Just like shady spots in your yard, very sunny areas can be tricky to find plants for. Many full sun plants are also tolerant of and resistant to drought, making them ideal for those sunny spots in your garden. This collection of plants will thrive in full sun, meaning the plant should receive unfiltered sunlight for at least six hours a day.

Here are the best options for the areas in your garden that receive full sun:

Perennials

Dianthus
Bloom time: Late spring to mid-summer

Lovely frilly flowers vary from deeps red, to pink and white, above mounds of fine foliage. This is a relatively low maintenance perennial, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats.

Garden Phlox
Bloom time: Early summer to early fall

Garden Phlox has fragrant, showy blooms in pink, purple, white or red.  The flowers are excellent for tall borders and also for cutting. This perennial will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It is a good choice for attracting hummingbirds and butterflies to your yard.

Hardy Hibiscus
Bloom time: Mid-summer to early fall

Hardy hibiscus is a native to North American and attracts both hummingbirds and butterflies. It starts blooming late in the summer, producing huge flowers in shades of red, pink and white. The plant dies back in the winter and is very late to break dormancy. It’s usually mistaken for dead, but give it time and you’ll be rewarded with spectacular color!

Butterfly Weed
Bloom time: Mid to late summer

Butterfly Weed has fragrant flat-top flowers that vary from orange to pink with gold overtones at the ends of the stems. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its narrow leaves remain green in color throughout the season. This is a relatively low maintenance perennial, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats.

Blanket Flower
Bloom time: Early spring to mid-fall

Blanket Flower features beautiful lemon yellow or red daisy flowers with gold eyes and an orange ring at the ends of the stems from early summer to mid fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting.

Sedum
Bloom time: Late summer to late fall

Sedum is a highly desirable and popular groundcover, forming a dense mound completely covered in broccoli-like salmon-pink flowers which fade to red in early fall. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its attractive large succulent oval leaves remain green in color with showy yellow variegation throughout the season.

Yarrow
Bloom time: Early to late summer

Yarrow features showy apricot flat-top flowers with pink overtones at the ends of the stems and with a ground-hugging habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage. It is a good choice for attracting bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard, while also being deer-resistant.

Lavender
Bloom Time: Spring and summer

The classic scent of lavender often reminds a person of a particular moment in their life, of summer well spent in their garden and seeing bees buzz around their lavender plants. The joy of having one in your landscape has no cons. While it’s a pollinator magnet, it’s also deer, squirrel and rabbit resistant.

Russian Sage
Bloom time: Mid-summer to Mid-fall

This plant is a perfect addition to a garden in hot, dry areas. Lacy-like, bright sky blue flowers attract hummingbirds and are held on strong stems and have an upright habit. The beautiful color will last a long time! Grows best in full sun and dry to average, well-drained soil. Prune away any remaining old foliage in early spring.

Annuals

Cleome
Bloom time: Planting to frost

Señorita Blanca and Señorita Mi Amor Cleome are two of our favorite Cleomes, available at English Gardens form Proven Winners. Gardeners have grown to love the Proven Winners line of cleomes because they are thornless, seedless, odorless, and not sticky. Señorita Blanca™ produces showy, pure white blooms while Señorita Mi Amor™ profusely bears soft blush pink flowers from spring to frost. They are superb plants for the landscape where their vigorous growth and heat, humidity, and drought tolerance make them shining stars.

Lantana
Bloom time: Planting through frost

This impressively vigorous, landscape-sized Lantana forms a mounding then trailing mass of dark green foliage dotted with pretty pink and light yellow bicolor blooms all season with minimal seed set. Grow it as a drought-tolerant groundcover or in large containers paired with other very vigorous plants.

Geranium
Bloom time: Planting through frost

Geraniums combine the best features of ivy and geraniums: Drought-tolerance, semi-trailing habits and a mounding habit that quickly fills a container or hanging basket. The flowers, are of course, their best feature. The blossoms have a stunning semi-double flower.

Salvia
Bloom time: Planting through frost

Attract butterflies and hummingbirds with this salvia in full sun or shade! A great annual to bloom all summer for containers and in landscapes.

Zinnia
Bloom time: Planting through frost

Garden stalwarts, zinnias have been a favorite for generations. They’re a snap to start from seed and their bright colors are wonderful for late-summer bouquets.

Cosmo
Bloom time: Planting through frost

These pollinator magnets have daisy-like flowers in a variety of colors. They are easy to grow from seeds, and are great for hot, dry areas of your garden.

Shrubs

Lilac
Bloom time: Mid-May

Lilacs dazzle us with showy blooms in an array of purples, pinks and white, and scent the landscape with a delicate fragrance.

Arborvitae
Bloom time: Evergreen

These evergreens are great for creating privacy in your yard. Some varieties can grow 5 feet wide and up to 20 feet tall. They do well in full sun.

Roses

Bloom time: Varies by variety

Roses are a beautiful, fragrant addition to any garden. They thrive in full sun.

Azelea
Bloom time: Spring

Azeleas are a great Spring blooming shrub for those part to full sun areas of your garden. The more sun your azalea gets, the more compact the blooms are.

Spirea
Bloom time: Spring through Fall

Spirea is a great shrub that provides 3 season interest with its lacy blooms. These plants will attract pollinators while keeping deer away.