Shady Yard Frustration

Hi all, I'm looking for advice around our shady yard. We are situated facing east, which means that we get our best sun starting at noon when it's hottest. The beds I've planted seem to get good enough sun that we had a nice harvest of tomatoe and lettuce last year so I've increased our planting there considerably for this year, but I'm struggling with flowers and pots. I just don't know where to put them that they aren't in the way, but are still getting the benefits of the same sun! The morning glories I planted on Sunday, thinking they'd get at least a bit of sun in the afternoon, are wilting and sad already because they spend most of the morning in shade, same with my geraniums on the fence line in the back. To plant "shade loving" plants limits me greatly, especially where mosquito repellent plantings are concerned, and that's something really important to us. I guess I just didn't think it through well enough? Do I just need to move everything? Is there a way to help sun loving plants that start in morning shade? I'm feeling really overwhelmed!

I have a few questions.

Did you harden off the morning glories before keeping them in the afternoon sun?

The same question about the geraniums.

It seems to me since the plants were planted on Sunday that they need to be hardened off.

To do this you would only allow a few minutes in the sun, and increasing the time until the plants can take the sun.

"Harden off"?

We started the morning glories inside, and planted them on Sunday, as our temps are finally above 50º at night most nights. Geraniums were purchased from the garden center and planted from pots into the area they will go the same day. I was of the mind that the shade was what was killing them??

Edited to add: I did some research, and no... we did not. I've given them some water, and put the trays I still have to plant (mostly lettuce and tomato) in the shade for a bit outside. The warmer the day gets the better they look. New gardener panic, it seems!

Anne said, "To do this you would only allow a few minutes in the sun, and increase the time until the plants can take the sun.

This is a short explanation.

This thread might help explain better:

Deb said, "I put them out for the day for about a week, under a leafed tree or 30% shade cloth equivalent, in a wind protected area of the yard. Second week they get some of the wind and sun protection removed and stay out day and night (I pay attention to how cold it's getting, I try to keep them outside if it's upper 40's F, and keep them wind protected at night. You can sort of bunch them together to help prevent the wind from blowing them over, and just plant them deeply when you can put them in the ground.

https://permies.com/t/64867/hardening-seedlings

Yes, that all makes sense when the seedlings are still in the trays. But what about when you've already planted them... unaware?

Since you already planted them you need to find some way to shade them in the afternoon.

Maybe you can find a bigger plant in a pot that you can move to shed the plant.

Or put a tomato cage over the plant with a bedsheet or something similar.

Another suggestion would be to mulch with woodchips, compost, leaves, or even grass clippings to shade the soil thus keeping the root zone cooler and reducing evaporation.

Maybe some other folks will chime in to offer some other tips or hints.