Yup, you will - one of the reasons it's recommended not to plant anything major in your yard until you lived in the place for at least a year is because of where the sun moves to and from - it can be very dramatic. Rules of thumb (hope this doesn't strike you as obvious now), but northern exposures need to be able to take pretty deep shade for all but 2-3 weeks in the height of summer. West exposure is always the hottest here. Southern exposure is second hottest, but is good for warming the plants (and house) durning the cooler months. Eastern exposure is almost always the best, espcially if there's shade after noon or so.

HTH, hang in there; it's a learning process!

Most everything, except trees and shrubs are in containers so they can be moved. I hope this works - no spot seems to be really great - goes from complete sun to complete shade and nothing in between. The few spots that would be okay will not allow me to enjoy my plants - you know, the side of the garage, stuff like that -

Lots of folks on this forum do well with pots, I am not one of them. I think more stuff has died in pots because I refuse to water daily and watch every little change in sun direction - a weekend out of town can result in a ton of losses.

I think that once you are a little more used to being here you'll find plants and areas that are more compatible than you have so far. Especially when your trees leaf out some.

Hang in there, the cooler weather will be a lot easier on all of you!

PC, I know it's conventional wisdom that northern exposures are shady, but at my house it doesn't work that way. The north side of my house gets full sun all summer long; the sun even angles in my French doors to heat up the rooms on that side. In winter - when I would appreciate that sunshine - that part of the yard is in shade much of the time! On the map, it appears that my house faces due east, but I get more shade on the south side than on the north, so go figure. I had to move stuff from the north side to the south this summer so it wouldn't fry.

Okay,Tommy - you're going to tell me I'm wrong, but it is possible that your house is at a slight angle, instead of facing due north.

I do agree that early in the am and late in the afternoon you can get some light as the sun swings in a kind of lopsided arc - it appears farther south at noon than at 6:00am mid-summer. Does that make sense? I wish a could draw a picture, it's a lot easier to explain that way.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it....

>smile

Hey, PC, no way I'd say you're wrong; it's just that my house faces (supposedly) due east. I can't figure out this sun angle thing. The north side - part of my back yard which is off my kitchen and new bonus room - should be shadier, but in summer it's hotter 'n h*ll and in winter a lot of it is in shade. How can anyone tell if their house is built at an angle? I can't be the only one having this question.

tomatofreak,

the easiest way to tell is to look for the north star at night. place your back against the northside of the house. if the north star is due north, then you're house is aligned with the cardinal directions and not angled.

detrick

That's from the weatherman, himself!

>smile

I'm with TF here. The north side of my house gets burning sun in the summer. If it weren't for some tall trees on the northwest it would be worse. The sun goes down way north west in the summer. Granted, it's not *all* summer but enough to really scorch anything that thinks it's getting a nice protected location.

Thanks, Detrick, now all I have to do is remember how to find the North Star.

Judy B, you're right; it's not *all* summer long, but when it is, it seems like summer will *never* end! I want to landscape that part of my yard, but I may have to use something like those interesting steel sculptures your handy hubby makes! I had to move *all* the plants this year to keep them from frying.

Ok, no more astronomy lessons. Get yourself a compass or make one. I remember my old house was 22 degrees off of a true N/S axis.

If you don't have a compass, just make one. Magnetize an old sewing needle and put it in a shallow dish and viola', instant magnet. Then you will get your story without any more guessing.

:-)

It is interesting knowing where north is, but it doesn't change whether you get burning sun in or not. I know where north is and I *still* get summer sun on that side. We may be a little off true north but not so much that it would make a difference. I get sun on the north side in summer approximately the same angle on mornings and afternoons. If my house were situated off true north I would see a difference in amounts of sun at those times.

If your plants in that particular location get too much hot sun during summer and too much shade during the winter, why not place deciduous trees to even things out? Deciduous trees would provide filtered shade during hot summers and would let in sun during winter dormancy.

I don't care what anybody says (not really, just on this subject!), I've observed this for YEARS, I tells ya, since I was a little kid, and the north side of my houses and yards, and parking garages, and my friends' houses and the grocery stores, in late June and July, the sun goes further north than straight up over us! Even if a building faces dead-straight due north. Of course, this is the wrong time of year to go out and observe it, but you just watch next summer.

That's MY story, and I'm sticking with it, PC! Even amid the slings and arrows and dirt clods...

Okay, okay >holding hands up in mock horrorI give! Uncle! North gets sun!