Oak leaf hydrangea, but maybe too big?

Climate area?

MN zone 4 for the most part. The Rhododendron sounds promising!! Thank you mazerolm.

The first pic is from about five years in, the next is two years later--the only year I got any blooms worth talking about.

We have a Calycanthus (Carolina allspice) 'Aphrodite' that blooms well in part shade. It gets big with a suckering habit but you can cut off the long shoots for a more compact shape. It looks like it would work by the A/C unit if that's one of the Endless Summers you're replacing (not an Annabelle you're keeping). Another unstoppable shrub that blooms reliably anywhere, even in bright shade, is Japanese kerria (Kerria japonica). We have one against the foundation and one by the shed that get very little direct sun. The bloom season is earlier and relatively short but sometimes it throws out a second batch later in summer. Also suckers somewhat but extremely prunable and I just pull out the suckers I don't want.

Check hostas, hellebores and compact hydrangeas like Bobo.

Hostas I am full up on--have over 200 different varieties. That is why I wanted something that would bloom. GREEN I have!! LOL

Check the Northern Lights Azaleas from the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/gardening-by-zone/zone-4/azaleas-for-zone-4-gardens.htm

Check the Northern Lights Azaleas from the Univ of Minn:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/gardening-by-zone/zone-4/azaleas-for-zone-4-gardens.htm

OP: Just wanted to share the relief of removing Endless Summer! Mine bloomed maybe 2 of the past 5 years. Way too much work (cutting down the dead stems early June; all that foliage in the fall to clean up) - all for few/no flowers some years. Following this thread to get some ideas.

Check zone 4 hardiness carefully on suggestions. For instance, I typically get a lot of dieback on Calycanthus and oak leaf Hydrangea flower buds typically aren’t hardy here. Check out Kalmia/mountain laurel, and there are some evergreen as well as deciduous Rhododendrons that are hardy into zone 4, though you will need acid soil to grow them.

The page linked below has several evergreen rhodies hardy to-25, if that is cold enough to work in your garden.

http://www.rhodyman.net/rhodyhy.html

Or the Rhododendron Society has a searchable database that will give you rhodies that are hardy in your area.

https://www.rhododendron.org/search_multi.htm

and for azaleas:

https://www.rhododendron.org/searchazalea_intro.asp

Fothergilla Mt Airy has done well in my yard on the southern edge of zone 4, but I don’t know how it will do in MN. Spring flowers and fall color, though better with at least a few hours of sun.

Do a web search for clematis that do well is shade, especially if you have a spot in the bed with a few hours of sun.

There are Hydrangea arborescens in colors other than the creamy white of Annabelle. Check out Invincibelle Ruby and Minimauvette for a couple of shades of pink. There are other pinks as well.