05/21/2026
Most plant failures in home gardens have less to do with watering or soil than with placing a plant on the wrong side of the house.
South-facing beds — 6-8 hours direct sun. The hottest zone. Tomatoes, peppers, lavender, rosemary, coneflowers, and ornamental grasses belong here.
North-facing beds — minimal direct sun. The coolest, most sheltered zone. Hostas, ferns, astilbe, bleeding heart, and coral bells thrive here. Vegetables don't.
East-facing beds — 4-6 hours gentle morning sun, shaded by afternoon. Roses, azaleas, hydrangeas, lettuce, and spinach do well — they want light without afternoon heat.
West-facing beds — 4-6 hours intense afternoon sun. No light until early afternoon, then direct heat. Drought-tolerant plants hold up: black-eyed Susans, sedum, salvia, and native grasses.
Step outside and identify which direction each bed faces. That one piece of information changes most of the planting decisions that follow.
