I have three skip laurels planted in the sun. they have to be monitored closely so their clay soil does not get too dry or stay too wet too long. I actually had to even raise them about 10 inches on better draining mounds. One of them I even had to replace. Over the same period of time I had another Skip laurel planted directly in the clay and under the canopy of my mature Scarlet oak tree. It gets almost no morning sun but nice filtered midday and direct afternoon sun. This shaded skip laurel has always been healthier, grown and flowered better, and has never seemed to have suffered in the overly dry or excessive hot days. It also has never shown signs of stress during the cooler and more rainy days. So, I agree the shaded area you described should be fine for you Skip Laurel, unless the slope is such that moisture drains away so fast out of the soil that the shurbs you plant experience too much drying of roots. The Shade you mentioned should slow down the shurb's moisture loss, but that will not solve a shrub's negative response to an excessivly draining dry soil all the time.

I live in a wooded area of southeastern PA and it is well known to all landscapers. Garden nurseries such as Snipes in PA, or in NJ Vincentown Nursery that sell the varieties of laurel (though most prefer the easier Schipkaensis laurels, that annual fertilizing of the shrubs is recommended in Spring to maintain as well as to promote good foliage and growth. Winters here are not exactly a predictable trend, and even this past season, the leaves in some of the middle sections have turned brownish or yellow. The plants are not completely deer-proof even after they get dense and quite tall. So my posting is based on my own experience as well as those professionals whom I have been in contact with. The soil can be whatever it is but laurels are an acidic fertilizer loving plant like a blueberry, azalea, or rhododendron, and most evergreens as the Holly. So I hold to my comment about fertilizers and schedule. Not many ever commented on their care in the past on the web. Others had similar problems with the laurels dating back to 2006, and not one comment appeared until 2012. So thanks for the reply and concerns. If yours are doing good then good for you. Mine are quite dense, lush and full bearing with flowers, berries, and new leaf growth. Of course every Spring, there is always a very small amount of spent leaves.

you might also consider if they were greenhouse propagated.. and you slammed them out into direct sun.. that there was some related sunburn or some such ... it might also follow.. that if they were wind protected in a greenhouse.. that wind could have dried them out more than they were accustomed to .... you should probably harden things off for a few weeks ... before you plant them.. in the future ... gradually letting them acclimate to local conditions ... all thaty said.. the damage looks rather minimal.. and i would look to see what newly pushed growth emerges.. and if it isnt fully acclimated.. and fine ... perhaps there is nothing left to fi ... the fert drench could also have burned the leaves if improperly mixed.. or applied in sun ... possible.. but maybe not probable ... also ... newly planted plants are stressed.. in your case from shipping.. changes in sun/humidity/air movement.. etc ... but they are most likely .... not hungry ... next time ... just plant them.. and water them properly until they get established.. before you fert them ... and if you amended the soil last year.. im not sure they needed more fert ... ken

No. Cut it into sections, each with at least one leaf node, and insert into a well drained mix in a pot outdoors in shade and leave it in peace for a few months. Don’t let it dry out.