Small Minimum Care Bush/shrub

[megfitz]

Any recommendations please for pretty smallish (4-5ft) minimal care bush/shrub/small tree for the centre of a north facing round flower bed, floral would be good but not essential. The soil is alkaline chalk and the site is exposed to the wind.
At present I have a Photina Red Robin there which has grown too tall and I’m forever picking up the leathery leaves. Any ideas most welcome. Thanks.

[Chipchopper]

I think a viburnum would be a good choice : V. *bodnantense* or V. tinus.

[Buenchico]

Have a play with this:
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/search-form

(You don't need to complete all of the fields; just use the ones which are of most importance to you).

[rowanwitch]

Hydrangeas are good, there are lots of smaller daintier varieties and leaves can be variegated too. Easy to maintain, and could be trained as a standard if you want to underplant.

[Chipchopper]

Cotoneaster might be worth looking at, as well.
Ones with smaller evergreen leaves should be less problematic and some have a compact habit.

[Biccylova]

What about a pieris forest flame, (not sure if that's spelled right) but they need no looking after at all. Mine is beautiful at the moment, with its red leaves, and will have trusses of white bell shaped flowers later in the year.

[Tilly2]

Pieris forest flame are lovely but they need ericaceous compost. They won't do well in alkaline soil. The two I have are in big pots.

Try a Choisya ternata Sundance - Mexican Orange Blossom. They are very easy to grow.

https://www.gardenfocused.co.uk/shrub/choisya.php

[dannyk13]

Good choice here:-
https://www.gardens4you.co.uk/trees?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIyKX73sPx2gIVirftCh2-QwM2EAAYBCAAEgJbpfD_BwE

[Biccylova]

well Tilly my forest Flame has been growing in the garden for 12 years and we do not have alkaline soil.

[megfitz]

Thanks for all your ideas,I settled in the end for a Prunus incisa Kojo-no-mai. Looks good and recommended by RHS advice line.