Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Sun definitions

WildlifeloverWildlifelover Posts: 380
in Problem solving
I’m struggling to find a clear answer as to what full sun means - I’ve read it means at least 6 hours of direct sun but is this all year round?

I have a bed which is currently getting around 7 hours direct sun but earlier/later in the year, when the sun isn’t as high, it only gets around 4 hours. In winter, it probably receives no direct sun at all.

Am I able to plant full sun plants in this bed or would part shade be better?

Thanks.

Posts

  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    Normally related to summer, plants that flower at other times of the year don't expect that much sun, unless you live in California haha
  • AthelasAthelas Posts: 946
    Here are the definitions according to https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=934:
    1. Full sun: More than six hours of direct sun per day at midsummer. 
    2. Light shade: A site that is open to the sky, but screened from direct sunlight by an obstacle, such as a high wall or group of trees. 
    3. Partial or semi-shade: Three to six hours per day of direct sun at midsummer. Midday sun supplies considerably more light than morning or evening sun and sites illuminated at the middle of the day might be considered to be in light shade. Semi-shade is a term often used by writers but not defined. It is likely to mean a situation in half sun and half shade where there is some direct sun but possibly for less than half the hours of daylight.
    Cambridgeshire, UK
  • WildlifeloverWildlifelover Posts: 380
    Thanks, so based on this, the bed in question can contain full sun plants? Number 3 is a tad confusing though re sites illuminated at the middle of the day might be light shade - I have a bed on the eastern edge of the garden which doesn’t get sun until midday but then gets 6 hours at present - so is this not full sun?

    apologies if these are daft questions, still learning!
  • AthelasAthelas Posts: 946
    edited May 2021
    Wildlifelover said:
    I have a bed which is currently getting around 7 hours direct sun but earlier/later in the year, when the sun isn’t as high, it only gets around 4 hours. In winter, it probably receives no direct sun at all.

    Am I able to plant full sun plants in this bed or would part shade be better?
    I have a south facing bed just like that, planted for 4 years now with what are considered full sun plants such as rosemary, agapanthus, salvia, saxifrage, lavender, alliums, Mediterranean spurge, blue fescue. The perennials don’t mind not having any sun when they are dormant / without growth above ground during winter; they’re mulched thickly in autumn to help insulate them during winter, and they wake up just at the time the sun begins to reach the border in spring. The evergreen plants get through winter ok but it’s not a clear cut science and you’ll probably need to experiment with a range of full and part sun plants to find which ones will thrive in your border.

    Some things don’t work out — this year I lost all but one scabious plant (planted last year so it was an experiment) and also a small established escallonia hedge to leaf spot, a fungal disease specific to escallonia which was likely encouraged by having completely no sun over winter — so it remains a challenge, but you can always introduce different plants over time to see what works.
    Cambridgeshire, UK
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It means in summer conditions. Full sun would be at least 6 hours.
    However, it isn't the only criteria. If you have shrubs, trees, or other tall planting close by, that will affect what you plant. Other buildings [yours, or neighbouring] will also have an impact. 
    As for semi shade - an east facing area will tend to get morning sun, and be out of the sun when it's at it's hottest, but it depends on those other criteria too. I have a neighbour across the road whose front garden is east facing, but because there's nothing preventing the midday sun reaching it, it means it's a much sunnier spot than my east facing border which has trees to the south end.  
    Mature shrubs and trees which provide some shade are the best 'type' of semi shade.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Rob LockwoodRob Lockwood Posts: 380
    It's a good OP, and one I'd been considering myself, but excuse my scientific and meteorological igorance.  Athelas' and Fairygirl's "summer conditions" (no reason to assume they're wrong) is however all a bit meaningless for plants whose features (foliage/flowers/fruits etc) occur in spring or winter isn't it?  There are parts of my garden which will get almost uninterrupted sun in summer (well either side of 22 June?) and not much in eg spring, so when I was looking at somewhere to put aubrieta, I needed to be looking at somewhere which got "full sun" in spring.  Or did I?  :)
Sign In or Register to comment.