Help needed

[Elasticatedwaist]

Hi everyone,
I have this little area in front of the house, not very big about 2ft wide. There’s already 2 roses and a hydrangea which I think I will have to move( too close together) Gets sun later in the afternoon.
I initially thought I’d keep it simple and plant a row of roses as they seem to do well with our clay soil , maybe some geraniums in between but now I’m not sure as I’m rubbish at this sort of thing.
what would you plant ?
Im a newbie, advice appreciated.

My front garden was a similar orientation at my old house (sun in afternoon only; ours was north-facing) I had good success with doing an entire bed with lavender. I grew it from seed in a south-facing spot around the back then transplanted it into the front garden.

Roses sound a great idea.
I think front gardens also benefit from some winter interest as people are passing through it most days, so I would choose rose varieties that bear winter hips, and intersperse them with a couple of small hebes or heurcheras for striking winter foliage.

The house has lovely stonework and windows. Some topiary would 'copy/mirror' the formality and also provide the winter interest.
I think a soft blue and/or purple palette, with pops of white or silver, would complement the grey of the stone.

Well, this is just me, but I wouldn't be restricted to the existing bed, I'd be getting rid of quite a bit of the lawn and going to town with shrubs and maybe a couple of small, slow growing trees. You don't need much of a lawn in a front garden but you could make it beautiful with plants other than grass and your house would look lovely with a well-stocked front garden.
Acers, more hydrangeas, a ceanothus - all relatively easy to grow and shade tolerant, underplant with some ferns and vincas.

The problem with roses is they aren't evergreen.

Red Robins would look nice there as would Choisya ternata

I agree with maybe extending the bed a bit and having a formal clipped hedge. I'm on London clay and box does well but we do have to spray constantly from now until autumn due to the dreaded box caterpillar. You could consider a hedge of clipped holly - especially if you can get the berries as well as the leaves (and it will reduce you Christmas decoration bill). I'd think of putting a small tree in the wall space between the 2 windows - a potted bay (otherwise it will grow too big) or an acer for autumn colour or Amelanchier for some spring blossom. Then plant the rest with roses - the David Austin catalogue (ask them to send you one) is very pretty reading and has an icon to indicate which roses tolerate shade. Now is not a bad time to plant bare roots which would make a rose border less expensive.

Thankyou you’re all very helpful. Lots to ponder !

I'd add some azaleas - they are evergreen and the bees live them in the spring. You can get dwarf varieties but as they are pretty slow growing normally they won't get too big. I have a lot and I'm on clay. I also have heathers which I bought from an online specialist and have different ones so that they flower all year round. Azaleas and heathers don't need pruning either!