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Yeah, I meant to do that

Tribune photo by KIM FRANKE-FOLSTAD

Luckily for this gardener, Viva SunPatiens don't always live up to their name.

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@tampatrib.com

Published: July 2, 2009

Updated: 07/03/2009 12:11 pm

Back in May, Penny and I divvied up a flat of Viva SunPatiens - impatiens specifically bred to thrive in full-sun and high-heat gardens.

We were both pretty excited. Penny because she has no shade at all in her yard, and me because the promise of vibrant orange and purple blooms sounded just right for a new section of my garden.

Turned out, though, the location I chose isn't sunny at all. I didn't notice until those beautiful, healthy plants were in the ground, but a giant shrub casts a shadow on them all day.

I was sure I'd blown it - that Penny's SunPatiens would thrive, and mine would heckle me every time I walked by. "What part of SunPatiens don't you understand?" they would gasp, reaching out for rays that would never come.

And, yes, I expected Penny to tease me, too. She's a little competitive that way. We're like the Williams sisters on our best days. Lauren and Heidi on our worst.

But here we are, several weeks later, and guess which gardener's plants are thriving? (Hint: NOT the one whose SunPatiens are actually in the sun.)

This isn't the first time we Dirt girls have noticed this "full-sun" phenomenon. I've even seen a few plant tags lately that have adjusted the "all-day-or-no-way" six hours-or-more full-sun mandate, noting that it doesn't necessarily apply in hot climates like ours.

I'm learning (finally!) that many sun-loving plants actually enjoy the relief a little shade can offer. For example, the blue daze (Evolvulus glomeratus) I planted in light shade look much happier and healthier than the poor patches that get roasted all day every day.

It's all about experimenting.

Which is part of the fun of splitting a flat with a gardening friend. You can compare notes. Learn from your mistakes.

And mock her when you win.

Kim Franke-Folstad

Come play in The Dirt at TBO.com, Keyword: Dirt. We provide all the tools.

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