Maybe you could define - for yourself if for no one else - what "special" means to you. There are so many ways that shrubs can be special, especially from a close-up perspective. Let me give you an example. I know that I am a foliage gardener first, and I am also a plant minutiae gardener who likes to see things changing every day, and always having something to anticipate. For example, my favourite plants next to my front steps are Anemonopsis macrophylla, a perennial that takes months to form these little ball-shaped buds and then another eon to open them. Maybe I'm an easy mark, but I watch and enjoy that plant all spring and summer, same with a fern on the other side that unfurls huge fronds one at a time all summer. So for me, no matter how wonderful a flowering display might be (say, lilacs), the undistinguished foliage and (lack of) form of the plant makes it dull for me, especially because if something like that is next to the deck, by the time you can sit out there, there is nothing more to look forward to with it. It's done for the year. Your preferences may be totally different. You may be focussed on fragrance, or bloom colour (I go plant shopping with a friend who is into pastels. We never fight over a plant. If it's pink and fragrant she buys it, if it's orange and has great leaves, I do). Let me start by asking if your rhododendron diagnosis means no rhodos in that spot again? I fortunately haven't had to learn that. But if not by the deck, then perhaps in the other spot? There is a plethora of Rhodos with fabulous foliage and good form, but you have to hunt them down (such as the legendary Sir Charles Lemon that never blooms but with leaves like that, doesn't have to). I personally avoid the ones that turn into green blobs, have undistinguished foliage, and bloom in trusses (I'll flex on the last point to get the first two right). Now, here's the trick. If you know what you want, you may be able to get it from quite a common shrub. My little laugh at myself is that I have spent probably thousands on special shrubs (not kidding, I'm afraid), but of those that have survived, few have given me the enjoyment that a garden-variety blue hydrangea has - one left behind in a pot by the previous owner; I don't even know what it is. Similarly, because mock orange takes a long time to get its act together each year, I actually really enjoy it (and that might be good for the spot beside the deck but some do get huge... and maybe they can in that spot). I'm not going to check zones for you, but here are a couple of shrubs I have enjoyed that might work by your deck: Disanthus, Loropetalum fire dance, Fothergilla, and unlikely but true, Rose of Sharon/Hibiscus - in my case, Red Heart. Love the branch structure and grey trunk of my hibiscus. On that note, you might also consider one of the smaller special bark trees, like an Acer griseum or Japanese maple with the stripe bark attribute. Yes, the maples are OK in part sun/shade. And you probably can't grow Edgeworthia, but if you can.. Beside the deck too you might consider specialty conifers. Once you get into them, there are some to die for. Tougher to find one that would work in more shade. Of the shrubs mentioned so far, I have to say I was all excited about getting an Itea, but in real life: deadly boring. In particular, in my climate it needs good sun to get its famed fall colour. Kalmia too, I just couldn't get too excited about it. Final word, I promise: by the wall, anything deciduous will lean for the light. I would recommend evergreen for sure there - rhodo if you can. Alternative: put a big focal point container there with something in it that you like. Karin L

Here are some conifers: Picea abies 'Nidiformis' - "Bird's Nest Spruce - Green Variation": Probably my top pick. This conifer is green with beautiful overtones in summer, but when the weather starts getting cold in fall it begins to turn yellow. Then come December or so, it's a bright school bus yellow. This is one of the best around. Pinus contorta var. latifolia 'Chief Joseph' (midsummer) Pinus contorta var. latifolia 'Chief Joseph' - winter Another with yellow winter coloration. Simply striking! Pinus mugo 'Zundert' Some blue-color: Picea pungens 'Saint Mary'/'Saint Mary's'/'St. Mary's Broom' - a million spellings out there. This is a special blue dwarf picea pungens that grows very slow but has some of the most beautiful color not usually captured by the camera. A larger specimen would need to be purchased... Pick up at any nursery: Picea pungens 'Globosa' And just something else for variety's sake. Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Silver Lode' All these are slow-growing. The 'Silver Lode' plant can simply be sheared. The other conifers to control growth, when they push their new spring growth and needles are extending from the growth (about 2 weeks in), simply pinch off the new growth where you wish and buds for next year will form at that point thus keeping the growth 'pruned for life'. Then of course this should be treated like a bonsai project if you really want to keep something say should you like it. You'll simply need to watch the root system(s) and prune them every so often replenishing while removing old garden soil from roots and root pruning at this time. Early spring would be a good time to to this anytime before the plants start growing. Your current mix of topsoil and compost is not a good mix for any container plant, honestly. Sure annual flowers, etc will do fine in this type of a mix, but really topsoil is like mud and should be avoided. I realize you are a gardener so I didn't push this topic earlier. But quite honestly, you need to get a better mix. Photos courtesy of some of my GW friends who really have beautiful stuff happening. Dax

Whoa, are they predicting 90? I hadn't seen that, but wouldn't that be typical? Thanks Carla and @Deep_roots for the suggestions. Carla, I already paid a guy to take out more than 200+ feet of half-dead privet that lined the entire fence line. It really is a pain having to get back to ground zero. I had considered putting in a few more cypress to balance off the pathway, though I really like the azalea idea--rhododendrons too. We were looking at the area again this morning and are now thinking about putting in a stone border so we can level the slope while also adding a good 6-10" of soil over the top of these roots. I know azaleas and rhododendrons like a raised bed and would companion with the redwoods well. That is really a nice idea. I love the redwoods behind the wall because when I look out my bedroom, I feel like I'm in a cabin in Tahoe. I would love to expand on that woodsy atmosphere. I'll have to double-check their sunlight requirements, as my only concern is that they'll want more shade than the spot provides. Hmmmm, maybe a reason for getting that pergola up sooner than later. LOL Thanks for the ideas! You two have got me thinking! I know you all would!

I admit..it is odd. But true. In spring the bed was in full shade - bright light but no direct sun. I actually checked one Saturday - hourly - NO direct sun. Now when I get home around 5:30 it is in direct sun and dh says it's like that most of the afternoon (I need to check it out tomorrow to see how many hours of direct sun it is getting). I know it sounds weird. But there you have it. The cannas? Last year I put them out in spring and they lived but didn't thrive. They grew to about 2-3 feet high and didn't bloom. After I moved them this year (to full sun) they have grown to almost 9 feet tall and are in bloom. Last summer I didn't think to check the light exposure - I have to guess that the full light late in the season just wasn't enough.??