Small colourful shrub for a dark area

Everyone has their favourites and mine would be Sarcococca the Christmas Box. Fragrant small flowers that bring interest during the dark months. Skimmia rubella with its flowers, although there are a few varieties which will produce berries often needing a male variety to pollinate. Although not having grown this shrub, Mahonia nitens Cabaret - Orange Mahonia looks worth a go.

Thanks Jimmy. I already have a Sarcococca beside my front door. Beautiful. What I’m looking for is a shrub with colourful leaves which will brighten the dark days. I do have a Cornus with orange stems in a separate tub but I don’t think it’s really eye catching enough. Maybe I’m wanting something that doesn’t exist!

I have a Viburnum tinus 'Lisarose which is lovely at the moment with deep red buds opening pinky white flowers, to my mind the best viburnum tinus. Has been slow growing.

There are some euonymous with bright, variegated foliage.

I wonder if it is possible to grow a variegated holly in a tub? You would have to keep pruning it I guess to keep it to the size you like. I have Golden King which is nice & bright all the year round, but mine is in the ground.

Penny, I hadn’t thought of euonymus. I have several in the garden so one option is to move one of them. Thank you.
However, I do have a physocarpus with purple leaves which needs moving and I’m considering that but it’s darker than I really want.
Thank you all for your suggestions. No decision yet though

There are some very attractive Pittosporums with light colour foliage.

Euonymus sounds good to me. They are very good tempered and unfussy and bright all the year round. Also they strike readily from cuttings if you have patience to wait! Mine are in a north facing borderand do well. Fortunii is the variety to go for to suit what you are wanting and you can have either silver or gold edging to the leaves.

I am thinking about a Pieris. Would that grow under the pergola facing north? I’m also thinking of the Mahonia cabaret that Jimmy mentioned. It looks very pretty and bright. I now need to go to a garden centre to see if I can find either one.

I appreciate all the suggestions. That you.

I'd hesitate. Would Pieris be happy in so much shade? You don't want it to get leggy or swamp your arbour.

I’d like to say that nothing can swamp my arbour - it was swamped years ago! I’m too old now. :))

Good for you Arbuthnot! Me too.