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Assessing which compass point we're facing!

Plants often sold by whether they are good for ' south facing' or 'east' and so on.  Don't a lot of us have South East facing or North west etc? I have a south facing patch but because of tall flats opposite and it being a corner shape the South position sun moves off it so quickly that my east facing slot is about the sunniest. I feel I have been buying south facing plants that are not getting proper conditions.

Major problem iin my south facing is my privacy willow screen - otherwise all can see into my kitchen if I have light on and not time for blinds down. I have French Windows. Is there a screen that is more welcoming to sunshine? It's 7' by 6' I trimmed it.

Posts

  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505

    I tend to go by how much sunlight the plant gets rather than the compass point. In my garden south and east are the beds that get a lot of sunlight and get very dry so I treat them the same. The west and north  get less sunlight and are cooler shadier and damper so I treat them the same. Where there's shade from trees,it's dry so that's different again no matter which way they face.

    The compass points are just guidelines to 'ideal ' conditions.

    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • BreatheBreathe Posts: 114

    Yeah good idea. Sadly with my screen it means my south is really east! 

    It's very blowy being by canal and corner aspect - other than going for plants that tolerate wind does THIS also affect considerations( I.e.  you mentioned trees make nearby area dry) I wondered how the gusts affect plants? I have heard wind is drying but I think it ' beats them up ' i.  e. shakes them about, which makes them rangy and affects the blooms.

  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505

    It dries the ground too. I assume it also dries the leaves, which would probably mean they'd need more water. But someone who is familiar with these conditions  will give you a better answerimage

    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • BreatheBreathe Posts: 114

    ?

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  • BreatheBreathe Posts: 114

    Yeah I read that about turbulence- I can't fathom how HIGH to make it effective! But then there's the  issue of losing light for...me at the windows.

    I don't  want my willow but with it gone I guess there'd be even more access for wind.  But as each year goes by I get my survivors/ thrivers and non-producers! And I will get less pots pitching sideways and having a lie down!

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