Garden notes

Read the light before choosing a plant

Start with observation, not a shopping list.

Watch your space in the morning, at midday and late afternoon. Record where direct sunlight actually falls. Trees, rooflines and seasonal changes can make a single corner behave differently from the rest of a porch.

Separate bright indirect light from deep shade. Then compare your notes with the requirements on plant labels, including moisture and mature size. A plant suited to shade may still struggle in a dry container beneath a roof.