I recently cleared out an overgrown garden border at my new house, which I believe used to be a spot for veggies. Now that it's all clean, I want to plant some nice shrubs and perennials that will look great year-round. The border is against a fence and mostly faces east, getting plenty of sun until mid-afternoon in spring and summer. However, in the winter, it's in total shade because of my house blocking the low sun. I'm pretty new to gardening and I'm a bit confused about what types of plants I should choose: do I go for sun-loving, partial shade, or full shade? Should I focus on the light conditions during the growing seasons? By the way, I won't be planting right up against the fence since there are a few well-established blackcurrant bushes and a gooseberry bush thriving there. Any tips on what plants might work well would be appreciated!
3 Answers
Consider summer perennials that prefer full sun. They’ll really liven up your garden space! Some great options include Echinacea, Rudbeckia, and Salvia.
I have an east-facing garden too, and I can grow a ton of plants! Just as a heads-up, they might take a little longer to get going in spring because they're waiting for more sunlight. By summer, they start to thrive, even if your sun exposure varies throughout the year. Most full-sun plants should do just fine there as long as you watch their light needs.
To start, plants thrive in different light conditions: full sun means 6+ hours of direct sunlight, partial shade is 3-6 hours, and full shade is under 3 hours. Since your garden area gets good sunlight in spring and summer, I'd suggest focusing on plants that are partial to full sun for those seasons. Just keep an eye on how they handle early morning sun, as some, like Camellia or Acer, may not love it.
Yeah, I’d agree! Don’t stress the winter light too much; it’s mostly about what works in the active growing seasons. And remember, starting out, it’s okay to experiment a bit with what you plant!