Help me make my house look a bit more inviting...

[PeachesMcLean]

I need to brighten up the front of the house. It's only a tiny forecourt so I don't have much space and can only really use plants. I've got a smallish cordyline in a pot (about 2 foot tall) and have had a pot with a lavender in it next to it.

The lavender's had it (overpruned). Not looking impressive at all. The pot is about a foot high and a foot in diameter. It gets full sun all day long in summer and I'm rubbish with watering so ideally it needs to be fairly drought resistant. It needs to be available from an average garden centre and be something I can buy in a fair size so it looks good from the off.

All ideas welcome please.