Ideas For Full Sun Gardens

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25 Full-Sun Perennials That Thrive in a Garden With Lots of Light

Fill your yard with sun-loving plants that return year after year.

full sun perennials

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As spring has arrived, it's time once again to whip those gardens into shape. Before you hit the online nurseries, it's worth putting pencil to paper and drawing up a plan for things you would like to plant—don't forget to include ideas for ground cover plants! You should also consider the pros and cons of annuals vs. perennials. We vote that you check out the best perennial flowers and plants when drawing up your garden. Why? By definition, perennial plants last more than two years. That means that, in the long run, they're going to save you money. But they're not just practical—many perennials are easy to care for; produce amazing blooms; attract bees, butterflies, and birds; and offer a variety of colors, textures, and heights to your garden.

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So what do you need to know before you make your final selects? First, you need to figure out what kind of soil you have, how it drains, as well as the PH levels of your soil, all of which can vary by region. You can send a sample of your soil—along with a few dollars–to your local Cooperative Extension, and they will tell you everything you need to know and everything you need to do to improve it. You should check where your location falls on the USDA's Hardiness scale, and then study how much sun your garden gets, in order to choose the right varieties for the site. "Full-sun perennials" need about 6 to 8 hours of direct light daily in order to thrive. If your garden is on the shady side, check out these best shade perennials. Plant tags will tell you everything you need to know about how much sun, what kind of soil, and ideal zones that variety needs. Don't have a a lot of land? No worries. Many of these will work just as well for container gardens. Here, some of the best sun-loving perennials.

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Dahlia

Dahlias generally thrive in Zones 8 to 11. They really like full sun, but as with most plants, if you live in a super hot part of the country, you should try to provide them with a bit of afternoon shade.

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Bee Balm

If you're looking to add color to the garden and attract birds, bees, and butterflies, bee balm is the right flower for you. It grows best in Zones 4 to 9 and thrives in full sun.

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Tropical Milkweed

Bring a splash of color and height to your garden (up to 4 feet tall!), with this sun-loving perennial that thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 9.

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Taro

Flowers come and go throughout the season—foliage is forever. Taro or "Elephant Ears" will thrive in full sun or partial shade. They do best in Zones 8- to 10.

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Canna

If you're looking for pretty flowers and fabulous foliage, Canna is the right pick for you. It likes the heat and the sunshine, so it thrives in USDA Zones 8 to 12.

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Peony

This shrubby plant with glossy dark green foliage has lush, exuberant flowers with rich fragrance in late spring. Don't plant too deep or they won't bloom. The ants that visit the flowers aren't pests; they're sipping the nectar.

Varieties to try: Festiva Maxima, Sarah Bernhardt

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Russian Sage

Abundant spiky purple flowers and lacy gray-green leaves adorn this upright shrubby plant. It blooms mid- to late summer and tolerates a range of soil types.

Varieties to try: Rocketman, Denim 'n Lace

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Columbine

These graceful, elegant flowers bloom for weeks in late spring to early summer. The plants typically last only a few years, although they often drop seeds which start new little plants.

Varieties to try: Lime Sorbet, Swan Burgundy and White

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Campanula (Bellflower)

Nodding white or purple-blue bells bloom in early to midsummer. Both upright and low-growing varieties are available.

Varieties to try: Meteora, Superba

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Thrift

Adorable globe-like blooms appear above grassy foliage in mid- to late spring. It will tolerate part shade in warm climates.

Varieties to try: Ballerina Red, Bloodstone

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Chrysanthemum

With every color of the rainbow, you'll find a type to love. But here's the kicker: If you want mums to come back every year, plant them in the spring. If you plant in the fall (like most people do), the plants don't have time to get established in time to survive winter.

Varieties to try: Hillside Sheffield Pink, Matchsticks

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Hardy Geranium

These mounding perennials (not to be confused with the type you usually see potted on a window sill) have a long flowering period and spicy fragrance. They're sturdy plants that quickly double in size. Early summer is peak bloom.

Varieties to try: Rozanne, Biokovo

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Catmint

These early summer bloomers are hardy, fast-growing and fuss-free. Their pink, purple, or white flowers bloom for weeks in the landscape, and the foliage has a pleasant, light minty scent.

Varieties to try: Walker's Low, Blue Wonder

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Lavender

Beautiful pale purple flowers, silvery foliage, and appealing fragrance make this perennial herb an all-around winner in any garden setting. The woody classic is cranky about being moved once established, so pick a spot and stick with it.

Varieties to try: SuperBlue, Phenomenal

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Coneflower (Echinacea)

Bright daisy-like blooms come in a profusion of colors and sizes. They flower from early to midsummer for weeks. Keep the seed heads in place over the winter for the birds.

Varieties to try: Sombrero Salsa Red, Lakota Fire

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Salvia

Spiky purple or pink flowers atop handsome mounded foliage make these summer bloomers a favorite garden perennial. They're sturdy and trouble-free.

Varieties to try: Rose Marvel, Black & Blue

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Sedum

These bullet-proof perennials come in every size, shape, form, and color from upright to ground-hugging. They're an excellent choice in dry, sandy soils.

Varieties to try: Dynomite, Angelina

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Perennial Poppies

These bold, dancing blooms flower for a few weeks in early summer. They're best planted en masse. Make sure you buy a type that is perennial (which come back from the roots), because some poppies are annuals (which are grown from seed).

Varieties to try: Goliath, Forncett Summer

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Lamb's Ear

Fuzzy, silvery plants with tall spiked flowers make a statement. The flowers are interesting, but the soft, wooly leaves are the stars.

Varieties to try: Silver Carpet, Big Ears

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Verbena

These plants add months of color to hot, sunny spots. They bloom most of the summer (sometimes all the way until frost) in pinks and purples. Be sure to choose a perennial type, as some are considered annuals.

Varieties to try: Bonariensis (heirloom), Santos Purple

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Hollyhock

These classic cottage garden flowers offer brilliant color and a striking presence on spikes 3 to 10 feet tall. They bloom in midsummer, and some varieties need to be staked to stay upright.

Varieties to try: Chaters Pink, Henry VIII

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Agastache

Pollinators love this plant, though it can be a little fussy to get established. They bloom early to midsummer.

Varieties to try: Ava, Arizona Sunrise

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Dianthus

This low-growing plant with a spicy or vanilla-like scent is often called 'pinks' due to the fringed flower petals that appear as if they were cut with pinking shears. They bloom in late spring.

Varieties to try: Paint the Town Fuchsia, Georgia Peach Pie

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Veronica (Speedwell)

Upright or creeping plants boast purple, blue, pink or white flowers, which attract pollinators for months in the garden. Blooms begin in spring to early summer.

Varieties to try: Charlotte, Blue Skywalker

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Arricca SanSone Arricca SanSone writes for CountryLiving.com, WomansDay.com, Family Circle, MarthaStewart.com, Cooking Light, Parents.com, and many others.

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