3-4 feet is difficult to meet - Berberis darwinii (8 feet), deciduous Euonymus varieties, Prunus Otto Luyken (around 3 feet), Leucothoe varieties provided the soil is acid.

thanks for that i will have a look for the prunus otto luyken at my local garden centre

I like euonymus, either emerald 'n gold or emerald gaiety ( or both), I'm on top of a hill open to the north and the east so they have had to tolerate cold wind, even the winter of 2010!
The variegation is bright on the dullest day and they are easily kept pruned if nessesary I find.

Thanks for reply I will see if I can get anything the same as you as you are at the top of a hill as well

Spiraea, several Salvias and/or Sorbaria Sem? What a lot of S's!

I'm a big fan of those euonymus too but they don't grow anything like 3 feet here - unless they are in front of a wall or fence they seem to prefer to bush out. I've seen pyracantha grown as a hedge no higher than four feet. If you look at council car parks for example you can see lots of shrubs trimmed to that height that left alone would be much taller. Or how about Lonicera Nitida - there's a plain green one and Baggeson's Gold and they can be clipped into a dense bush or hedge according to taste and they will withstand shade and dry ground within reason.

Sorberia Sem is very nice but it does put out lots of underground runners as it gets bigger so you need to bear that in mind.

Euonymus 'Silver Queen' is another good one.

Yes, that one grows taller but not quickly! Lovely though.

My 3-year old Sorbaria Sems haven't put out runners, Stera, but maybe that's because they're in gravel??

Thanks everyone help is much appreciated

That's good Sheila. I have one in a pot and have hesitated to plant it out because of warnings I've had. Hope yours continues behaving itself.

:))