I started to play with some ideas, but couldn't get far I can't figure something like this out unless I know where the bed is located. Is it part of your foundation? If so, 4 feet depth will present many limitations on what you could choose. Also without a context, I'm not sure about suggesting something like an interesting container, trellis or other structural form. I suppose a shrub or evergreen might be interesting, but the space constraints seem to limit the plant palette considerably. I thought of Sambucus racemosa 'Sutherland Golden' because itÂs a lovely contrast to your ninebark and, although a shrub, will grow back beautifully from a hard prune each year, keeping its size under control. But I'd be tempted to try something simple: 3 to 5 Actaea simplex 'Hillside Black Beauty'. These are slow to establish, but wonderful structural plants with blooms that have a heavenly fragrance in late summer / early fall. Buy the biggest ones you can get and water them daily the first season. Once established they do okay on their own. The basal foliage gets about 2 to 3 feet tall. It's described as coppery purple. The flower stalks go up to 6 feet on established plants. Blooms are white with sometimes a hint of pink. By the way, most nurseries still sell these as cimicifuga. Then, I'd throw in a grouping of New Guinea impatiens each spring, probably in tangerine. Now you know how a blind girl who hasn't seen for 20 years designs a color combination! Wellspring

Impatiens most definitely still ARE on the market!! It just depends on who your source is and your location. And it's not a virus but only downy mildew, which many other plants contract as well. Not the end of the impatiens world :-)) Lobelia is extremely shade tolerant and comes in a dark purple color. I also like nemesia. Pansies or violets for later in the season. And the Persian shield is an excellent choice if you want to open for foliage color rather than flowers. In that same vein you could also substitute a purple leaved heucheras for a more perennial effect. Cherries really do not make very dense shade, so I'm not sure you have to focus only on shade lovers. Lots of part shade plants could work. Like the petunias or calibrachoa mentioned above.

Looks wonderful!!! And because you went "whole hog" -- the whole door area looks more cohesive and therefore larger to the viewer's eye! :) Well done -- and great color choice!!! :)

I don't think that any brown will look right with that black roof. I would probably paint it all in a warm cream color that coordinates with the brick.