Sounds like an ambitious project! I hope you'll take before and after photos.
1)Along with Azaleas and Hydrangea you might look into planting some Rhododendron, I like the contrast of the big evergreen leaves with the smaller leaf of the Azaleas. I like Fothergilla for it's early spring bloom and nice fall color. I also love Viburnum Doublefile which bloom with the dogwoods and have very nice color in the fall ( it's a large shrub small tree). *Hydrangeas are very thirst plants so it might be a good idea to put a few of those water crystals in theplanting holes.

2)I'd say you can plant now as long as you've already done all the ammending required for these plants. My motto has always been "If you can water it you can plant it" I would suggest laying down soaker hoses at planting time so that you can give all your new shrubs the good long drinks they will need this summer.

You can plant container shrubs anytime of the year - keep them watered for the first year. I don't know the planting seasons for ball and burlap, but I'm sure someone here knows that. I wouldn't try bare rooted plants at this time of year - if you could even find them now.

Welcome to the forum. Hope to see pictures someday soon and hope you enjoy your new garden immensely.

Azaleas are spring blooming, hydrangeas are summer blooming, so consider the season of blooms. Virginia sweetspire (Henry's Garnet is one cultivar) is late spring blooming, clethra ("Hummingbird" and "Ruby Spice" are two cultivars) is late summer.

I'd have to agree with ilikemud's statement: "If you can water it you can plant it". If you are planning to go on vacation, make sure you have someone water it at least once if we don't get rain. No sense spending the money and doing the work just to have it die of thirst.

Ferns and hostas make good robust perennials to mix with your shrubs.

Welcome to the neighborhood.

Consider adding a slow growing conifer or two for texture and Variagated Acuba for all time color in shadier areas.

Consider oakleaf hydrangeas for 3-4 season interest - they do tend to be large, but they are much more interesting as plants than most other hydrangeas. They are also native to the southeast so are pretty much plant 'em and don't worry about 'em. Not native, but very pretty, are Chinese fringe, loropetalum, which are evergreen here. They come in green leaf, purple, and many which are kind of a combination of purple and green. They can be left shrubby or limbed up to a tree form. They get white or hot pink witch-hazel-like flowers in late winter/early spring - in fact, mine don't seem to know when they should flower and ofter flower on and off all year. They will grow quite tall on their own, but to my surprise, look well even when the leader is trimmed so they stay small.

Not shrubs, but evergreen (or plum) and just beautiful, esp. in some shade, are the tiarellas and heucherellas which you can plant under shrubs. I love mine more every year. They have subtly variegated leaves which can be green and plum with silver, and they send up small delicate flowers on long stalks (coral bells). In fact, I have cut leaves for bouquests - they are stunning.

Welcome.

I haven't been around lately folks - busy with a million projects, but do hope to drop in now and then.

Hi all...thanks for all the wonderful suggestions. I'd hoped to reply to each of you individually as your messages came in, but it's just been too crazy around here. Thanks so much for your input! I've had to go and research some of the suggestions, which has been most educational. What a great forum! I loved the suggestion of taking before and after pictures--I will do that. I'll let you all know what we end up planting--I'm still sketching on paper, trying to get a good balance of color throughout the seasons...you know how it is. ;)

Paula in Alpharetta