I would not consider a southwest exposure necessarily a shade location :-) While it may not get morning sun, the sun that it does receive is very strong in intensity. If more than 4-6 hours in summer, I'd look at full sun plants.

You need something evergreen. There are not that many broadleaved evergreens suitable for that climate but your local garden center/plant nursery should be able to recommend some for you. And there are always needled evergreens - conifers - that will work and are available in a very wide range of mature sizes.

gardengal48, I am assuming the OP is talking about half-sun, and that's not the same as full sun :-) The list rates shade hardiness in a low/medium/high format, and it includes evergreen trees.

I don't care to get into an argument about this but I do this professionally and it is not just the duration of the period of sunlight but when it occurs. After midday sunlight is very strong and many of the plants on that list would not be at all happy in an unobstructed southwestern exposure.

gardengal48, The text accompanying the list states first and foremost that defining the duration and type of sun is important. The OP just said "afternoon sun". My assumption could be just as wrong as yours. OP might get three hours of afternoon sun from 12PM-3PM. The sun might be dappled. (Mass is very woody.) I don't know, and neither do you.

And if you read my very first statement, I said not to assume that a southwest exposure is necessarily shady. It could very well be full, unobstructed sun but not until after midday. That is not part shade. And 3 hours of afternoon sun can be the equivalent of 6 hours of morning sun just due to increased intensity.

I agree that only the OP can determine what the sunlight exposure is. I was only attempting to clarify that just because the direct sunlight does not hit until after midday does not mean that this should be considered a part shade situation.

btw, if sun is dappled, then it is part shade.

SW afternoon sun to me doesn’t say dappled or only 3 hours. I would hope that gle would have mentioned it if that were the case.

So gle, how much sun and is it mitigated by over hanging trees or something else that would make this part shade. Anything over 6 hours of sunlight is considered full sun, and if it is over 2 or 3 hours of SW sun, I would use sun tolerant plants as opposed to shade tolerant plants.

I apologize for any confusion I may have caused by not properly describing the planting area. Based on the information you all have provided I will be using sun tolerant plants in 80% of the area; the other 20% is shaded from the garage and a portion of the home.

Based on the information I provided; I planned on planting the "All Summer Beauty" hydrangea in the sunny area.

Will it suffer in the sunny location?

Thanks again.

All Summer Beauty likely won’t be happy in afternoon sun. And it may not bloom well. Hydrangea macrophylla is root hardy in zone 5 but the overwintering flowerbuds are often killed by cold winter temperatures or by late frosts.

[https://www.houzz.com/discussions/mac-success-stories-in-zone-6-dsvw-vd~5599252?n=21[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/mac-success-stories-in-zone-6-dsvw-vd~5599252?n=21)