Talk to your GA county extension agent at 1-800-ASKUGA-1 Encores need at least 4 hours of sun to bloom. You will need to water a lot the first year, though. The Encore Azalea web site has information that will help: http://www.encoreazalea.com Click on the "Care Tips" link. Please also read the section at the bottom on Oklahoma and Texas. The part about clay soil may apply to you. You should be able to get milled pine bark (also sold as Soil Conditioner at garden centers)to work into the soil. You may be able to buy it in bulk. Make sure it has low wood content in the pine bark. Any wood content in the bark will rob nitrogen from the soil. If you buy it in bags, smell it when you open the bag. If there is a heavy turpentine odor, there is probably too much wood content. The more organic matter you can work into the soil the better water retention you will have. Over time the organic matter will break down, so the more you put in now, the longer your azaleas will last. You will also need to keep a thick layer of mulch to keep the sun from baking the moisture out of the dirt. The pine bark will be excellent for this also. Test the soil for proper pH. You may need to add sulfer. There is also a link for the Encore Collection. If you click on the flower you will get the height and spread of the various bushes. Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.encoreazalea.com

First, watering every other day is way too often. There are three things an azalea needs and they are drainage, drainage, and drainage. They are susceptible to root rot, especially in hot weather. If the roots are wet and hot, the plant is very likely to die of root rot. If the plants look wilted in the heat of the day, that is normal. It is way they naturally conserve moisture. If they look wilted in the morning, then they are either too dry and need watering, or are dying from too much water. They symptoms are the same. Also, mulching is very important. It does two very important things: 1) conserves moisture by preventing surface evaporation. 2) keep root zone cool preventing root rot. Good Luck! Here is a link that might be useful: How to grow azaleas and their problems.

A cold hardiness study was recently conducted by the University of Tennessee on the cold hardiness of Encore Azaleas in zones 6A and 6B. I will post the link below, but also a little excerpt from the study. "Five varieties (Autumn AmethystÂ, Autumn CheerÂ, Autumn RoyaltyÂ, and Autumn Ruby and Autumn TwistÂ) consistently exhibited solid cold hardiness throughout Zone 6A. Autumn Sangria and Autumn Sweetheart showed success in protected locations in Zone 6A. In Zone 6B, 18 varieties consistently exhibited solid cold hardiness: Autumn AmethystÂ, Autumn AngelÂ, Autumn CarnationÂ, Autumn CarnivalÂ, Autumn CheerÂ, Autumn ChiffonÂ, Autumn DebutanteÂ, Autumn EmbersÂ, Autumn EmpressÂ, Autumn MonarchÂ, Autumn PrincessÂ, Autumn RougeÂ, Autumn RoyaltyÂ, Autumn RubyÂ, Autumn SangriaÂ, Autumn SunsetÂ, Autumn SweetheartÂ, Autumn Twist (Autumn BelleÂ, Autumn MoonlightÂ, Autumn Sundance were not trialed.) For best results in Zones 6B and colder, gardeners should plant in spring or early summer. In zones 7-9, Encore Azaleas also benefit from fall and late summer planting schedules." http://www.encoreazalea.com/encore/nav.cfm?cat=23&subcat=111&subsub=0amp;id=35 Here is a link that might be useful: Encore Azalea Cold Hardiness study

Hi Wodka, sounds like a really nice place. I'm thinking the azaleas are in partial shade, and bloom mostly in spring but again in fall? so you might want something that would bloom when they don't to fill in the bloom gaps. Also azaleas like acidic soil or acidic mulch like pine straw. I'm not sure how close the azaleas are planted and what could you fit in there. I am thinking canna lillies? They are so easy to grow, you can practically just throw a tuber back there and it would grow. And they are tall. I think they would be perennial in your zone. Not sure how much shade they take but they seem pretty adaptable. What about gingers? I'm not sure about there needs, but I grew them in 9b in some shade. Daylillies are pretty easy and adaptable, some flower stalks are pretty tall. Butterfly bushes? They bloom in summer and you can prune them to be tall and narrow. You would want to try to make sure the colors go well and don't clash. What about some pretty hostas if it's shady, they come up late in spring, maybe even after the azaleas bloom and the foliage is so pretty and they have the flower stalks too. Astilbe (shade), Lily of the nile (agapanthus?) they have nice foliage all year and the beautiful blue to purple flower stalks. You would have to do a bit of research on their cultural requirements as I'm just brainstorming here. Good luck. I'm sure you'll find the right plant.