I bought sarcococca, an evergreen shrub which has, tiny white scented flowers. At least they're supposed to be scented - I haven't smelt anything yet. However, it grows in shade specially if it's fairly moist. Mine is in a pot so will need regular watering.

Skimmia fragrans, and Box, along with the Sarcococca already mentioned by Arbuthnot - the Skimmia and Sarcococca are fragrant, but to be fair, you don't really notice the fragrance unless the air is warm or you stick your nose right in the flowers... Pansies, fuchsia and lobelia do well in shade, so you could add pansies in autumn or spring and the fuschias and lobelia for summer. Note that fuchsias, even if they're hardy varieties, are vulnerable to frost through the roots in winter, and therefore don't make reliable permanent planting outdoors in pots.

I just stuck my nose into the Sarcococca and got a lovely whiff of spice perfume. If I was only two foot high I'd smell it all the time!

Ha ha, exactly - if they get a bit of sun on them when they're in flower, you can smell them in the air then, but usually, we all put them somewhere shady because they like damp soil.

Sounds like a good place for caladiums. They have big colorful arrow shaped leaves. Some are multicolored. I have one called "White Queen" it's a head turner.

Sarcococca Confusa does it for me in autumn.

I have a pair of viburnum tinus standards either side of my north facing back door. They are flowering now. I used to grow Fatshedera lizei (climbing) at my old place, and its a cracking handsome foliage plant. Or you could have staging with a collection of Shade loving heucheras in a variety of bright colours. That would really brighten things up. Then there are ferns of course. I really enjoy this kind of challenge...have fun!

If you want something bright but slow growing try my old friend Euonymus fortunii. The gold or silver variegated ones look bright all year round and take very little looking after.

I too like Euonymus fortunii but the leaves on mine turn a dull pink in the winter making them less bright and colourful.

I've seen them do that too but happily mine don't. Perhaps it depends on whether they get any sun and mine get none in winter until almost sunset. My yellow one is Emerald'n Gold.

There are so many Euonymus to choose from. I have a gorgeous golden variegated one shaped as a lollipop and its been bright yellow all winter. Some have quite large leaves and some aretiny. Definitely worth looking out for!

Euonymus shrubs are sun loving plants. The site in question gets virtually no sun.

Euonymus isn't a bad idea - E. japonica aureo-marginata is the brightest with an upright growth habit, responds well to clipping/shaping, but will need a good sized pot eventually. Often sold as smaller plants in garden centres in autumn, for temporary use in containers during winter. Does well in partial shade, and actually prefers afternoon shade, but depends whether your front door is in permanent shade or does actually get some sun, even if its early mornings or evenings.

The front door gets virtually no sun so don't forget your fungicides and fixing leaf drop with bland variegation.

I have euonymus under my viburnum tinus. One is all geen, one has white variegation. They are both doing well so far.

I transplanted my euonymus (silver king) from a shady spot to a sunny spot. It's an entirely different shrub now full of vigor and color.

I'm sure thats absolutely right Bathgate. When it comes down to it, most plants like 'some' sunshine. But when you're struggling with a very shady spot you do have to 'push your luck a bit'.

That's very true as well.

:)

Having been to a talk on garden pests, when I got home I checked on my sarcococca in its pot, now blooming nicely outside the front door. To my horror I saw some distinctive W shaped nibbles on a few leaves. Knowing how the grubs would eat all the roots I just had to rush out and buy some vine weevil wash. I also bought some gravel to cover the top of the pot with as I know if it's spread deep enough the weevils can't get into the soil to lay any eggs.
Today I plan to do the rest of my pots. Prevention is better than cure.

Does the vine weevil treatment you get now work in cooler temps? You used to have to wait until warmer weather arrived.

I don't know, I didn't look at that part of the instructions. I'd read the labels on a few different makes before I bought and, as far as I can remember, only one said summer. I've done it now anyway so I hope my pretty Sarcococca is appreciative.

Depends what was used, Steragram - you're right that temperature is critical for nematode treatment, but it isn't critical for chemical treatments such as Provado.

I used Provado as I couldn't find any nematode treatments which was what I wanted. I've used the wash before so I know it works especially with the addition of a thick layer of gravel. That will keep the moisture in too as I do tend to forget to water the front garden pots.

The instructions and warnings are scary though and, since I couldn't empty the remained down the drain, I carefully measure the pot size so that there would be none left.

Re Provado that's good to know - thank you Bamboo and Arbuthnot.

Re Euonymus in shade/sun its interesting to see that the three silver variegated ones I have, which are all from the same original plant, have different habits. The two that are north facing and get very little sun are growing well but more prostrate while the one in full sun grows taller and bushier.
As Bathgate says it is more vigorous and succulent looking, but the two in the shade are fine and very cheering in the dark winter days. I would not hesitate to rely on them to keep a north facing container looking cheerful all year round.

Just remembered there's a fourth one in full sun but poor soil, and that poor thing hardly grows at all...

Euonymus in shade = nest of spider mites.

Not here fortunately! Never seen any in our garden -rarely get shot enough for them to hatch .

It's quite common here, typically on sun loving plants that languish in the shade. I wish my garden was like yours.

The only place I ever see spider mites is in the greenhouse...most bugs find it a bit too chilly here! I hardly ever see a ladybird sadly.

NO Bathgate, yours is lovely. Each to his own! I think your sun is rather stronger in summer than ours here, and your winters colder. Our rather cold sea is what keeps us temperate so they say...

Thanks so much for all your suggestions about what to grow at front door i will take a note of plants and have a look in garden centre