Mine (at my old house) was in full sun all day and thrived. I took cuttings to bring here and have put them in mostly sun and close to the garage to keep them from freezing. It worked but then a week ago or so, caterpillars got to them OVERNIGHT! but their on their way back after being sprayed.

This is to RB, since you seem to know Big Smile - I recently purchased 3 of them as a support for Children's Cancer Cure fund raiser. I have one in a shaded corner with only a short AM sun - she's doing great after a month there. 2 of them are planted in a W facing front strip that used to be shaded by a beautiful Ornamental Plum that just very recently had to be taken down (reoccurence of borer problem - controlled for a few years). I have been studying the sun exposure for a few days and have been, like a plant-nut that I am, shielding the Hostas and the 2 Big Smiles with umbrellas and lawn chairs when old mighty Sun hits the strip. I had purchased a Royal Raindrops Crab to replace the demised Orn. Plum but have to wait for it to provide the very much missed shade, do I have to move my 2 Big Smiles or will they toughen up some and with much TLC and H2O, to be able to handle a few hours of aft. sun? I love where they are now and can only imagine them when they grow up to be the handsome pretty Smiles that they are. Greatly appreciate your thoughts!!! Ditas

These are great suggestions, thank you! I think I will try at least one. Why not, since they are free and I'm not in dire need of them elsewhere. Yes, the apple tree roots make life tough for plants in this area. Digging is not so hard, but it sure does look like the life is sucked out of some of the residents. I have soaker hoses in there and I keep it moist, but things are still not happy. I'm trying an experiment with a few plants. I'm planting them in a generously-sized pot, then nesting that pot inside another of the same size, but with a piece of screen in between. I'm figuring that the screen will limit tree roots coming up into the pot, and with two pots I can take out the upper pot from time to time and break off any roots that have come in. I love the plant suggestions. A few were on my list (astrantia, geranium, dicentra 'Luxuriant') but now you've given me several more to think about. Thank you! The spot is currently populated by volunteer columbine and lupine and looks stunning in the spring. But by late summer it's dreary. It's especially dreary now, since I took out all the plants that were too eaten and too shady. So, it's pretty much a blank slate now. Photo: Thanks again! Further ideas are totally welcome!

whoops I accidentally made 2 posts. Can the mods delete this post? Thanks