Understanding Sun in Your Yard

One of the most common reasons plants struggle is surprisingly simple: They are planted in the wrong light. Every yard has areas that receive different amounts of sun throughout the day. Some spots may receive full sun in the morning but become shaded by trees in the afternoon. Other areas may appear bright but receive very little direct sunlight. Before planting anything, it helps to spend a few days simply observing how the sun moves across your yard.

Most plant tags describe sunlight in three broad categories:

• ✦Full sun — at least 6–8 hours of direct sunlight
• ✦Partial sun or partial shade — around 3–6 hours
• ✦Shade — less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Learning how to read these patterns in your own yard makes plant selection much easier and prevents many common gardening frustrations. Understanding sunlight is one of the simplest ways to improve plant success.