Best Plants for the East Side of the House

When planning landscaping around your home, it’s important to consider every little detail to achieve great results. By thinking through the conditions that will exist on your property and how those conditions will affect the plants you choose, you are far more likely to get the desired outcome. 

One of these important details is the positioning of your home and how it impacts the various sunlight plants will receive. In this article, we will talk specifically about the east side of your house – the side that will start getting sun first thing in the morning. Some plants are better suited for this sunny spot than others, so let’s highlight some of the best options for you to choose from. 

To get some help with picking out plants for the landscape design on the east side of your house, get in touch with TLC. Our experienced team of professionals knows what works in the Jackson area, and how to position your plants for success. We hope to hear from you today!

Evaluate Your Location

Before we get into any specifics on some plants to consider, you first need to examine the sun conditions on the east side of your home. Of course, the sun will come up on that side, so any plants you use on the east will surely get some morning sun. But what will happen for the rest of the day? Will this planting area quickly fall into the shadow of the house, or will it be exposed to the sun until late afternoon or even into the evening? 

The amount of sun plants on this side of the house receive will depend on the height of the house and how close your garden area is to the house itself. Take some time to check on sun conditions at various times during the day to understand how many hours of sunlight will be offered to this planting area during the growing season. 

When shopping for plants, you will see some designated as “full sun” while others call for just “partial sun.” As a rule of thumb, plants listed as “full sun” should get at least six hours of sun per day, if not more. With the “partial sun” designation, somewhere between three and six hours of sun should be sufficient. Plants on the east side of a building will often, but not always, hit that six-hour mark during the growing season.

Some Options to Consider

With sun conditions evaluated, you’ll be ready to start making a planting plan for this area of your property. Let’s take a moment to look at some plants you might want to consider from three general categories – annuals, perennials, and shrubs. 

• Annuals. Many gardeners love annuals because of the color they bring to a garden throughout the year’s warm months. If you are hoping to plant some bright annuals on the east side of your home, look into options such as petunias, snapdragons, dianthus, pansies, and nemesia. 
• Perennials. Filling your garden beds with annuals alone would leave you with a lot of work to do year after year. Most gardeners aim for a blend of perennials and annuals, so the perennials can get established while the annuals are refreshed every year with a new layout and different colors. Many perennials would be suitable for planting in the Jackson, WY area, including Bergenia Cordifolia, Penstemon Digitalis, and Galium Odoratum.  
• Shrubs. Using shrubs can add an essential green component to your planting areas, define spaces, and bring your overall design together. Hydrangeas are a good starting point in your search, but you’ll also want to consider holly, honeysuckle, and juniper. Pay attention to the expected size of any shrub you select, so you wind up planting something that will be a good fit for your available space. 

Picking the right plants for each part of your property’s landscape design can be challenging, but you don’t have to do it alone. TLC is ready to help not only with the design of your landscaping but also with the installation and ongoing maintenance. Feel free to contact us to learn more.