Sun Requirements and Light Conditions

At Juniper Level Botanic Garden (JLBG) we like to begin by explaining that all shade is not created equal and when talking about sun and shade, we all have our own ideas about what that means. It's sort of like going to the store and asking for white paint. A clerk will quickly respond, "Do you want flat white, glossy white, antique white, eggshell white, clear white, or what?" You see, all shade is not necessarily the same. Shade levels can also fluctuate throughout the year as the sun's position changes and in different seasons when gardening under deciduous versus evergreen tree canopies. 

Sun: 6+ hours of direct sun during the day.

Image of a full sun part of the garden.

Sun - greenhouse beds at JLBG

 

Sun to Part Sun: A few hours of direct sun to 6+ hours of direct sun during the day. Plants that prefer cooler conditions benefit from sun in the morning. Plants that love heat prefer the hot afternoon sun.

Shop sun to part sun perennials.

Sun to Light Shade: Indirect filtered light to 6+ hours of direct sun during the day. Plants that prefer cooler conditions benefit from sun in the morning. Plants that love heat prefer the hot afternoon sun.

Sun to Shade: Tolerant of 6+ hours of direct sun to no direct sunlight during the day.

Part Sun: Areas of your garden that receive shade to light shade during most of the day, but get a few hours of direct sun, either in the morning or evening - plants that prefer cooler conditions benefit from sun in the morning and afternoon shade during the heat of the day, while plants that love heat benefit from shade in the morning and prefer to bask in the hot afternoon sun. 

Shop part sun to shade perennials.

Image showing an example of part sun area in the garden.

 Part Sun - Bog Garden at JLBG

 

Image showing an example of light shade in the garden.

 Light Shade - Mystic Creek at JLBG

 

Part Sun to Light Shade: Areas that receive a couple of hours of direct sun per day to indirect dappled light throughout the day.

Part Sun to Shade: Areas that receive a couple of hours of direct sun per day to dense shade for most of the day.

Light Shade: Light shade occurs where there is a smattering of large and small trees, where indirect rays of light can filter through the canopy of limbs. This can be artificially accomplished by selective removal of trees in a forested area, and through removal of many of the lower tree limbs.

Image of an example of light shade in the garden. 

Light Shade - Hardy Tropical Garden at JLBG

 

Light Shade to Shade: Filtered light to full shade throughout the day.

Shade: Dense shade is by far the most difficult type of shade in which to garden. Since plants need light to photosynthesize and produce food, only those plants with low metabolism can survive.

Image of an example of shade in the garden.

 Shade - Front Office at JLBG

Shop all perennials.

Plan your visit!

Juniper Level Botanic Garden
9241 Sauls Rd.
Raleigh, NC 27603