Shade loving tree for pot

Hi, am looking at purchasing 2 trees or plants to go in pots outside my front door but they must like partial/full shade as they will not get much sun was looking at a buxus ball plant but just wondered what else is out there.? Thanks.

 

Yew springs to mind, or Acer palmatum, and as they'll be in pots you could opt for any of a number of acid-loving shrubs like Camellia, Skimmia, Azalea or Rhododendron. This link might shed some light Best Hedging Plants for Shade | BBC Gardeners World Magazine

 

What kind of look and height are you after @Simon Peake ? Formal, topiary, flowering, relaxed...?

If you like something deciduous perhaps you could have four pots and move the winter delight in when the summer delight is past it's best.

I have grown all sorts of tall things in pots and learnt the hard way that the pot must be wide and heavy or it will inevitably be blown over in high winds. 50cm wide pots are fairly ok for a plant up to 150cm tall in my garden, but the exposure and the shape of the plant are key factors.

Magnolias are awfully nice. I'd go for Privet over Box if neatly trimmed shape is the thing, Box can look very sorry for itself if it's not in ideal condition. Privet does require a lot of watering and feeding though.

 

Thank you both for your help, looking for something around 3 or4 foot at the most, the colours of an acer palmatum look lovely .

 

The best forms of Acer palmatum need sheltered conditions as they are prone to wind scorch. So if your front door is in a windy spot then bear this mind.

 

Thanks for everyone’s help I’m going to settle with 2 taxus baccata yews.

 

I,ve got the Irish yew,it grows very slowly and mine has yellow new growth.
It stays reasonably slender and needs one trim a year, I've just done mine. The new growth hasn't started this year yet. This one is over 30yrs old and i just trim the top now.