Perennials are some of the easiest plants to care for. They grow back every year with a beautiful array of colors that will usually last from Spring to Fall.
When you go buy your perennial plant at the nursery or local home improvement , one of the first things you should check is “sunlight requirement”.
Most of us aren’t fortunate enough to move into a nice well maintained older home with established trees and flower beds already flourishing in their proper sunlight zone.
Shaded areas, dappled sunlight streaming through the leaves, are something we can only expect to enjoy years later.
If you are moving into a new home, more than likely, it’s new construction or in a newer neighborhood. This probably also means there are no trees, which means no shade.
You , like many people, may be faced with a problem of harsh sun beating down on the majority of your lawn for most of the day.
This doesn’t always limit the number of plants you can have. Just the type. There are many beautiful perennials to choose from that will not only live, but thrive, in a full sun environment.
They may suffer a bit through mid summer but the beauty you get to enjoy in the Spring and late August (usually) through to first frost ,is always a wonderful thing.
All of these plants are in full sun in my yard. They literally get sun all day from sun up to sun down and everything in between.
I only recommend these particular plants based on the fact that they are doing well in my area.
I don’t do anything out of the ordinary to them and they seem to be doing quite well compared to many other things I’ve planted.
Cigar Plant (Cuphea Ignea)
I have only been growing this plant for 2 years. I can’t say why I never tried it before but I absolutely love it. The flowers are so striking against the dark green foliage. They stand out beautifully. I recommend planting this near the border of your bed so you can get in close and see the detail of the flowers that it produces in huge abundance from early spring through first frost which may be January sometimes. It is crazy how long you can enjoy this plant. Attracts Hummingbirds BIG TIME.
Forsythia (forsythia..yeh whoda thought)
These bad boys grow in my WORST section of yard. I planted them in straight up bedrock. Actually it was hard packed Red Alabama Clay. I broke up the soil pretty good with a pick axe literally. The yellow flowers bloom directly off the stems that you will see budding up in early winter if not before. They are really unusual and I hardly ever see any of these around even though they are easy to grow, get HUGE and have loads of flowers. They also keep their leaves through the winter.
Hummingbird Bush (Hamelia Patens)
These seem to like well drained soil and stand up to not being watered very often after the first year. Depending on the type, you have either the bright orange or red flower that is really an eye catcher in the garden. They will bloom through November here and sometimes later. Hummingbirds actually love this aptly named plant as well.
Bridal Wreath (Spiraea)
Who does not love a bridal wreath, with is gangly long branches bouncing in the wind covered in miniature white bouquets? This plant is great as a specimen plant, a centerpiece in your flower bed. They get pretty big, but when pruning, realize blooms form on buds set on growth from the previous year, so make sure to prune right after blooming.
Mexican Heather (Cuphea Hissopofolia)
How can I leave out Mexican Heather? This is a beautiful deep purple relative of the bright orange cigar plant. They look great planted close to each other. Mexican heather does well in the sandy soil near my home’s foundation. They make a great border plant and also have a very long blooming season. Attract loads of pollinators!
How tall does the cigar plant grow?
the ones I grow are between three and four feet tall and about three feet wide