My old friend Euonymus fortunii, one of the silver variegated ones seems happy in full sun or winter shade. There are some of the geraniums that disappear in winter and flourish in summer sun, and there are several white ones in the Himalayense series. Mine does well under those conditions. Bulbs (snowdrops?) can go under it for spring before it appears.

I have encounterd this situation on occasions, one garden I did for a old lady seven years ago had plenty of sun through the summer but was very shady in the winter, I divided the garden, with a large rustic pole fence with a archway, the arch I planted with clematis and at each end of the fence I planted I climber on one end and a climber at the other end along the base I planted various bush roses, to the front and back of the dividing fence I planted various shrubs to give interest through all the seasons, i maintain this lady's garden still, she is 97 tough as old boots she sits in her conservatory and looks down the garden and this brings her much joy the roses and shrubs have done really well and have clothed the fencing very well.

Thank you both. Steragram, you're right. The Euonymus I planted seems to be doing well, and the snowdrops are fine too.

Julien, that sounds really lovely! I'm going to give it a go with a couple of white roses. I can just picture your client enjoying those clems! Thank you.

Take a look at Swan Lake or Dundee Rambler for white roses - not particularly scented. Or Alberic Barbier or Aimee Vibert - which are scented.
None of them are particularly bothered about shade or sunlight.

I grew Aimee Vibert at my old house on the north facing wall and it was more than happy (to the point that it would take over if not pruned hard every year - rule of thirds went out of the window)

Thanks Urbanite. I'm not familiar with Aimee. I shall look that one up!

My front garden is lucky if it gets a little sun on a winter's afternoon but it does get sun on summer afternoons. There is a part which never gets any sun at all. In the shady part I grow ferns, lady's mantle, erythronium, and a clematis which climbs round into the sun. For summer colour I grow a few bizzy lizzie, fibrous rooted begonia or nicotiana and find they do quite well. there are also 2 very old hardy Mrs Popple fuchsias whch bloom well year after year.
Where the sun shines I have a couple of roses and clematis. The rose that does well on my north wall is Golden Showers.
Hope this helps with a few ideas. Sometimes it is a matter of trial and error and sometimes I find things thrive where I didn't think they would!

My Mrs Herbert Stevens Rose was also on North facing wall (on the corner where it got some morning sun rather than all day shade). It's a difficult one to source - expensive if you do find it and it takes a long time to come into flower (though that might have been due to it being disturbed a few times when it was young). Big white, scented, Tea roses when it does bloom.

PS - just seen that Beale's have reduced the prices on their bare root roses - but today (Tuesday 24th) is the last day for ordering.

Thanks Urbanite! :)

Penny, you're so right. Sometimes the things you don't think should work..DO work! :))