short shrub suggestion

I am looking for a short/dwarf shurb that gets about four feet tall. I would like it to have flowers and berries--but I am not that picky. This area gets morning shade and afternoon sun. It doesn't have very good drainage. I could also put a large perennial there. It has located at the bottom of our deck steps.
I could put a rose there--perhaps, but would like to consider other shrubs.
I would appreciate any suggestions.

My suggestion would be a dwarf Viburnam such as Snowflake. It will take some, wetness, a nd some shade and is hardy to -15F

Thanks for the suggestion. I will look into the Snowflake Viburnum.

Clethra, Sixteen Candles

Doesn't Clethera need quite a bit of shade?

Morning sun and afternoon shade would be perfect for it, likes wet soil

This area will get morning shade and afternoon sun. It doesn't have very good drainage, however. We've tried to improve the sol with bales of peat moss, but it still doesn't drain well.

Wow am I dyslexic or what? sorry :(

No, no! I am glad you made the suggestion. I am still going to look into this shrub. It "may" work.
I just can't keep up with the weeding for perennials and annuals.

I'd be careful planting things that want part shade in an afternoon sun situation...your summers are hot enough that for an afternoon sun location you'll probably have the best results with something that wants full sun. Still worth doing some research but if you can't find anything conclusive I'd use that as a rule of thumb.

Yes, you are quite correct.

Just brainstorming here, I can think of several shrubs you might consider:

How about a dwarf deciduous holly? I think there's one called Red Sprite, if I recall correctly (Ilex verticillata Red Sprite). It doesn't get as tall as most deciduous hollies, tolerates wet feet, afternoon sun and has beautiful berries. You'd need a male pollinator somewhere in the vicinity, but if you've got room for several, you can intermix them with the males toward the back.

Or how about aronia melanocarpa Viking? Again, tolerant of moist soil, afternoon sun and lots of berries. Mine also has nice fall color.
Callicarpa with tons of SPECTACULAR purple berries (pictured).
Itea (white blooms and nice fall color, several cultivars including some low-growing ones).
Stephandra incisa crispa, which has fairly boring white flowers in spring, but nicely dissected foliage. No appreciable fall color.
Spirea thunbergia Ogon. Nice yellowish foliage color, finely textured small leaves, bright white spring flowers, nice orange fall color.
Jet black bead shrub (rhodotypos scandens). Bright white flowers, later shiny clusters of 4 jet black berries. No fall color.
I could go on... Neillia, buddleia, sorbaria, hypericum, indigofera, one of the new dwarf lagerstroemias... These are all tough, non-fussy shrubs requiring little care.
Hope this helps!

Hey, WeeRobin. Thanks for all the suggestions. Half of them I'm not famaliar with - or - I may recognize them if they were their common name. I do have Callicopra (Beauty Berry) and love it. It's a really neat shrub. It's a Mo. native which I like as they don't require so much care.
I will do some research. It's late tonight, and I have co. coming this week, but I will get to this list soon.

You may be right about the peat moss holding moisture. This ground is sub soil where they dug out the basement when they built the house. It's terrible soil. So, we put peat moss in it hoping to make it more friable. It's very much clay soil. The lawn eventually slopes down more and into the forest. I think if I added sand, I would have cement!

Evergreen azalea planted on a berm.

I think the Azalea would get too much sun?

I have quite a few in full sun that are doing well. You're a little further north. If you have doubts though don't. Mine are doing well foliage wise but aren't blooming yet.

My evergreen azalaes on the north side of the house bloomed in April. Are we thinking of the same shrub? I do like azaleas. I have a deciduous azalaea that we purchased at Lowes this Sp. that we haven't planted yet.

Yes, same shrub. But now that you mention deciduous Azaleas they would work as well. Though generallythey usually get taller than the evergreens.