We recently removed all that we could of a very large tree stump that was left by previous owners in the corner of our front yard. There is about 2-3' of soil on top of what is left of the stump but I am afraid that whatever I plant there will have trouble growing overtop. Ideally I'd like an evergreen shrub or small tree that has some variegation or flower to plant here (it is seen from the road and our front window). We are in White Rock, BC and the space faces south west with a lot of sun exposure. There are Rhodos, peonies, fuchisa and a butterfly bush (not sure of the proper name for that one) around the area. I'm a novice gardener with two busy little kids so something low maintenance would also be ideal! I love the idea of a holly bush (false holly?) but it has been suggested that Choisya, Pieris Japonica and Heavenly Bamboo would do well here. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
With 2-3 feet of soil to work with, just about any shrub would work. But you have to keep in mind that the buried stump will slowly rot away and create a depression. If you are looking for a permanent solution, you will need a plant that doesn't mind having its crown buried ever deeper as you fill the depression over several years.
If you have dug down 2-3' I can't imagine the stump would go much deeper, most generally don't go very much further than 1' below grade, unless fill was added around the tree during its lifetime. As a general rule, I like to try to plant at least 1' to the side of the location of a preexisting tree if the option is available. Maybe California lilac?