What can I plant here?

Slinky

Specifically, between the pot and the brick pillar. It's very shallow ground, there's the remains of a large vertical paving slab a couple of inches down that is impossible to remove. The fence runs east to west. The area is heavily shaded in winter from a building on the left, but gets a lot of sunshine in the afternoon in the summer. I could put Vinca Minor or similar in, but I was hoping for something with some height, preferably a shrub. I did start digging out to put in a hollyhock before finding the slab. The soil is a fine clay/sand mix.

Farway

Could you fit in a thornless blackberry? The shallow rooting & slab would not matter

Train up, over and along fence to cover as you fancy. Summer sun would be good, winter gloom, no trouble

Nice leaves, some last overwinter winter depending on area, loads of blossom, loved by bees, fruit, loved by crumble makers

twopenny

I was going to suggest Campanula the low kind that flowers most of the year plus or either more ferns of different sizes or colours because that one looks lovely.

Then I read shrub 😊

Sage plant 2, purple and plain. Mines 3ft 😲, bushy and can be cut back.

One way to get more root space is to half sink a pot and plant into that. Stick a watering tube in it.

fatbelly

Hmmm. Thin soil, lots of sun is a challenge.

Euonymous Fortunii is tough, will push up the wall and has bright variegated leaves.

Actually herbs may like it there. Maybe an upright rosemary. Miss Jessop will eventually reach 6 ft without going sideways too much, has purple flowers and is very nice with roast lamb or chicken. Bee-friendly too

Slinky

Thanks for the suggestions. Funnily enough I did think about both rosemary and sage. I have a small rosemary a little further along, but use it quite often in cooking, so another wouldn't be too many. I also have a sage which is planted right up against another plant with similar leaves, so could do with moving to make more contrast.

I don't want anything to grow onto the fence, otherwise it make maintenance difficult. We have to repaint every 4-5 years.

Sapindus

Figs are always said to fruit better with a restricted root run.

Slinky

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81901499#Comment_81901499

There's restricted, and almost non-existant, which I think is what I've got here! Bother, I knew there was something else I wanted to look for in Sainsbury's. Fig rolls.

Just bought a rosemary from Lidl (£3.99) and will move the sage.

Slinky

My new rosemary alongside the relocated sage.