Creating shade for your garden

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If you would like to grow tropical plants in the desert, the best thing to have is shade. And the easiest way to get it is to be sure that your garden is on the east side of your house. I purchased this house with a garden in mind, so I made sure the backyard has afternoon shade.

So, the best backyard has an eastern exposure. That means that the garden gets morning light and starts to get shade after noon. I have a one-story house, and, as you can see, by 3 pm in the summer, there is excellent shade that extends about eight feet. And because the sun sets between 7 and 8 at this time of year, the house provides 4 to 5 hours of nice shade.  So, the lesson here is to buy a house with the back yard facing east. If you can't do that, the next best thing is to have the back yard facing north. Don't even think about a backyard that faces south or west! It's just too hot here.

I am fortunate to have the combination of a backyard that faces east and a tree. That means the "prime real estate" for my tropical plants is along that wall and under that tree. But don't make the mistake of thinking that there will be too much shade! This is the Sonoran desert - the morning sun comes blazing it at 90 degrees these days!

Personally, I don't like shade cloths hanging in a backyard. It's OK for a nursery, but it just doesn't seem right in a yard. And I'm also not crazy about temporary shade over plants, either. If your plant is in the right place, and you plant it at the right time, it will grow.

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