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plants should thrive: angelica, astilbe, betony (aka lamb’s ears), black cohosh, catmint, coral bells, ferns, foxglove, heliotrope, hostas, lady’s mantle, mallows, mint, pansy, soapwort, and sweet woodruff.
    6–12 Hours of Sunlight = Full Sun. Look for heat-tolerant plants such as rosemary, lavender, coneflowers, sunflower, santolinas, and scented geraniums. You will also have great luck with culinary herbs and roses if you do not allow them to dry out. Exposed sites, such as rooftops, penthouses, terraces, and balconies, often receive six to twelve hours of sunlight per day and perhaps indirect sunlight as well.

    Wind and Rain Patterns
    Rain is grace; rain is the sky condescending to the earth;
without rain, there would be no life.
    john updike

    Too much of a good thing may create its own challenges. Full sun and steady winds can cause problems. Plants can bake in strong summer heat. Excessive winds strip moisture out of plant leaves, which is known as transpiration. Transpiration is the process in which a plant loses water, primarily from the leaf stomata (the pores in the epidermis of leaves and stems).
    There are four main factors that affect transpiration. These factors are light, temperature, relative wind, and humidity. How do you avoid this little situation? With regular watering and with mulch, my friend. Try adding an inch-deep layer of natural mulch to your planters. Also consider providing a little shade and/or a windbreak for those full-sun gardens with awnings, pergolas, and trellises.
    The next time it rains, you will also want to keep an eye on how precipitation falls on your chosen site and how the water drains. Some spots may stay completely dry, some areas may take in a bit of water, and some will receive a good soaking—so plan accordingly. Together, these growing conditions of shade, sun exposure, and rainfall patterns will help you determine what you can and cannot achieve in your urban Witch’s garden.
    Don’t panic now; go ahead and make your drawing. Find out how much shade or sunlight, wind and rain you will receive. Another quick method is to check out which direction your site is oriented to; use a compass if necessary. Here is an easy directional plant list with annual and perennial plant suggestions for color and structure. (This is a general rule of thumb only; remember those other site considerations that were discussed earlier. For more plant options, check out the plant list on page 29 as well.)
    South Facing . This is sunlight all day, which can be described as full sun. You should have success with the widest selection of plants and culinary herbs. Also try annual purple fountain grass, sunflowers, roses, geraniums, and petunias.
    East and West Facing . This is around six hours of sunlight, also considered full sun, but in the morning and evening respectively. East facing: hydrangeas, day lilies, morning glories, impatiens, and azaleas. West facing: geraniums, coreopsis, clematis, coneflowers, lavenders, and sunflowers.
    North Facing . This could be as little as two hours of sunlight per day. If you receive upwards of three to five hours of sun, this can be described as partial shade. Two hours or less of sunlight would be full shade. North-facing plants include begonias, bleeding hearts, hostas, ferns, hellebore, lily of the valley, and rhododendrons.
    No matter what your sun exposure, make the most out of the space you do have by arranging containers in groups that complement each other. Today, container gardening is one of the most popular forms of gardening. If you take a look around, you can discover myriad magazine articles and books devoted to the topic.
    Conjuring Container Gardens
    I know a little garden-close
Set thick with lily and red rose,
Where I would wander if I might
From dewy dawn to dewy night.
    william morris

    Keep in mind that when you place large containers on decks, balconies, or rooftops, check the strength of the structure first. Find out