There are hundreds of shrubs you could choose from! The "Shorter" part does limit you a bit, however.

We have tons of spicebush (Lindera benzoin) around here, but they're a larger shrub.

Purple-flowering raspberry (Rubus odoratus) is a really pretty shrub - I've got one growing in moist woods, just planted this spring. It has leaves that look strikingly like sugar maple; definitely not for formal situations.

For evergreens, I like dog-hobble (Leucothoe fontanesiana), but it doesn't really like heavy soils or alkaline soils.

Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia) is a good one; it smells really good. It prefers acid soil.

Keep looking, there are many, many more possibilities!

Good Luck,

-Jim

The flowering raspberry is an interesting thought. I've seen photos but never had one or seen in person.

I guess I should clarify "shorter" -- basically 8 feet or less. I know the Pinky Winky (Pinkie Winkie?) gets to about 8 feet, most people wouldn't probably consider that a short/low growing shrub, but relative to something that can grow 20 feet or more, it is.

LOL, I have a spicebush about 40 feet away from this area. I love it. I always wanted to get a few more, so I could have male and female and get fruits. My poor fellow is male and he's never had a girlfriend!

I also really like the suggestion of the Clethra.

I see. Well, that broadens your possibilities again! I was imagining something like 4-6 feet. By the way, amended clay is some of the nicest soil to garden in; it is rich and moisture-retentive. We have a fair bit of clay around here, with silty loams in the bottomlands. I thought Michigan had fairly sandy soil - Could be mistaken, I guess.

I've got an Itea 'little henry' on the north side of our house in a planting bed - It's out from the house, so it does get all-day sun. From what I've read, it gets just as big as 'henry's garnet' - I was envisioning it as a 4-foot shrub!

A few more I came up with were Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia - suffers from winter dieback occasionally around here), common blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum - Believe it or not, an outstanding landscape shrub), flame azalea (Rhododendron calendulaceum - requires acidic, well-drained soil), and mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia - also requires acidic, well-drained soil)

Just rambling, hope that helps.

The glaciers brought me all kinds of interesting soils, and it changes VERY abruptly. I guess some of it could have been due to farming in the 19th and early 20th century, but my yard was never graded or leveled or anything like that. I have sandy/gravelly soil, sandy loam, true loam soil, heavy dense clay. The only major soil type I lack is an organically based muck type soil. There are places in my yard where I can stand with one foot on heavy clay and the other on sandy loam. I think this is the work of the glaciers, I don't think it was human intervention.

Yes, I like the idea of Mountain Laurel as well. I saw some very attractive ones in bloom about 2 weeks ago at a local nursery. They are not common here because our soils do run in the neutral range, and aren't acidic enough without intervention. Oakleaf Hydrangea also --something like 'Snow Queen' would be nice. Blueberries -- well, I already have 22 of those in another area, so probably not there, but yes, I think they are a fine ornamental, mine generally have excellent fall color, burgundy to red with just a little yellow and orange highlight. Possibly some azaleas of some type, I have a pink deciduous one in another area that is nice.

Thank you so much for the suggestions.

viburnum
willow, variegated
dogwood, red twig and yellow, silver variegated and yellow variegated

depending on wind exposure...most of the broadleaf evergreens...kalmia, rhododendron...azalea, deciduous, bayberry...gibe me an hour...i'll have a book.