Q.sun exposure for roses, hydrangeas and begonias
Hi everyone, would be interested in your opinions.
I’m in Australia where our morning sun comes from the east, and afternoon sun comes from the west (and afternoon sun can be extremely hot).
I have an east-facing balcony on my apartment so it gets full morning sun up until about midday.
I’m considering planting hydrangeas, roses and angel wing begonias.
How do you think these would go with only morning sun? Too much for the hydrangeas/begonias and not enough for the roses?
Also would welcome suggestions on hardy flowering plants if you think my choices won’t be successful.
Thanks everyone!
Angel wing begonia is usually grown as a houseplant. It only needs strong, indirect light; a half-day of outdoor direct light will be too much, I fear. One reason is that it must have consistently moist soil which is hard to achieve in a container in direct sunlight. Tuberous begonias should do fine with morning sun. Hydrangeas come in different types and sizes and the subtypes have different light needs. Most can take morning sun without trouble. Endless Summer is one variety that can be grown in nearly full sun if the soil is kept moist. Roses need 6 hours of direct sunlight. They will make do with less but the result is fewer blooms. Landscape roses like the Oso Easy series are great for containers and are prolific bloomers. Before you begin, check with the building supervisor on how much weight your balcony can take. Several large ceramic pots filled with damp soil weigh quite a bit. Add your weight and that of balcony furniture, grill, etc to make sure there is ample capacity.
