Are beauty berries the deep purple berries ? Not so attractive in winter
Also, my pentas bloom late and are nice for cuttings but it took awhile for blooming - in south jersey
It might be good just to go to the garden center and see what you like in the annuals section. They should already be a good size and blooming.
Watch out if you go to Home Depot or Lowes. Many of their annuals are treated with neonicotinoids and there may be a label telling you that, but it’s usually hiding behind the regular label. Neonics are a systemic pesticide that has been detected in the nectar of flowers and may be contributing to the decline of the honeybees who feed on those flowers.
@SouthJerseyChessMom I wouldn’t know if beauty berries are ugly in winter. On mine, no berries are left in winter. By late fall all the berries are eaten up by birds.
@greenwitch Thanks for that info about neonicotinoids. I didn’t know that. I plant tomatoes and basil each year and it seems that there are fewer honey bees each year.
We used to live in the Chicago burbs and had a strip of garden between the house and driveway. We planted lantana every year and they did very well as annuals.
@igloo I have some beauty berries growing, we never planted and they are very twiggy in the winter. I saw a large beauty berry plant last year while walking with friends and we marveled at it in full bloom - stunning
@ChowdyCat I have been growing mandevillas for twenty years in pots - they will double in size and send long trailers out - great with trellis - don’t know if right for along border along home -
Nothing too bushy, nothing too tall, and I don’t think vines would work in the space. I have a nice list of things to look at thanks to everyone and I will be off to the garden center later today.
Full sun in chicago I’d do snapdragons-they come in every color of the rainbow and you can get tall and short varieties.
I’d also do african daisies, they love sun. Sweet william smells good and is tough. Dwarf sunflowers (the birds will love you). I wouldn’t do impatients in sun.
This year I’m not doing any annual planting or a veggie garden because my summer schedule is crazy. I drive by the gardening centers and just sigh.
Pelargoniums are good, low maintenance and tough, but not my favorite. Same with marigolds. Salvias are good in sunshine.
Gaillardia’s are nice, too (blanket prarieflower). Tough as nails.
neocotinoids are derived from the tobacco plant. Which reminds me that nicotiana is another beautiful annual (also related to tobacco).
“This year I’m not doing any annual planting or a veggie garden because my summer schedule is crazy. I drive by the gardening centers and just sigh.”
Hugs. I am in the same boat. 
I like your suggestion of snapdragons. So colorful and easy-peasy to take care of.