This summer, once the sun's heat gets too intense, there will be many people, especially those red of hair and fair of skin, who will head for a cool seat beneath the nearest shady tree. Then there will be those of us who will move from a shady position to one with more sun, in the hope of keeping our spirits high and tans topped up. Plants, just like people, have preferences for sun or shade, but unlike us, they don't have the legs to propel them to their desired position.

It's up to you, the gardener, to ensure your plant has its preferred allocation of sunlight on tap throughout its lifespan, allowing it to grow healthy and strong. An incorrect planting location, such as placing a sun worshiping lavender from the Mediterranean beneath the total shade of an oak tree, is in many gardeners' eyes tantamount to plant abuse. Maybe there is a need to set up the ISPCP (The Irish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Plants), for those gardeners forcing trees, shrubs and perennials to grow in unsuitable light situations.

To help you avoid light problems, you should read the label attached to plants in the garden centre before you buy them, instead of just taking them home only to discover you do not have a suitable planting aspect. The light requirements on these labels are normally listed as 'full sun', 'part shade', or 'full/deep shade', but what do these terms mean exactly?

Full sun

This means the plant should be positioned where it will benefit from at least six hours of direct sunlight. This does not have to be baking hot sun, but it must be unobstructed light, preferably including intense noon sun.

Failure to provide six hours of sunlight can cause 'full sun' plants to flower poorly, grow slowly or form spindly specimens, arching towards the best available light. Examples of plants requiring full sun include yucca, buddleia, most roses, and lavenders.

Part shade, partial shade or dappled shade

If you see this printed on a plant's list of needs, you should allow it only three to six hours of direct sunlight a day. Bear in mind that noontime sun can be far too intense for these plants; they often thrive best if they receive only morning to noon sun or else the less severe evening sun.

Dappled shade occurs when strong, lengthy sunlight makes its way partially through the branches and leaves of a sheltering or overhanging tree. Examples of plants coping with partial sun include primrose, berginia, comfrey, busy lizzies, foxglove and hydrangea.

Full shade or deep shade

Anything listed as requiring this aspect can cope with less than three hours of sunlight daily. Plants that fall into this category are very useful, as I'm sure like me, you will have those dark, dingy areas of your garden where most sun-loving plants struggle towards failure. Examples of plants coping with deep shade include lily of the valley, many euonymus, skimmia, vinca, fatsia, and most plain green ivies.

To sum up, planting the right plant in the correct sunlight is one of the basic skills of gardening, a skill that will repay you with increased flowering, good growth rates and lessened pests/diseases. Until next week, happy gardening and remember that a weed is just a plant in the wrong place.

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