ( which is lovely and I could get another) a tree peony 4 camellias and a couple of plants I see around in carparks but don’t know the name of and this massive , currently unhappy tree. Photo of leaf of unhappy tree..

The main trees are in the centre of the bed and I’ve cleared around them as it was very overgrown and my vague plan is to plant round the edge with bushes so that you can’t see the bare bits round the trees. Anyway I’m writing down the suggestions , thank you.

Hello again!
I've been looking through my tree guides and I think that leaf comes from a Holm Oak. They're evergreens from warm climates and do well over here but in harsh winters the leaves will brown and fall off. My book says this is normal and full recovery likely.
As for the other tree that you suspect is a lime, could it be a mulberry? The leaves are very similar I think.
Your garden sounds incredible by the way. Mine has taken a real battering from the snow, hoping it bounces back soon.
Good luck with the planting!

Thanks threewheeler1 I’m really hoping it is Holm oak as that sounds like it might recover but it doesn’t have catkins - it gets very small white flowers in summer (I think from memory). You’ve got me on the case now- I’ve downloaded a tree ID app- part of my rock and roll lifestyle! The garden is lovely - we were really lucky. Previous owners left us a greenhouse, water butts etc it’s been really good way into gardening as most of the beds have mature things that more or less look after themselves - unless the weather goes bonkers and kills them of course...

No catkins and the mystery definitely deepens! I wonder what it could be.
I'm all for the rock and roll tree app, that sounds exciting to me!
Here's hoping for a warm spell now - desperate to see some life and colour!

I know it’s miserable here. I’m going to go and have a proper look at the bark and the way the leaves are grouped tomorrow to see if I can work it out. The app I’ve got is for uk trees so I wonder if it’s non native