The north side of a two-story brick building receives a different summer than the sidewalk in front.
At Steele Street, the courtyard behind the building is divided by shade. Areas farther from the wall receive more sun. The northeast corner supports the most productive growing space, while the northern and wall-adjacent areas favor plants able to use less direct light.
The building does more than remove sun. Brick stores and releases heat. Walls reduce or redirect wind. Roof runoff concentrates water. Reflected light reaches leaves from angles not captured by a simple north-arrow label. Seasonal sun changes the duration and depth of shadow.
This is why plant tags provide a starting category rather than a site plan. Six hours of direct sun in an open field is not the same as intermittent light inside masonry. A plant near the wall may receive less light and more retained heat. A container may warm and dry faster than the shaded air suggests.
Vertical growing uses the gradient. Hops and clematis climb toward light that ground-level plants cannot reach. Containers can move after the courtyard reveals its actual season. Shade-tolerant habitat can occupy the area where forcing tomatoes would produce weak plants and repeated disappointment.
The building’s shadow is often described as lost garden area. It is more useful as a map of different assignments.
Source
gardening/spaces.md