Here is my experience: 1) Morning sun is more important than afternoon sun. 2) Full sun means a plant is getting direct sunlight for at least 6 hours. 8 hours is preferable in fruiting plants. 3) Partial sun means that a plant is getting at least dappled sunlight for at least 4 hours. Leafy greens seem to do fine in partial sun. 4) Partial shade means that a plant is getting perhaps 2 hours of sunlight per day....and the rest in indirect shade. Even hardy greens will grow slowly in partial shade. -If your plants are getting direct sun from the morning to the afternoon.....they should be fine. The most powerful sun seems to be from the rising east....perhaps that is why sunflowers always turn in that direction. -Hope my experience is helpful. -David Mason

Agree with Ken to some point BUT it *is* possible to have plantings under a maple. I've done it. Under multiple maples. The trick is to find plants that handle the root competition and don't mind some dryness, and to plant a bit out from under the tree - I'd say at least 6 foot away from the base of the tree. There are also a few tricks you can pull out of your bag such as lining holes with garbage bags or sink large plastic pots to plant in, use moisture-absorbing crystals, etc. I have even gotten hydrangeas (!!) established under a maple tree, and they are thriving (the moisture crystals were invaluable here). Here's an example photo. You can see the shadow of the maple in the lower left corner. We have turtlehead, hosta, fern, brunnera, and you can see the edge of a hydrangea. The bed extends closer to the tree, you can't see it in the first photo. Anyway, the edge of the bed begins about 6' or so from the base of the tree. Hey, I think the plants are doing pretty darn well. I used the garbage bag trick to get the turtlehead going, but they've been there about 10 years already and are firmly established. Same bed, different angle. There's plants behind/next to the hydrangea you can't see in this photo: Point is - it takes effort to garden under maples, but it is possible if you're willing to do some trial and error and be creative in how you manage the problem.

I have been growing numerous snakebark maples here in SW Ohio with varying degrees of success. Additionally, I have observed many at regional arboretums. Invariably, these do best in at least some amount of shade, as the thin bark is easily and often damaged by winter sun and the resulting cankers kill or kill back the tree. This lesson, believe me, has mostly been learned the hard way. "Joe Witt" is a sensation selection. I have seen several in the PNW, with the best being at Washington Park Arboretum. Very white, very striking bark. My own, growing in about as much shade as I can give it, is doing okay. A straight species A. tegmentosum nearby is outgrowing it however, and an A. grosserii hersii just off to the side is putting them both to shame. But for bark color, "Joe Witt" is supreme. As for comparison to any of the A. palmatum types, it is almost like they are from a different genus. Not alike at all. The snakebarks are bigger trees, taller and more upright and have large, coarse (yet beautiful) foliage which is quite unlike palmatums. Scott

Yes, well, except the cilantro. I've since decided to leave that out since it is really a cool weather herb. So in the same pot I hope will go: Sage, parsley, and basil.