Planning your garden design this spring? Knowing your garden’s aspect is important for maintaining a healthy space and keeping your plants blooming. Our guide explores each compass point to help you create a garden you’re proud of.
Key Takeaways
North-facing gardens:
- Predominantly shaded but receive evening sun from May to October.
- Ideal plants: Sarcococca (evergreen), Ivy (climber), and vegetables like lettuce, rocket, kale, mint, oregano, and chives.
South-facing gardens:
- Receive ample sunlight with minimal shade.
- Ideal plants: Hakonechloa (grass), Allium (statement plant), and heat-tolerant vegetables like watermelons, squash, okra, tomatoes, peppers, and aubergines.
East-facing gardens:
- Get morning sun and afternoon shade.
- Ideal plants: Hostas, ferns, and vegetables like spinach, peas, and carrots.
West-facing gardens:
- Receive afternoon and evening sun, ideal for camellias.
- Ideal plants: Verbena bonariensis (airy plant), and vegetables like beans, cucumbers, and pumpkins.
What are garden aspects?
The garden aspect is the direction your garden faces. This determines the amount of sun it’ll receive from what angle and at what time. There are four garden aspects:
• North
• South
• West
• East
How to identify your garden’s aspect
To understand your garden’s aspect, take a compass or install a compass app on your phone. Point it towards the back of your garden, as this will give you an overall view.
If you have a wrap-around garden, you’ll have different aspects. This lets you play around with various plants and flowers depending on the sunlight exposure.
What is the best garden aspect?
South-facing gardens are best because they offer more versatility in terms of designing and planting.
The four garden aspects
Below, we explore each garden aspect in detail.
1. North-facing
A north-facing garden is in the shade for most of the day, but it receives a good amount of evening sun from May through to October. Opt for plants and flowers that thrive in cooler environments, such as:
• Sarcococca
• Ivy
• Ferns
• Begonia
If you’re looking to plant vegetables, consider lettuce, rocket, kale, mint and chives.
2. South-facing
South-facing gardens are considered the most desirable plot, as they receive direct sunlight all day. Choose plants that love the heat and can deal with a reasonable amount of shade, including:
• Hakonechloa
• Alliums
• Lillies
• Salvias
Watermelons, squash, okra, tomatoes and aubergines are ideal for a south-facing garden.
3. West-facing
West-facing gardens are in shade in the morning and receive sun during the afternoon and evening. Plants in a west-facing garden should be able to withstand the heat of the afternoon sun during summer.
The best plants and flowers for this garden include:
• Verbena bonariensis
• Daphnes
• Geraniums
• Elderflowers
If you’re planning to plant vegetables, carrots, beetroot and leeks will thrive.
4. East-facing
East-facing gardens get the morning sun. Plants that like partial shade and need shelter from strong sunlight will thrive here. Afternoon shade protects plants from the sun at its hottest, while evening shade will enhance the impact of white flowers that attract pollinating moths.
Opt for plants like:
• Euphorbia characias
• Hostas
• Astilbes
• Brunnera
East-facing gardens are great for growing carrots, beetroot and leafy greens. These plants enjoy some sun but are sensitive to the hot afternoon rays.
Companion planting
Companion planting is about creating areas with plants that complement each other. They can thrive by attracting beneficial insects and repelling others or by acting as sacrificial plants to keep minibeasts away. They also help improve your soil’s condition.
Some useful tips for companion planting include:
• Avoid planting the same plants together or in a row to stop insects from spreading quickly
• Plant crops to repel insects
• Choose tall plants to provide shade for others
• Plant many insect and bird-friendly plants throughout your garden
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