Perhaps PJM Elite is taller, my PJMs are only about 36" tall after ten years. They aren't very dense either, more airy. Not what I would call good for screening. They are nice, with early color and they have fall color too.

Maybe mixed with some conifers for more solid screening?

Rhodies like shade. They need watering frequently and good drainage.

Really? When I look at the specs for many of the Rhodes and Azaleas it says full sun or partial shade. I do have an irrigation system and they can be watered whenever necessary. The drainage is excellent.

Does anybody have any other suggestions???? I am open to possibly an attractive drwarf conifer tree/shrub that grows 4-5 feet and not too wide that has colorful foilage and softer leaves.

I was thinking of some Dwarf Japanese Cypress "Sungold" shrubs. Does anyone have these? I think they are cool looking and would give the patio a lot of interest.

HELP!!! I don't want to make another mistake!! I already purchased 9 Escallonia's last summer, but there were so many bees swarming all the time, we couldn't sit out and enjoy the patio. The dog chased them and they were flying everywhere. So, I'm moving them to another part of my yard and am desparate to find a better choice!!

Your question needs modification.

Its not a matter of what grows to 4' to 5', but what plants can be pruned to maintain them well, at that height once they reach it. Plants don't typically stop growing at the height listed in the book.

Other than maybe ornamental grasses and some perennials.

Nandinas, when thinned right (not sheared), look very nice.

Potentially, the bigger ones can get up to 7' someday, but not if stems are selectively removed, or cut down a lower node to arrange foliage at various levels.

Perfect drainage, high degree of soil aeration and low soil temperatures needed for longevity of rhododendron plantings. Many will grow in full sun in cool climates such as ours - thousands are produced commercially in open fields here - if their roots are kept cool with close planting and careful mulching. Where sun bakes the root zone in summer root rot may develop and eat the plant away, even when watering is consistent.

Another factor is that while the foliage of a particular kind may hold up well in sun the already rather ephemeral flowers it produces may melt away rapidly under day-long sun exposure. This is more of a problem with those that come out after it has started to warm up than those that flower in winter or early spring.

If this is a hot, sheltered spot the fast-growing, aromatic and showy (in bloom) rock roses (Cistus) might be the ticket. Many of these are subject to severe winters, be sure to note hardiness expectations of any specific kinds being considered.

I hadn't thought of rock roses, but they may work. It isn't a sheltered spot though. Do rock roses need a sheltered spot? I know they are deer resistant and that's a really good thing because the deer and elk come right up on the patio. However, about 2/3rds of the patio is not covered. Do you know if the flowers on the rock roses attract a lot of bees? I used to have some in my old house in Issaquah and never noticed.

And the Compact Nandinas may also be a good choice. I was looking at some varieties and the "Compacta" or "Gulf Stream" or "Compacta Nana" only grows to 4-5 feet tall and is evergreen and deer resistant with great foliage color.

Great ideas!! I think I'll pass on the Rhodies for this spot because in the past, I found that Rhodies do like a little afternoon shade to thrive.

What about the Dwarf Japanese Cypress "Sungold"? Anybody??

Viburnums have a huge selection of different types - some evergreen, different sizes, and different flowering times. Might be worth some investigation.
Daphne in Tacoma

The cypress will creep up bigger than that over many years. Due to the yellow color I would want to use a little of it with some blue foliage conifers or other compatible plants and the bulk of the planting green-leaved conifers.

Conifers aren't as shiny and cheerful as broadleaf evergreens so it is best not to have too high a percentage of them in any one part of the garden. Although they can be interplanted with broadleaf evegreens often they are most effective on their own with heathers in a place where there is plenty of light and space. (Heathers are broadleaf evergreens, of course, but their tiny leaves produce a fine texture that looks well with conifers).

Thanks for the suggestion regarding the dwarf cypress. I'm going to get one and find a place for it where it will be the focal point.

Now I've got some shopping to do!!

Happy spring!

Conifers and heathers together are one of my favorite combinations.

If bees are the issue, then virtually any flowering shrub that blooms heavily in summer when you are likely to be using you patio can pose problems. This would include the cistus - it is quite appealing to bees. And I'd worry about winter damage to cistus in the Cascade foothills - it gets it often enough in the lowlands to be disfiguring.

There are many rhodies that are extremely sun tolerant that would fit your requirements with a possible exception of height and the ones that are most sun tolerant tend also to be quite a bit more drought tolerant as well, provided they are watered well during establishment and provided with suitable soil conditions. These would include all the PJM clones as well as most of the yakushimanum hybrids and bloom time is early enough in the season so that bees are not inclined to produce much of a problem.

Rather than selecting a single species to carry the load and offer what could become a rather visually boring hedge appearance for a good part of the year, why not select a combination of smaller, broadleaf evergreen shrubs and dwarf conifers for a mixed planting? Even if a few of the shrubs were to bloom during the summer months, they are unlikely to attract the hordes of bees that may appear were you to have a massed planting of a single type of flowering shrub.

Thanks gardengal48 for that suggestion about mixing it up a bit. You know, I really never even thought about doing that, but you are right, it would give the border a much more attractive appearance during different times of the year. The only restriction is that the border is somewhat narrow, only about 3 feet wide extending around the patio about 35 feet long.

We haven't completed the surface portion of the patio yet, but right now it is a half circle that extends out 15 additional feet from our existing cement patio which is about a 13' x 25' area. The extension is on the top of a retaining wall so it is a fixed area. (You already saw pictures of it on a "shrubs" thread I posted earlier with the "killer view"). We are going to put pieces of flagstone on the extension part with groundcover in between the pieces and we purchased a 3 tier fountain to install when it's completed. So, the more I think of it, the more I like the idea of mixing a few shorter shrubs with a few taller (4-5') skinny conifers and even some low border type annuals or perennials in front. And, you are right about the PJM Rhodies and the bees, that it would not be a problem during the early spring.

What are some of the broadleaf evergreens and dwarf conifers that you would recommend? As I said, I do have irrigation for that spot and the soil and drainage are excellent.

Thanks for all your help. Analzying it like this makes me feel confident it's going to turn out right!