Just a comment on the north facing situation. It's the back of my house that faces due north. I'm in zone 6, which for me means very hot summers and winters with bitter cold, and cycles of snow - ice - thaw that can be plant killers. Throw in prairie winds out of the west and it's no fun right now. But my absolute favorite planting bed is a 9' x 20' border snugged up against the back of the house beside my back patio. I understand what you mean about the intense light in summer, but there may be a trick to it that will help you decide about what you will plant. I've watched how the shade line moves back toward the house as we move from spring up to the summer solstice (about June 21). At that point the shade line is about as close as it will get to the house itself. For me, there's a 3 ft band that is always in the shade. I don't plant that close to the house, but I do plant near that 3 ft mark. Those plants have access to growing some of their roots toward the shade. Plus the plants nearest the house are shaded through the days of the spring when the tilt of the earth thingy is moving that shade line. Anything closer to the house also gets the reprieve from the sun soonest as the shade line moves back in the other direction further and further from the house. In other words around the spring equinox (about March 21) the house shades an area extending beyond the bed and the patio. At that point everything is in complete shade and the plants are coaxed up from the ground by the warming earth and gentle ambient light. Tulips, daffodils, hyacinths poke up a little later here because they are kept cooler in the shade. Right at the sweet spot (about 5 ft from the house in my situation) a gorgeously robust clematis is beginning to need a little more space. It usually blooms long and then blooms again in the fall. So far I mostly have shade plants in this entire bed in spite of the fact that I know the afternoon light is coming. Kept watered, and tended, and mulched, I have been amazed at how well these shade prefering plants do. But ... I think it helps that as the earth's tilt again shifts the light southward, the shade in this area slowly begins to give its reprieve to these plants. I once used this bed for vegies ... just to see how that would go ... and the things that really love light to do well and are harvested in Aug and later, didn't produce much once they were tucked under the growing edge of the shade. Your situation is different, so you'll have to watch the light. On a sunny day in January the north side of my house is gloomy and significantly colder. The south side is the brighter warmer side. Anyway, my point is that you can work with this exposure and expect good results. There are all kinds of ways to create shade protection. A stepping stone in just the right spot is incredibly effective for keeping the ground moist and cool near a plant. I sometimes use that technique in addition to plenty of mulch. I love my north side beds and was actually planning to add hydrangia to my little playground in back. Wellspring

If the designer has a solid coposition, I would suggest that you ask her for an alternative plant for the reasons that you gave. She is more intimate with the entire composition than any of us will be from a description and is in a better position to make changes that work as an entire composition. I know that when I am asked to change out a plant for whatever reason, it is not uncommon for me to change to a plant much different than the originally proposed plant. The important thing to me is that the entire composition works and I would expect that of your designer as well. The funny thing to me is that the last two times I had someone want to change out a plant, it has been a columnar yew (Veridis Yew). It seems that the males in the house tend to be uncomfortable with the form. Depending on the comfort level of the males in your house, it may be a good thing to ask for a plant with a different form right off the bat. Veridis Yew is a readily available columnar form yew that I can easily find at 4' high. You might consider it as an alternative. Thirty years ago, my father told me not to use upright rocks in gardens for elderly clients and not to use columnar shrubs for guys that seem obsessed with a macho image. His stubborn son has had to knock over upright rocks once (seems I learned that one) and removed columnar plants twice (for the president of an NFL team from outside my area) and just last week (although the landscaper may have been behind that as he was the one who had to replace the shrub that the NFL guy did not want).

Pippi - I think about removing that awning every day! I hate it! But it IS really nice when it's raining (which lately is all the time), so I never get around to it. Plus my hubby is a function over style kinda guy and he likes the rain protection, so only time will tell if I win that battle... :) And yes we have talked about putting shutters on the side, but it's just another thing we never get around to. Maybe this summer will be the moment we've been waiting for! I think you're right though, and it is a needed improvement. I bought almost all of the plants (except for a few gifts from my mother-in-law) and I'd say they are mostly from bluestone, with a smattering from home depot. Indeed, this yard has not been too kind to my wallet, but I figure I could probably have much more expensive hobbies! :)

There are lots of small, evergreens which can take the northside. Pieris is ok....but, you'll need to have your soil tested. I think with your azaleas, you may have had the problem of marginal hardiness (you'd be safer in zone 6, I've done it here in zone 5, but they tend to be deciduous and mine are in a protected eastern location) and also, they like acid soil. Pieris is also an acid soil lover. Look at the dwarf Chamaecyprus, particularly the Hinoki cultivars, and some hollies (holly likes acid soil too, so again, you may have to use some acidic fertilizers to help it along if your soil is alkaline which tends to be the case in limestone areas). I do have a cottage look (after pulling out overgrown junipers and yew ). I use cimicifuga "black beauty" or James Compton or brunette, with various yellow leaved and variagated hostas, foxglove, violas, astilbe, Jap. fern, epimedium, kiragoshoma, iris (dwarf crested), bleeding hearts, brunera and monks hood. Rodgersia and carex as well. Oh yeah, and the various colored leaved heucheras...I can't get enough of heuchera. I add impatiens and monkey flower, as well as coleus for annuals. Oh...and tricerta hirta (various sorts), and other ferns. Carex Bowles golden. Golden or yellow leaved cultivars like shadier spots, so you can also use Sweet Kate tradescantia. Hydrangeas, particularly the yellow leaved or variagated leaved varieties are also good. You'll only need about 3 evergreens (hinokis or holly) on either side of your front entrance and fill inthe rest with perennials. Make sure your soil is amended and light. And don't plant right underneath your eaves, go out about 2 -3 feet before starting. That will give you space to weed as well as be beyond the drip line of your roof. I put down layers of newspaper then cover that with pea gravel to prevent weeds. Hope this helps.