What are your loveliest must have shrub recommendations( not too big)

[3asyp33l3r]

Need a lovely shrub for front of border. Garden is more cottage garden. All round interest would be good but not essential.

Choisia. (Mock orange) Smells like oranges and has pretty white flowers

Lavender if you haven't already got one.

Pittosporum might be a good choice for your requirements.
Mine is a dwarf tom thumb, but just Googling it Silver Queen looks a nice variegated one.
Not too big, evergreen, changing foliage (the Tom Thumb grows new growth green and changes to purple).

Or a hebe (although I don't like them personally).

Sand Cherry is gorgeous in flower, but that's for a very short period. Nice over summer but just a mass of dead looking twigs over winter.

My favourite is Fothergilla. White fluffy flowerheads in spring, deep dark red leaves in autumn. One of the advantages of a neutral/acid clay soil

My favourite cottagey shrub is the good old hydrangea, if you leave the flower heads on until spring they are beautiful in the frost.

@MereDintofPandiculation

My favourite is Fothergilla. White fluffy flowerheads in spring, deep dark red leaves in autumn. One of the advantages of a neutral/acid clay soil

Just googled that, looks lovely!

Ceratostigma is an interesting small shrub - deep blue flowers, not a riot of colour and imv not very hardy (it didn't survive in my Scottish Garden) but just nice and a bit different don't know why I haven't got one in a tub I can move round must get one

Potentilla fruticosa is a reliable, hardy and easycare shrub with a very long flowering season from late spring to autumn. 'Abbotswood' has attractive white flowers, but there are numerous sizes and colours to choose.

Shrubby salvia, sometimes known as hardy salvia or 'baby salvia '- mine current one is still flowering despite hard westerlies blowing in from the Atlantic and the Scottish summer, plus the predations of the dog.

I grew several in my (350 year old !) cottage garden in England and this was a trial this year in the new garden up here to see if they survive. Give them sun and reasonable drainage (no waterlogged roots in winter).

Only grow to about a metre tall, available with flowers from creamy yellow to reds and jammy pinks and purples. Pollinators love them. Biggest choice is from Dysons nursery, available from April.

If it’s a sunny spot then a rock rose or a convulvulus cneorum. Both evergreen and long flowering, all summer. Won’t grow too big. Convulvulus has lovely silvery leaves too.

Ceanothus although it’s spectacular for about 3 weeks and then fades into the background. But when it’s flowering it’s absolutely stunning

@Pinkywoo

My favourite cottagey shrub is the good old hydrangea, if you leave the flower heads on until spring they are beautiful in the frost.

This Just love my hydrangeas. Pick from white, different shades of pink etc. But check your soil is suitable. This September l thought mine were finished for the season but back they came into flower when weather stayed nice. At the moment the leaves are lovely and green and the flowers are like dried flowers. Beautiful!