Sun, shade and shelter

Plants are fussy about light. A sun lover in shade grows lanky and won't flower; a shade lover in sun scorches. In this lesson: working out how much sun each part of your garden gets, the kinds of shade, and how hardy a plant needs to be.

Stand with your back to the house and check a compass. A South-facing border gets sun most of the day, ideal for sun lovers. A north-facing one is shady and cool. An east-facing border gets morning sun and cold winds, and early flowers can be damaged when the sun thaws them too fast after frost. A west-facing border gets warm afternoon and evening sun.

Not all shade is the same. Light or dappled shade, with sun filtering through leaves, suits a wide range of plants, especially woodland ones. Damp shade suits ferns and hostas. Dry shade, under trees and at the foot of walls, is the hardest spot, because roots and walls take the water. It needs tough plants chosen for it.

Wind dries plants out and snaps tall stems, so exposed gardens need tougher, shorter plants. A hedge filters wind better than a solid fence, which can cause gusts on the other side. Low spots where cold air collects become a frost pocket. And a warm wall, facing south or west, can shelter plants that are borderline hardy.

Plant labels often show the R H S hardiness rating, from H one, for plants that need a heated greenhouse, to H seven, the toughest. H three plants are half-hardy, safe only in mild areas or under glass. H four plants are hardy through most of Britain, apart from cold inland valleys, high ground and the north. H five plants survive most severe winters, and H six and H seven are very hardy anywhere in Britain.