Plant advice for a small rectangular pot

[AboutYouAndPeru]

Hi all.

I am very much a garden newbie and learning as I go along.

I have a space on top of a wall that used to have some trellis (to keep a Houdini dog in) but the dog has now sadly passed away and the trellis bit was rotten and ugly so i have removed it. I have recently bought a lovely aged grey rectangular terracotta pot and want to grow something hardly, evergreen (hopefully with flowers) and which will just form a bit of a visual barrier as the wall is about 4 ft 6 high. The area is quite dark and damp - I have ferns growing in the location and they do brilliantly well. But I am looking for something that can bring a bit of alternative interest in maybe a white/cream and green colour.

I'd though cyclamen might work- but am not sure as I would prefer something very long flowering if possible. The length of the pot is about 1.5 feet and the depth is - say- approx 50 cm.

I'd love some ideas!

Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

Spring bulbs, forget me nots, saxifrage (ground cover) honeysuckle?? Violets are good cover as well x

Heathers have good color most of the year, you can get them in spring summer and autumn variety so constant color

Hellebore fits the bill - flowers for months, attractive foliage, long lived.

Re-install the trellis and introduced a honeysuckle.
Perhaps, if not, euphorbia, mahonia, or hellebores.

I'm very much liking the hellebore idea.

Love euphorbia. I have a purplish euphorbia also in that area which looks really good IMO.

Euphorbia is a great shout too

Vaerigated cotoneaster. You get berries in the autumn as well.

I think I might to get more than one pot suitable for the space and swap them seasonally, rather than trying to get year round interest in a smallish pot.

All great ideas thank you. :) I've started a new gardening notebook and recording all your thoughts.

I ended up getting a really pretty little purplish saxifrage because that was what I found at the garden centre (I know it's early in the season really). But I think swapping pots around for year round interest is a terrific idea thanks @ErrolTheDragon ! The other side of that wall which gets most of the sun I have some cream and red geraniums in a wall planter. With the fairly mild winter so far they are still flowering ever so slightly!

The whole area needs a proper think. The ferns were a terrific success rather unexpectedly as I was in a 'chuck it in and see what happens' mode. I was looking further into hellebores as well and think I have a few other areas in our garden that they might really look good.

I have always loved gardens but never been a gardener.... it's all quite exciting!!

Thank you so much everyone for your thoughts and advice and guidance! I think I shall be a regular on this part of MN now!!