Not all shade is the same. The lightly dappled shade underneath the loose, high canopy of a locust tree, for example, is different from the solid shade cast by a tall building or the deep shade underneath a stand of maples.
The full sun this is six or more hours of full, direct sun a day. If plants that need full sun fail to get it, they tend to be weaker and more spindly, have fewer flowers, and are more prone to disease than if they were planted in full sun. Most garderners overestimate how much sun a spot gets, so keep that in mind.
Part shade or part sun. These two terms mean the same thing the area receives at least four hours of direct sun a day. Plants that need part shade or part sun also do well in areas with dappled shade for a large part of the day.
An area with part shade/part sun might receive full sun part of the day and full shade part of the day. Most plants, especially in the hot climates of the South and West, prefer morning sun. It dries the dew off foliage quickly to prevent fungal disease, and is in general kinder to plants than the often-beating afternoon sun.
Full shade. This is less than four hours a day of sun. In these conditions, plant choice is relatively limited, but it still includes a number of attractive choices, such a lily-of-the-valley, caldium, and azaleas.
Posted 2010-09-10 and updated on Sep 30, 2010 10:27pm by james