5 Sun-Loving Plants Perfect for Your Garden
Gardening is a chance to spend time outdoors and enjoy the beauty of your yard. Gardening is well known for its physical and mental health benefits. Gardening encourages moderate physical activity, such as bending, lifting, and digging, which improves mobility. Plus, gardening boosts your mood and provides a sense of accomplishment.
My expertise in this area comes from participating in my mom’s long-standing annual planting tradition, and yeah, I have a degree in Landscape Architecture to boot. Last spring, I shared landscape tips and my favorite garden plants. This year, I wanted to share my five sun-loving favorites that jazz up my other favorite landscape plants.
Why Choose Sun-Loving Plants?
High Reward
Sun-loving plants are a great choice because they come in an array of colors and add a pop to your yard. These plants not only grow and bloom vigorously in full sunlight but also attract beneficial pollinators like bees and butterflies. With the right mix, your garden can have vibrant color explosions all summer long and bring satisfaction when you look out the window or come around the corner on your way home.
Can Be Less Maintenance
One of the biggest reasons to love sun-loving plants is that many varieties are low-maintenance. You can pick a mix that is drought-tolerant and can even self-prune when the flowers are spent, meaning less time spent deadheading or fussing over them.
5 Top Tier Sun-Loving Plants
1. Annual Geraniums
Why it’s perfect: Annual Geraniums (called Pelargoniums) are vibrant, bushy plants that produce clusters of large, colorful red, pink, and white flowers. They brighten up gardens with bold, long-lasting blooms.
Care Tips: Plant in well-drained, fertile soil with full sun (6hrs minimum). Water when the soil feels dry, but avoid over-watering; otherwise, they could experience root rot. Deadhead regularly to encourage continued blooming. Consider feeding them with fertilizer when you put them in the ground to get them to fill in more quickly.
Bonus: Geraniums are relatively pest-resistant.
2. New Guinea Impatiens
Why it’s perfect: New Guinea Impatiens thrive in full sun and yet are shade tolerant, making them a versatile choice. They provide a lush, bushy, tropical appearance with large, vibrant pink, purple, red, and white flowers that bloom throughout the summer.
Care Tips: Plant in well-drained soil with good moisture retention. These plants prefer a bit of afternoon shade in very hot climates but can handle full sun in cooler regions. Water regularly and remove spent flowers to keep them looking fresh. They’re relatively pest-resistant, but keep an eye out for mildew.
Bonus: They’re great for adding height and texture to your garden, giving it a fuller, more tropical look.
3. Marigolds
Why it’s perfect: Marigolds are known for their bright, pom-pom flowers in shades of orange, yellow, and red. They are hardy and easy to grow, and the color pallet contrasts with most other sun-loving annuals.
Care Tips: Plant in well-drained soil and water them regularly, but let the soil dry out between waterings to avoid root rot. Remove spent flowers to encourage new blooms if they don’t self-prune as expected. Deadheading them proactively will keep them shorter and less leggy.
Bonus: Marigolds are excellent at deterring pests like aphids and mosquitoes, helping protect other plants in your garden.
4. Rosemary
Why it’s perfect: Rosemary is a fragrant and decorative herb with needle-like leaves and small blue flowers. Its shape and texture differ from the bright-colored options I’ve already shared, so it brings additional interest to your planters and garden.
Care Tips: Plant rosemary in well-drained soil in containers or directly in the ground. Prune regularly to maintain its shape.
Bonus: Use your pruned fresh rosemary in your culinary dishes or dry it for long-term use. It also attracts pollinators.
5. Zinnias
Why it’s perfect: Zinnias have daisy-like flowers in a wider array of colors than the other options I mentioned. They grow fast, are perfect for beginners, and are known for their stunning, profuse, and long-lasting flowers.
Care Tips: Zinnias are drought-tolerant but bloom best with regular watering. Deadhead regularly to keep them looking fresh and to encourage more blooms.
Bonus: Zinnias attract butterflies and make excellent cut flowers for indoor arrangements. They’re also resistant to most pests.
These five sun-loving plants allow you to enjoy the beauty of spectacular colors in your garden all summer with minimal effort!
Tips Your Sun-Loving Garden
Here are some tips to get the most out of your plants and perfect your green thumb.
Prepare the Soil
Good soil preparation is key to all plantings. If your garden has heavy clay or sandy soil, consider using a planting mix with organic matter to retain moisture without becoming soggy. Adding a light layer of mulch or compost around your plants can help protect them as they grow and reduce weed competition.
Plant According to Label
Plants at the garden center include a label with recommended spacing. Stick to the guidelines even if your garden or planter doesn’t look full at the start of the season. Be patient as they fill in after 4 to 6 weeks of care. Consider using fertilizer to kickstart growth.
Watering and Maintenance
While sun-loving plants generally require less water, it’s still important to monitor their moisture needs. Water them when the top few inches of soil feel dry. As a practical matter, have water near your plants, whether that be with a hose or at a distance where you can reasonably carry enough water in a container without throwing out your back! Deadheading spent blooms can also help your plants stay fresh and continue blooming throughout the season.
Where to Plant
Are you overwhelmed by the thought of planting up your whole yard? Start small, and don’t bite off more than will be enjoyable. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and your garden doesn’t need to be either. Consider using pots, window boxes, or raised beds. These make gardening more accessible and manageable, especially if bending over garden beds isn’t your thing.
Gardening brings both relaxation and joy, and these five top picks will help you create a colorful, easy-to-care-for garden that will provide summerlong beauty. Whether just starting your garden or looking to expand it, these plants are a wonderful way to take your outdoor space up a notch or two.
Happy gardening!
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