This does not look like a good site to me, though the evergreens may provide some shade.

- The space is too narrow, front to back, so you will either be continuously pruning and likely end up removing flower buds, and visitors will be brushing against plants as they arrive, not a welcoming feel. You would likely need at least 6’ to keep the rhodies away from the porch and the sidewalk. It looks like a new walkway, and it is unfortunate that it was poured both so close to the building since it seriously limits what you can plant, and it would have been more functional and visually appealing at 4’ wide so guests don’t have to approach the house single file.

- Rhodies are naturally part shade plants. Hot western sun plus the heat absorbed by the masonry and then released after sunset will make this spot unfriendly to rhododendrons and azaleas.

- I would remove the rock mulch regardless of what you are planning to plant, due to heat retention like the masonry, and difficulty in removing weeds (far more difficult than organic mulches like shredded bark), and the fact the it stops the addition of organic matter to the soil, so the plants there will eventually start to suffer.