I Live In Fairview, Nc. There Is A Bed In…
Nancy Asked
I live in Fairview, NC. There is a bed in front of my house that gets an hour of sun in the morning then again from 4:00-5:00 p.m. Would you consider this full or part shade?
The Gardener’s Answer
Hello, Nancy in North Carolina: When it comes to determining the amount of light your garden receives, it can be confusing, especially if it is a situation like yours where the space is basically in the shade except for an hour of sun during the morning and another hour in the late afternoon. Technically speaking, six hours or more of direct sun is considered full sun. Four to six hours of sun is part sun/shade depending on the time of day, and two hours or less of sun is considered full shade. Also, the time of day the sunlight hits the area needs to be taken into account. If the area receives direct sun in the morning and/or late afternoon, it is not the same in terms of intensity as the high, midday sun between the hours of 11-2. So to answer your question, the bed in the front of your home would be considered full shade. When choosing plant material to landscape this space, make sure they are shade-loving options.
