I'm not sure I fully understand how to apply a sector analysis to a site, specifically
solar. I'm looking to overlay some planting ideas on a base map, but the
solar aspect is halting me in my tracks. Lets assume I want to plant a row of
trees, on contour, halfway across the site. Do I have to know the exact height of all the other trees on the site, draw them out to scale in side view and then apply my solar aspect to each tree at different times of the year to understand where and how big the shade that will be cast is? There are plenty, many of which will no doubt have to come down. How can I understand how elevation over the site affects this too? I've bough a solar compass that
should be coming in the mail, but there are many people putting together designs without such tools - how are they estimating tree shade and landscape shadow in 2 dimensions?
This may seem a simple one and apologies if it is, I just cannot seem to draw together all the variables in order to make informed decisions about where to place each row of trees and what light is going to be available where because of the current mature trees and landforms on site. Looking here and YouTube offers me
alot of geometry and angles, which have never been my strong point but no practical 'this is how you do this on a drawn 2D map'. Any resources for this greatly appreciated.
