Where is afternoon sun

These tough areas require tough plants. Since every landscape is unique, there could be a variety of solutions to dealing with excessive sun exposure. Or maybe the home entrance faces west and needs a few nice foundation plants or an accent flower bed for curb appeal.

Regardless of the scenario, this list of afternoon sun plants offers a variety of solutions. If space permits, planting a shade tree can help. Trees that grow tall cast pockets of shade that move across the landscape as the angle of the sun changes through the day. The temporary shade that they provide gives smaller plants a bit of a break from the heat, and helps the adjacent soil to retain more moisture. Flowering trees add ornamental beauty and structural interest to the landscape.

Many selections grow best in the understory beneath larger trees and struggle in locations with intense sun and heat. But Malus species Flowering Crabapple and Lagerstroemia indica Crepe Myrtle are two plants that can tolerate late afternoon sun and reward you with gorgeous bloom displays. If the landscape is a room, then evergreen shrubs are the furniture. Often used to accent entryways, add interest to large wall expanses, or to create living screens, evergreen shrubs are vital to effective landscape design.

Of course, not all perform well in intense light and heat. Thuja occidentalis Arborvitae grows to a pillar shape that is ideal for creating privacy screens or accenting tall entryways and corners. Ilex crenata Japanese Holly features round, evergreen, boxwood-like leaves and a globe-shaped growth habit that makes an excellent landscape filler or neutral screen to highlight low growing shrubs or perennials in front. Flowering shrubs, whether evergreen or deciduous, add seasonal interest to the landscape with their bloom displays and, in many cases, foliage color.

Layer them in foundation plantings among evergreen shrubs, or use them to create accents and focal points throughout the landscape. Choose flowering shrubs that will tolerate afternoon sun and give multiple ornamental seasons.

Numerous cultivars of Abelia chinensjis Abelia offer green or variegated, evergreen to semi-evergreen foliage, and either pink or white flowers in midsummer. Itea virginica Sweetspire displays white flower panicles in early summer, brilliant burgundy foliage in autumn, and red stems through the winter.

Perennials are herbaceous plants that grow back from the root year after year. Most are planted for their weeks-long flower displays. Include different species that bloom in spring, summer, and fall, as well as different plant sizes and flower types for a dynamic display that changes throughout the growing season.

The best perennial afternoon sun plants are both sun loving and drought tolerant. Salvia nemorosa Meadow Sage grows low to the ground, and produces purple flower spikes in spring. Coreopsis auriculata Tickseed produces a profusion of golden yellow flowers in late spring to early summer. Echinacea purpurea Purple Coneflower is a tall midsummer bloomer with pinkish purple flowers. Hylotelephium telephium Autumn Joy Sedum is a mid-height succulent that produces pink buds in late summer, followed by red flowers in fall.

Killing frosts are more common on northern exposures and linger longer, making it tough for tender plants. On the other hand, plants are likely to stay dormant until the weather warms for good, rather than going through the false starts of spring that are more common on southern exposures. These sites stay much colder in the winter, cooler in fall and spring and do not become as broiling hot in summer as a southern exposure.

This makes it a perfect place to grow plants that like full sun, but suffer with intense heat, such as those originating in latitudes farther north. Many species need a certain amount of "winter chill," defined as hours below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, to develop flower buds and fruit in summer, making them excellent candidates for a northern exposure in the garden.

Brian Barth works in the fields of landscape architecture and urban planning and is co-founder of Urban Agriculture, Inc. His blog, Food for Thought, explores the themes of land use, urban agriculture, and environmental literacy. Home Guides Garden Gardening.

By Brian Barth. Related Articles. Define Market Value. Northern Exposure Literally the opposite of a southern exposure, a north-facing slope or wall is a cold weather microclimate. Subtle Variables In reality, it is rare that wall or a slope faces perfectly north. What It Means for Plants Warmth and sunshine cause plants to break from dormancy and start growing, a process that is delayed in garden areas with a northern exposure.

Plants Suited to Northern Exposures These sites stay much colder in the winter, cooler in fall and spring and do not become as broiling hot in summer as a southern exposure.