Trees, Shrubs and Conifers: need help choosing shrub, 3 by firstyard

firstyard wrote:
Here are the pics. The new shrub will go where the potted plant is. There really is not a lot of space. The hydrangea is usually a foot taller and abt 1 1/2' wider but I pruned hard early this year (yes, I lost my blooms - lesson learned). Next year I will let it get taller but hardly any wider.

Just to the right of the hydrangea is a dormant bleeding heart but I could move it if I had to.

I measured the space and a 3' wide shrub is the absolute largest it can take. That size would touch the house (which I don't prefer) and butt right up against the hydrangea and the nandina. I'd actually prefer a little clearance around all sides of it. So maybe 2 1/2' wide? Wow, that's going to make it really hard to get any height at all.