Welcome to GoY, Halsallk! First, we have a few questions:
What is under the soil? Solid concrete? Chalk? Sticky clay?
Is there provision made for drainage, such as weep holes of drainage pipe?
What kind of soil is it? Natural or synthetic potting compost?
What part of the UK are you in? The selection of candidates varies quite a bit from southern England to northern Scotland!

Thanks for your reply.

We're in the north west just north of Liverpool on the coast.

It's concrete under the soil. After digging up what was there previously it doesn't look like there's any provision for drainage, it's just concrete.

The soil looks like the soil in the rest of the borders which is quite sandy.

Thanks!

I doubt you will find anything that is going to grow in those conditions. Perhaps you could consider a container each side of the front door with a plant or shrub in it.

Agree - took the words out of my mouth! Even in a container there are few things that are both evergreen, flowering and happy in a lot of shade. Two possible solutions:
1. Have several pairs of containers and swap them round when at their most attractive
2. Try variegated evergreen such as Euonymus fortunii. You can get silver or gold variegations and they look bright and cheerful all year, and are quite happy with only a little sun. They can be clipped to keep them the shape and size you want and are pretty trouble free.

You might get away with summer bedding in the actual beds such as fibrous rooted begonias but you'd have to watch the watering.

Makes sense Stera...

;~)

Thanks for the advice!

You might try hosta, they love areas of poor drainage and one of my largest hosta grows in an area of hard shale covered by pea gravel into which a gutter drain flows and even though hosta as prefer shade this one is in full sun and loves it. It will take a few years for it to be full and lush but it's worth the wait. As for shrubs and bushes the container is the way to go.

You could also buy a Sarcococca which is evergreen, likes shade and smells beautiful in late winter with it's small white flowers. It needs regular watering. Mine has been in a tub beside the front door for a couple of years now and is sending up suckering shoots which I plan to remove. But I love it.

Re Hostas and drainage Loosestrife didn't mention - only applies if the bed stays moist rather than stays dry. Also they are not evergreen so you would need something else over the winter - bulbs perhaps.

Before planting anything, I would dig out the borders completely to settle the question of drainage. Hostas like plenty of moisture, but they aren't bog plants, and a bogs are what they will be--probably smelly, stagnant ones--if the bottoms, ends, and sides are all solid concrete.

Agree Tugb.

I have successfully grown every hosta I have planted in my garden in every kind of condition..from full sun to full shade. From bog to dry pebble. I find that this plant is universally adaptable to almost any environment. I would not be hesitant about planting them anywhere. You are never going to find out if the area you intend to place them in is a go if you don't. I also don't have any snails to scrape their leaves off but maybe my pond frogs have taken care of that. There will be those who will disagree with I have just said and they will do that from their own knowledge and experiences. That is part of the function of this forum.

I quite envy you L - they just don't thrive here at all.

Mia Culpa Stera. I do forget that "the pond" from which I am across from you is a rather large one and for that reason growing conditions can be very different.