more specifically .. these are all conifers ...

and in your other post.. i taught you how to look up annual growth rate ...

and it is easier to do that... if you convert to the proper latin names ... google what you have.. and look for the latin ..

ken

You may find more expertise on these in the conifer forum.

Size is just one variable in the selection process and one that I am fully cognizant of. That is an accessible and concrete variable I can continue to winnow down through further online research. That is not the nature of the question in this post. I have no problem whacking them back as long as its a variety that takes kindly to pruning. I'm more interested in thoughts and opinions on aesthetics, how they'll work in my sun shade set-up, comments on hardiness, disease or pest issues, personal experience from growing them, drought tolerance or thoughts on general availability in the marketplace.

Blue Star Juniper is fairly common.
Give it more room than I did 30 years ago. This one is on a standard.
Mike

I agree that Blue Star Juniper is the most common. I've only seen it in full sun so I don't know how it would do in your 3 hours of sun. This far north, wild type Tsuga canadensis, Canadian Hemlock is fine in full all day sun, though it grows naturally in shade. We have them growing wild in full shade as well as a planted full hedge of them (as do my inlaws nearby) with full exposure to sun and wind without any issues, so I imagine your exposure would be fine. I don't know anything about your particular cultivar, Jeddeloh, however. I've seen regular-sized hemlock sheared as hedging, but not specifically pruned for size. Balsam fir also grows wild here, but not much south of us, so I am not sure if it will be happy for you or not. It will grow in full sun if planted there, but our wild ones grow in mixed woods with both hardwood and white pine, though they seem to require somewhat better drainage than the hemlocks and grow more full with more light. I think sheared balsam is ugly (some of the Christmas tree farms do that around here) and I've never seen it pruned any other way to my knowledge.

No experience with Pinus nigra of any type.

No sure which post is more active but all these plants are somewhat blah. There are things like Picea orientalis 'Lemon Spreader' that will be more interesting for you.

It would be nice to know what will be in front of these plants.

Love Juniperus 'Blue Star', Always beautiful, but does need lots of Sun.
Have Picea pungens 'Thume', a dwarf Blue Spruce, that also needs Sun and looks good all year round.

Blue Start Juniper is actually one of the most shade tolerant junipers out there. Still not a plant I'd plant with three hours sun. Speaking of black spruce they are quite shade tolerant so 'Nana' may be an option for you.