Knowing how sunlight can impact a landscape can be essential in designing one that will suit your needs.
When you’re planning your landscaping, understanding the sun and shade in your yard can make a significant impact on how well your plants thrive. Different types of plants have different sunlight and shade needs, making the sunlight in your space a critical factor. To help you get your most successful landscape, today we’ll walk you through some sunlight tips.
Mapping The Light
Depending on the layout of your yard, different areas will probably have fairly different amounts of sunlight throughout the day. The flow of light can be affected by factors like the cardinal directions of your home, nearby trees, and even the way that any fencing is positioned. For instance, even if most of your yard is in full sun all day, you may have a few areas in near-constant shade. To gain a better understanding, make a light map of your yard throughout the day. With several identical maps of your landscape, go out several times within the day to record what areas are in light or shade. This map may be affected by the seasons too, when you make your first one, be sure to do it in full summer when all the trees and plants are in full foliage. Once you have your full map, you can create a full gauge of how long each area gets sunlight.
Choosing Plants
With your map, you can safely choose new plants to include in your space. Some plants, like tomatoes and most flowers, like full sun, while others only need a few hours or even no direct sunlight. Plants like ferns, bleeding hearts, and more thrive when they have less direct sunlight. Others may prefer a half sun setting and will do best in areas that get equal parts sun and shade.
Making Space For Sun
If you find that your landscape doesn’t offer enough sunlight for the types of plants you’d like to grow, it might be time to make way for the sun! Consider the layout of your space and take a look at if there are any trees that could be trimmed to reduce the shade. It may be more effective to call in a professional as tree trimming can be quite dangerous. A professional landscaper will also be better able to help you identify which trees or bushes would need to be removed.
PLANT THE IDEAL TREES WITH HONEYSUCKLE NURSERY AND DESIGN
At Honeysuckle Nursery and Design, you will get construction and maintenance crews on site who have a minimum of 10 years of experience in all types of landscaping and hardscaping. Our designers will work closely with you to understand how you want to use your space so that we can make the most of your entire site. We are committed to providing complete customer satisfaction and will work with you along every step of the way to be sure that you are happy with your new trees. Please be sure to visit our gallery page for unique, creative designs and inspiration!
Whether you live in Anne Arundel or Howard Counties, we can help you experience your dream space in Annapolis, Davidsonville, Millersville, Ellicott City, Clarksville, Columbia, and surrounding areas. We specialize in Landscape Design & Maintenance, Swimming Pools, Hardscape, and Natural Stone, Water Features, Outdoor Living Spaces and more! Dream, Create, Experience with Honeysuckle Nursery & Design by calling 410-849-5119 or email us to schedule your free no-obligation estimate today. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Houzz, and YouTube!