If your outdoor space gets plenty of sunlight throughout the day, you’re in luck.
We’ve curated a list of 15 plants that thrive in these sunny conditions, bringing beauty and vitality to your landscape.
From colorful blooms to low-maintenance foliage, these plants are sure to brighten up your garden and make it a haven for pollinators!
1. Lavender (Lavandula)
With its fragrant blooms and silvery foliage, lavender is a beloved choice for full sun gardens. This hardy perennial thrives in well-drained soil and can withstand hot, sunny conditions with ease.
Whether grown in beds, borders, or containers, lavender adds both beauty and fragrance to any landscape.
2. Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus)
Nothing says summer quite like the cheerful blooms of sunflowers. These iconic flowers are not only visually stunning but also attract pollinators to your garden.
With their towering stalks and vibrant yellow petals, sunflowers are a must-have for any sunny garden.
3. Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)
Russian sage is prized for its delicate, airy foliage and spiky blue-purple blooms. This drought-tolerant perennial thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, making it a perfect choice for sunny borders and rock gardens.
Its aromatic foliage also deters deer and rabbits, making it a low-maintenance option for gardeners.
4. Blanket Flower (Gaillardia)
As its name suggests, blanket flower blankets the garden with a profusion of vibrant blooms throughout the summer months.
This drought-tolerant perennial is a magnet for butterflies and bees, making it an excellent choice for pollinator gardens. With its bold hues of red, orange, and yellow, blanket flower adds a splash of color to any sunny landscape.
5. Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Black-eyed Susan is a classic summer flower known for its cheerful yellow petals and dark center. This tough perennial thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, making it ideal for sunny borders and meadows.
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With its long-lasting blooms and low maintenance requirements, black-eyed Susan is a favorite among gardeners.
6. Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Coneflower is not only a beautiful addition to the garden but also boasts medicinal properties. This drought-tolerant perennial attracts pollinators with its vibrant blooms and provides seeds for birds in the fall.
With its striking pink, purple, or white petals, coneflower adds color and texture to sunny borders and cottage gardens.
7. Penstemon (Penstemon spp.)
Penstemon, also known as beardtongue, is a versatile perennial that thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. With its tubular flowers in shades of pink, purple, red, and white, penstemon adds vertical interest to the garden.
(By the way, “spp.” just means that there are multiple species.)
This drought-tolerant plant is a favorite among hummingbirds and butterflies, making it a must-have for pollinator gardens.
8. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Yarrow is a hardy perennial prized for its feathery foliage and flat-topped clusters of flowers. This drought-tolerant plant thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, making it a perfect choice for sunny borders and meadows.
With its long-lasting blooms in shades of white, yellow, pink, and red, yarrow adds color and texture to any garden.
9. Sedum (Sedum spp.)
Sedum, also known as stonecrop, is a low-maintenance perennial that thrives in full sun and poor soil conditions. With its succulent foliage and star-shaped flowers, sedum adds texture and interest to sunny borders and rock gardens.
This drought-tolerant plant is also a favorite among pollinators, making it a valuable addition to any garden.
10. Daylilies (Hemerocallis)
Daylilies are a popular choice for sunny gardens due to their low maintenance and prolific blooms. These hardy perennials come in a wide range of colors and bloom shapes, adding versatility to the garden.
With their resilient nature and tolerance for a variety of soil conditions, daylilies are a staple in sunny borders and mass plantings.
11. Verbena (Verbena spp.)
Verbena is a versatile annual or perennial that thrives in full sun and well-drained soil.
With its clusters of tiny flowers in shades of purple, pink, red, and white, verbena adds color and charm to sunny borders and containers. This drought-tolerant plant is also a favorite among butterflies, making it a valuable addition to pollinator gardens.
12. Zinnia (Zinnia elegans)
Zinnias are beloved for their vibrant blooms and long-lasting flowers, making them a favorite among gardeners. These annuals thrive in full sun and well-drained soil, producing an abundance of blooms throughout the summer months.
With their wide range of colors and shapes, zinnias add a pop of color to any sunny garden.
13. Lantana (Lantana camara)
Lantana is a tough perennial prized for its colorful blooms and ability to attract pollinators.
This drought-tolerant plant thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, making it a perfect choice for sunny borders and containers.
14. Salvia (Salvia spp.)
Salvia, also known as sage, is a versatile perennial that thrives in full sun and well-drained soil. With its spiky blooms in shades of blue, purple, pink, and red, salvia adds vertical interest to sunny borders and cottage gardens.
This drought-tolerant plant is also a favorite among hummingbirds and butterflies, making it a valuable addition to pollinator gardens.
15. Agastache (Agastache spp.)
Agastache, also known as hyssop or hummingbird mint, is a perennial herb prized for its aromatic foliage and tubular flowers.
With its long-lasting blooms and ability to attract pollinators, agastache adds both beauty and biodiversity to the garden.
As you wrap up your gardening plans, remember that choosing the right plants for your sunny spaces can make all the difference.
With the 15 options we’ve explored, you have a diverse range of options to bring color, fragrance, and life to your garden.
