Landscaping challenge

One thing leads to another, and the Phactors done one thing, in this instance, removing several old declining spruces, a big old ugly yew, and a rear-view mirror-removing redbud with no other redeeming features (it grew immediately adjacent to the neighbor's driveway). This leaves a 65 foot, south-facing, bed, our eastern front garden without any trees. After so many years of seeking shade-tolerant plants, to be seeking full-sun plants is quite a different challenge. However, with several notable, specimen trees in the background, new trees are not needed, so the front garden will be converted to a flowering shrub border. So the Phactors are shopping. One very exciting find was a Japanese snowbell (an American snowbell is already in a shadier garden) of some size, but the front garden is probably too sunny and dry, but TPP cannot resist and will plant it near our patio. (More good news - the severe cold did not harm our young Pterostyrax, epaulet tree, although a new beauty berry may not have been so lucky.)  The winter also killed a small plum yew, but the locale nursery surprised TPP by having a nice size replacement.  Let's see, naturally a new magnolia will be included. Lilacs are being considered because presently only one small bush and a Korean dwarf are our only plants. TPP would love a giant dogwood, but finding good-sized nursery stock is a problem. So the hunt begins. If you know of something wonderful, do pass along the information.