OK I have been looking, searching, reading, looking again, searching again and reading again for several days now and I am overwhelmed. :) I live in Alabama and in climate zone 8. I am trying to landscape the side of my house that gets about 6 hours of sun a day. The heat/air unit is on this side of the house so I have to keep that in mind and would like to incorporate something that would help shade the unit some. I prefer perennials and LOVE color. I have planted a Jap Maple the appropriate distance from the foundation and is at somewhat of an angle from the unit in hopes to give a little shade as it grows. Anyway, ANY ideas will be appreciated more than you know.