Most plants need between 6-8 hours to be considered full-sun. I'm not familiar with harsher afternoon sun for plants. That's a good question. Of course, if you have a very hot climate, then shade crops like lettuce may not work for you either. Can you plant an edible landscape in the front? They're all the rage now. Attractive veggies make good annuals.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sinfonian's garden adventure

We don't have a front, because we're in a townhouse.

Perhaps you could use some shade cloth for the warmer months...

I guess I'm not fully understanding your description either....does the fence shade the yard or does the house shade the yard?

Here is a link that might be useful: How my garden grows!

It should be wonderful because of all that great sun!

I'm not really sure if this post has a question, as you didn't ask one, but I presume you are asking whether a garden will do well in the shade.

Cool season plants in LSV will do well sheltered from the sun. But tomatoes, peppers, tomatillos, squash, and the traditional summer garden crops will not do as well in the shade.

I hope this answers your implicit concerns.

Dan

Some of the best tomatoes I ever grew were in a shady area behind my garage one year. I just planted them and let them sprawl on the ground rather than support or stake them, and they gave me a huge crop. In hot summer areas, we tend to get a lot of blossom drop...maybe the cooler shade is actually an asset. Anyway, what have you got to lose, a couple of plants won't break the bank. I say it's worth a try.

Definitely plant cooler weather crops in the shadiest area if possible. If you need a bit of relief from afternoon intensive heat, prop a piece of lattice (I have a 4'x4' piece of white plastic privacy lattice)over the bed. I kept my lettuce and mixed greens growing through 100F plus days by just providing that bit of shade.

I'm just a few miles away from you, and the end of October I set a thermometer on the south side of our place, next to the building, and it got so hot the thermometer turned black and wouldn't register...so I know how intense the heat can be. I'm going to try it again with an instant read meat thermometer, just out of curiosity.

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

Thanks so much for all the answers. I guess I'll try some things out and see how they do.
I am not surprised that the heat broke your thermometer Granny. Our second daughter was born on July 2, and I have never been so miserable!

sillyjodes, I have stayed here in AZ as late as mid-June. When the temperature reached 118F I went home to WA! Of course 110-112F is not uncommon during July where I live. That's when I rely on sheets of lattice to shade some of the garden.

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden