What to grow in an east facing garden
5 Minute Read
Step into the realm of east-facing gardens, where the rising sun casts a gentle glow on your plants and garden. In this guide, we'll navigate the distinctive characteristics of an eastward orientation, exploring the opportunities it presents for a thriving and vibrant garden. From plants that relish the early morning sunlight to those that gracefully adapt to the subtle transitions throughout the day.East-facing gardens are shaded in the afternoon, with most of the sunshine in the morning hours. This aspect of garden is perfect for growing edible crops such as carrots, peppers, leafy greens and plenty of ornamental plants.
The first step when it comes to assessing your space is to evaluate the quality of your soil. East-facing beds and borders have the potential to freeze in the cooler months and bake dry in the summer; so, it’s vital to ensure your soil has been prepared with a rich organic matter to help both the condition and nutrient levels.
Here are our top plants to grow in east-facing gardens:
Honeysuckle:
Given the right level of care and attention, hydrangeas can live for up to 50 years if given the right growing conditions. These shrubs are known for their colourful pom-pom-shaped blooms. These versatile shrubs do well in the morning sunshine and thrive in well-draining soil.
Foxglove:
For the ultimate cottage garden feel, plant up foxglove within your east-facing beds and borders for clumps colour. These incredible blooms are prolific self-seeders, allow them to spread naturally for a woodland garden feel. WARNING: Foxglove is TOXIC to both humans and pets if consumed.
Cordylines
These palm-like evergreen trees produce dramatic leaves that create architectural shapes in beds and borders. A cordylines colour usually varies from lush green to deep red. Mature plants yield stunning clusters of incredible-smelling flowers in the warmer months. Cordylines can withstand winter temperatures as low as -5°C; however, foliage is susceptible to damage if not protected.
Impatiens:
For stunning blooms even in the shadiest part of the garden, grow impatiens. Expect bursts of red, pink, and purple to enjoy all day long. Impatiens will tolerate full sun but will not survive hot and sunny conditions, making an east-facing space sunshine an excellent area for them to thrive, thanks to the cool afternoon shade.
Primrose:
These perennial plants are an ideal way to add interest to beds, borders, rock gardens and containers. Primrose requires very little care and thrives in shaded, damp woodland conditions, making east-facing spaces with a few hours of morning sunshine the ideal place for primrose to grow.
Clematis:
There are plenty of varieties of clematis that bloom right the way through spring into autumn in shaded spots. East-facing friendly varieties include:
- Clematis Montana var. rubens
- Clematis ‘Helsingborg’
- Clematis ‘Perle d’Azur’
- Clematis macropetala ‘lagoon’.
Ferns:
Ferns thrive in shaded areas, making them the ideal plant for shady, north and east-facing spaces. The rich coloured foliage and distinct texture of ferns helps to add valuable greenery to beds and borders.
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