Exposure

Don’t lose the North !
Exposure is one of the most important factors that conditions the development of a plant. Some need heat and light, others shade. Reserve the right type of plant for every exposure by familiarizing yourself with the orientation of the premises. For this it can be useful to use a compass.

North
It is no surprise that this is the coolest exposure, if not the coldest, of all others. The sun never shines due north. Place shade plants here (ferns, azaleas) and completely avoid sun plants because they will most certainly go downhill.

East
This is the exposure which is only sunny in the morning (the sun rises in the East), for more or less time depending on obstacles (trees, buildings,relief). This situation responds to the needs of plants needing a minimum of light to develop but which cannot take the roasting sun. It is the case for rhododendrons and camellias, that the afternoon sun burns inexorably while a few hours of early morning sun causes them no harm. Avoid planting plants which need a lot of sun against an east-facing wall: you might make them suffer and flower less.

South
The slopes and south-facing locations benefit from a maximum of sunshine and the hottest temperatures. These will also be some of the driest parts in most of the territory, because rain rarely comes from the south (except for local microclimates !). Put full sun plants in this area (Silk tree, roses, lavender, etc.) On the other hand, completely avoid putting shade plants in this area. Otherwise you will surely be setting yourself up for disappointment! Note also that almost all vegetables need due southern exposure : the kitchen garden must therefore be positioned so as to benefit from maximum sunshine throughout the day.

The "due south" effect is reinforced at the base of a wall as it will reflect part of the heat and light from the sun. In cold regions this type of location will be more favourable to cold-sensitive plants, which will benefit from milder temperatures in winter. In hot regions, this will be the most difficult location to revegetate because it is roasting and very dry in summer.

West
This is the perfect location for plants which need some sun and like dampness. Indeed, the western exposure is very damp (there are some microclimates where the dampness comes from another direction, especially in the mountains or seaside). Areas facing west benefit from balanced sunshine, stronger than that of the morning, but less blazing than that of the south-facing locations, which can be blazing. Many plants like being in these conditions (hydrangeas, fuchsias, perennial geraniums, etc.)

The crimson leaves generally need sun, while the brown leaves cannot stand it. It is therefore not easy to put the two together !

Everything possible in-between
Of course it is rare that a given location is facing exactly South or East and more often it is in-between (southeast or south-south-southeast, for example). Take this into consideration to adapt your selection and choose plants for each area that are most likely to thrive there.