We all have an area in our gardens that is more difficult to maintain than others. Sometimes, it’s a spot or strip of ground that gets relentless all-day sun. Thin border strips in full sun are especially challenging. They really look better when planted with something and often they’re not close to the faucet and hard to reach with the hose.
Finding plants that perform well in all that sun takes patience and sometimes lots of research. When we find flowering plants that can survive these conditions of drought and summer heat, we tend to keep planting them. Sometimes, a change is nice for a new look. Try some of the following alternatives.
Perennial Border Full Sun Flowers
These are largely drought tolerant and bloom at various times of year. One option for the border is to have blooms consistently. Accomplish this by repeat plantings of different types with both spring and summer flowers.
Water whenever possible; all full sun blooms perform best with some watering during hot summer days. Some stop blooming in summer and flower again in autumn, when temperatures cool down. Full sun border perennial plants can include:
- Catmint
- Shasta daisy
- Coreopsis
- Aster
- Lamb’s ear
- Blanket flower
- Miniature roses
- Artemisia
- Russian sage
- Butterfly weed
- Verbena
- Bee balm
Grasses and Shrubs for Borders in Full Sun
Full Sun Border Plants - Bulbs, Tubers, and Corms
If you want to plant flowers for sun that will multiply and not require yearly division or replanting, choose from bulbs, corms, and tubers. These flowers include:
Herbs for Full Sun Edging
Consider a border of fragrant herbs that have numerous uses in the kitchen as well as medicinally. Most full sun herbs love pruning, responding with growth. Many have long lasting blooms when growing in the right conditions, hot and sunny. Grow a variety in your border or choose one or two types to alternate and repeat. Some herbs to try in your full sun border are:
Annual Plants for Sunny Borders
If your design will benefit from a spreading groundcover in your sunny border, plant heat loving Sedum stonecrop varieties such as Angelina, Dragon’s Blood, and Blue Spruce. These remain short and can provide a finished look to beds.
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