Deseret Nursery Perennial Farm

The dividing line between sun and shade is this - If the garden spot is sunny between the summer hours of 1:00 P.M. and 6:00 P.M., then it is considered to be on the sunny side.

At our nursery, on our pricing signs, we divide the Full Sun designation into  Full Sun and Cool Sun, and Full Sun with Heat Tolerance, the latter meaning plants for the inferno patch, or hell strip. 

 We have also created the designation of Cool Sun for Utah.  These are full sun areas that are not near any sources of radiating heat such as near concrete, or the south side of a house. These are spots that are surrounded by signficant areas of grass, or other plants. Cool Sun areas would also include full sun areas right outside the parameter of the shade line.

Part sun areas are defined as areas with  morning shade but afternoon and evening sun.  Part Shade areas are defined as morning sun, but afternoon shade.  Many Spring flowering perennials are defined as Part Shade or Sun in Utah. They are flowering in full sun, but they are are flowering at a time, coverd by trees that have not leafed out yet, or are in the process. These plants do not like our summer heat, but they are shaded during that time frame.

Many plants can grow in multiple spectrums.  In this situation we list the most prefered location as the first listing on our signs.  For expample the sign will say "Full Sun to Part Shade" Full sun is the prefered location, but it will do reasonably well in part shade.

 The parameters of light designation can be blurred if the plant is receiving very frequent waterings. For example some shade plants will exist in sun if they are being watered everyday and the soil is quite pourus. But this is self defeating in the effort to saving water, and it creates an unsustainable anomaly. The tell tale sign of plants that are in the sun, when they should be in shadier areas are that the plant has a yellowish cast to it, it has a hunkerd down look, it is not really spreading its wings, or it is dead.

Also, very deep shade areas such as under pine trees or big overhangs are essentially no man's land. Even pine trees where the lower branches have been removed to a higher point.  We have recomended certain plants for these areas, but in the end the positive results are minimal and far between.

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