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I have a small garden bed to the south of a south wall, so morning sun and very late afternoon summer sun, and the summer sun is nearly overhead but it is shaded most of winter, I have a small myrtle nearby etc, was looking at planting a small and slim tree / shrub (to left) that doesn't mind nearly all shade while growing but can handle midday Adelaide summer sun if it reaches past 1.7 metres high. It needs to be narrow. So was wondering if a paradise (slim) camelia was an option? I could probably only dig down 30cm if I need to change the soil (Adelaide plains clay another 20-30cm down). It would replace the blackberry in the far left. The myrtle is in the middle and a guava (that catches morning sun) to the right. The others are mostly temporary.
You’ve created a really charming little space — thanks for sharing the photo @erikc. Jacob's recommendations are great, especially the Camellia sasanqua or a slim variety of Syzygium australe, both of which can handle your mix of shade and occasional strong sun.
Just to add — since it's quite a narrow garden bed with a few established plants already (like your guava and myrtle), it’s worth considering how much space is realistically available. Adding another shrub or small tree, even a slim one, could create future competition for light, moisture, and root space. There's also the risk that a fast-growing or upright plant could eventually overshadow your existing plants, especially if the camellia or any alternative gets to 1.5–2 metres tall.
If you’re set on planting something, you might look at a compact form like a taller-growing Correa alba, which is more shrub-like and tends to stay manageable in size. This will give you a soft screening without overwhelming the space.
Alternatively, you might consider focusing on underplanting or groundcovers that won’t compete as heavily — maybe something like Liriope muscari or native Dianella, which can thrive in shade and won't take over the upper canopy.
Mitchell
