need help choosing some small flowering bushes

i need help with my moms house, it looks pathetic, the Azaleas and hydrangeas she has are average 4ft tall, old, and scraggly looking and half of them are dead after the freeze.

im going to clean out all the old stuff redo the beds and replant some more flowering bushes.

thing is, the old bushes seemed to do just fine with being out in direct sunlight 24/7 year round yet i see the stores saying this:

quote:

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Azaleas and hydrangeas make a great combination in the landscape. They both love the same growing conditions of acidic, well draining soil, with lots of shade.

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her list of what she wants is:

- no bigger than 24-36" tall full grown
- has to be red or pink flowers only
- needs minimal care to keep alive
- doesnt need to be trimmed more than once a year
- area being replanted is 2ft deep x 40ft long


so please tell me what bushes i should go with, should i plant them 1ft apart, 2ft apart, 3ft apart?

also whats the best way to prepare the ground for them to do best.

TIA