You can browse through the 100s of pictures in the plant library or visit your local garden center. It really comes down to personal preference - yours not mine.

That height (4-5 feet) is a difficult one - most shrubs either get to around 3 feet, or upwards of 6/8 feet, other than Choisya varieties. That said, Berberis darwinii, Mahonia aquifolium (for the shadier end) Cotoneaster franchetti,Forsythia, Ribes sanguinam, dwarf lilac are a few to consider.

Thanks Bamboo - I'll do some research on those.

I totally agree - I've been gradually replacing our privet with shrubs and the difference its making to the whole feel of the garden in amazing. I would say don't rush it.Spend time wandering round other gardens and see what takes your fancy. You might wnat to go for a mixture of colurs and texture, perhaps including a red leaved shrub and a scented winter flowerer? It would give you the opportunity to widen the border a little for some spring bulbs and so on too.

Thinking about it, one of the Sarcococcas gets to five feet,need to check which one it is...

I'm going to have the hedge removed next week and then spend a little time improving and preparing the soil. The trouble is I'm very impetuous and want things done yesterday! However, I will take your advice and take my time deciding what to put in.

Sarcococca humilis is the one... S. confusa is taller though

I can't advise what to grow as that will be your decision, but I can advise what not to grow: Escallonia.
Escallonia Leaf Spot is a major problem, and there's currently no cure for it. Lots of info on the 'net, so do check it out for yourself.

Agree w Rosierose - best advice!

Horrible floppy sticky thing with pathetic little flowers anyway, Escallonia, its sooo boring, one of my gardens has one and I spend all my time hacking it back in hopes it'll give up and die, there's something else I want to plant there that'd look great, but the client won't get rid... paradoxically, it doesn't have leaf spot, talk about sod's law... Anyway, you might also want to think twice if you're considering Photinia Red Robin, check any in your area, they've got their own version of leaf spot which also has no treatment. Euonymus japonica aureum is worth considering for your mixed shrub border - good bright colours in winter, responds well to cutting. And I forgot about Brachyglottis Sunshine, which does get around 5 feet... plenty to think about and research to do for you!

Don't forget some shrubs are deciduous. Do you need to conceal your parking area all year round?

Isn't that Euonymus the one that takes a very long time to grow? Mines' reached half a metre after 10years (from a cutting)

Steragram: its not much slower than any other shrub, if you buy a reasonably sized plant rather than doing a cutting.

Ooh, another lower growing one for you to think about - Viburnum davidii, evergreen, only has berries if you buy more than one though

Its odd Bamboo,I had two cuttings from the same shrub. One has grown upright and the other prostrate but both at snails pace.

Now you mention it, I think you asked a question ages ago about why one was prostrate and the other not...

My front hedge between the neighbours drive has such a variety, some already here like the mahonia charity and the hardy fuschia when we came 30 years go
I added some Ribes, forsythia, choisya ternata, kolquitzia amabilis myself, the hollies and privet came via the birds.....
It (except the hollies) gets flailed every year and the neighbours get lovely display of flowers too
I chose bone hardy plants that do well here, thats important for a hedge I think.....

I'm surprised you think Escallonia is boring, Bamboo. I had E. Iveyi and E. Red Elf, and both were gorgeous - before the dreaded Leaf Spot struck!

Rosierose - it makes a reasonable hedge, but otherwise... there are so many other plants that can be used with more to offer as individual plants.

We took down a conifer hedge and lived with the open feel for a while and then we thought, do we really need to replace it? The decision was no, we didn't, we have a rail and post fence instead.

Thanks everyone! I just hope now that I'll get out of bed one morning to find someone has miraculously made the decisions for me and it's all been done! Very doubtful though!