annuals for an east slope

by Anne
(Ohio)

I have an east facing slope where I like to have an annual bed, but most plants tend to reach for the western sky. What do you recommend for mounding plants that will lay nice and be content with the morning sun?

Doug says that shorter plants such as a short impatiens (Super Elfin mix) do this - nice mounding plant with good season long blooms. Most low-light annuals also have shorter varieties as well as taller (more common) ones.

Any tall plant will indeed reach for light in a low-light environment so stick with the shorter low-light annuals. You may have to hunt around for this kind of variety (big box stores are not going to carry them) or grow them yourself.

I know a lot of folks use Begonia in this kind of condition

Having said that, you can keep taller plants short and bushy by pruning out the growing tips to force them to stay short and produce side shoots instead of reaching up with taller main shoots.