how about a pic of the spot ...

ken

Thanks, Ken. Please see some pics here.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/nuqsa6gewf3t0vs/AAA_MMGdHbUTGPPq0xvlcOtQa?dl=0

Here is a link that might be useful: Photos of shrub location.

Are you somewhere with alkaline soil, or do you have acidic soil?

I've never done a pH test, but the ground around here is very clayey. I have mixed in some good planting soil and conditioner when planting, but I am sure that deep down it is mostly clay. Not sure if that helps.

Height may be an issue with shrubs......tough to find many that will stay that small, although many can be easily pruned to maintain a specific size. And wet soils - or seasonally wet soils - are quite different than those soils with high water tables or uniformly boggy conditions. Not many plants other than bog plants will tolerate those conditions for long.

Check out:
Clethra alnifolia
Leucothoe fontanesiana 'Nana'
Salix purpurea 'Nana'
Salix integra
Cornus sericea
Cornus alba
Ilex verticillata
Ilex glabra
Fothergilla gardenii
Rhododendron viscosum
Viburnum opulus

Some of these are dwarf by nature, growing only to around 3 feet, others may grow taller but can be pruned to size and some will have compact or dwarf forms (like the 'Nana's) that will stay relatively small.

I was also going to suggest Clethra alnifolia. Another thought is hydrangea arborescens. Both can be kept at about three-four feet if that is your max. and are deer resistant.

Other shrubs for moist sites that are indifferent to PH (unlike the clethra, ilex, rhododentren):
* Arnonias both black chokecherry (melanocarpa) & red chokecherry (arbutifolia) have cultivars that are smaller than the species
* Itea virginica (sweet spire) - I found the species more tolerant of neutral to slightlty alkaline soils than the culitvars
* euphorbia palustris - a perennial that reaches shrublike proportions
* some grasses which might also do the job are panicums cultivars and calamgrotis 'Overdam'.