A picture would narrow down a thousand guesses.

tj

same answer as the other post.. see link ...

you hit the shrub forum .. and the tree forum ...

and i am suspecting you are looking for a DWARF conifer ...

per the link.. you need to clearly define the parameters of what you might be wanting.. for us to help .. sun/shade... size preference ... soil .. etc ...

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Thanks for the responses. I will post a picture when I get some time. I am not specifically looking for a conifer, but an evergreen shrub or small tree no larger than about 15 feet. It will be in a southeast corner so it will get shade late afternoon. Soil is clayish.

Tricia,
Rhododendrum is evergreen and might do well in that spot if there is no afternoon sun.
You can prune it if it gets too big and it will have nice flowers in Spring.
Mountain Laurel, the PA state shrub is evergreen and has flowers, won't get real high for you.
Variegated privet is really beautiful and you could shape it any way you like, takes abuse and flowers in spring.
All green, there are boxwoods, you could shape nice, even a topiary which would look different.
Some azelas might do alright there, there are evergreen ones, if you mulch them real good. Encore azelas might make it in your zone well mulched and bloom off and on through the summer.
If you go with a rhodo, amend the soil real good with spagnum peat moss and mabey a few rocks, since your soil is clayish.
Chuck Hayes gardenia is evergreen, and if you amend the soil like a rhodo, you could have a beautiful gardenia out front and boy do they boom in the spring and the whole neighborhood smells it.
There were people on this forum from Philadelphia that had a 4 foot Chuck Hayes that grew well, they had to trim some of it down.(check Fragrant forum, input Chuck Hayes).
SOrry, ran out of ideas.
Hope you find something nice.

I wouldn't describe them as airy but they are evergreen--

Cherry laurel

Acuba japonica

Pieris

Holly

Everygreen azaleas

Photinia "red tip" (which does not suffer from blight in milder, northern zones but to which it is vulnerable in the South)

Cotoneaster

Pyracantha

Butterfly bush (semi-evergreen in milder zones--and airy)

Yuccas

Euonymous japonica

Camelia japonica

Trachycarpus palms (if protected for the first couple of Winters)