I've got two mountain laurels planted in part shade. They're young plants, and sulked for their first year in full shade (I've heard that it's common for mountain laurel to take a while to establish), but I also had them where it was fairly dry. They didn't like the dryness. This spring I moved them to a slightly sunnier, moister position, and they're thriving and growing. I wouldn't do full sun unless they were kept moist.

I live near Binghamton. Where are you gardening?

Laurel

I have mountain laurel "Minuet" only planted last year. It's in full sun, well mulched and watered. It gets some shade from the porch. It's getting ready to flower, but deer ate several of the ends off last winter, and I have just twigs on that section now. I can't say I think it's thriving, nor do I think it's suffering.

I'm just as confused. I did prepare a site especially for kalmia, which receives a blast of morning sun then dappled shade from about noon. Probably sufficient.

Here is a link that might be useful: kalmia

It will grow in full shade to full sun. Cultivars with reddish/pinkish flowers develop their color more fully in sun.

Heres my Pink Globe ML that I bought last fall. It gets mostly shade. We protected it with a wrap of chicken wire around posts and a piece of plywood on top of the posts. A second just wrapped with chicken wire will not bloom this year. Protection was for deer and winds that dehydrate shrubs in the winter.Hosta is growing up through branches.

There are three fantastic Mt Laurels at my grandmother's house, two of the white bloomers and one pink. The pink stands about 6' x 6' and the others are well over 8 feet. They get a healthy dose of morning to early afternoon sun, and shade the rest of the day.