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Plants for a south facing garden


14 Best Plants for South Facing Gardens

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What are the best plants for south-facing gardens? When planning a garden or adding plants to an existing garden, one of the most important factors to consider is sunshine.

If you have a south-facing garden, you are sure to get plenty of direct sunshine. 

A north-facing garden will get far less direct sunlight. You will find that certain plants do not do well or may even die. 

South-facing gardens can get up to 8 hours of direct sun per day. They also tend to get very hot in the mid-Summer months. 

Thus, you need to make sure that the plants you choose can tolerate heat and that they love direct sunshine.

If you live in the southern hemisphere, you will have to reverse your thinking. In these regions, north-facing gardens get the sun and south-facing gardens are much cooler and shadier. 

With that said, you can find many beautiful plants that thrive with at least 6 or more hours of direct sun per day.  

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Let’s take a look at some of them! 

Best Plants for South Facing Gardens

  1. Bougainvillea
  2. Chamaemelum nobile (Chamomile)
  3. Verbena
  4. Sedum spectabile (Ice plant or Stonecrop)
  5. Lophocereus marginatus (Mexican fence post cactus)
  6. Euphorbia characias (Mediterranean spurge)
  7. Gaura lindheimeri (Beeblossom)
  8. Santolina Chamaecyparissus (Cotton lavender)
  9. Helianthemum (Sun rose or Rock rose)
  10. Asclepias curassavica (Tropical Milkweed)
  11. Canna Lily
  12. Paeonia lactiflora (Chinese peony or common garden peony)
  13. Aquilegia (Columbine or Granny’s bonnet) 
  14. Lavender

Best Plants for South Facing Gardens

Table of Contents

Read about the best plants for the south-facing balcony.

Best Plants for South Facing Gardens

1. Bougainvillea

Bougainvilleas come in many varieties with flowers ranging from deep red to pink, and purple. They grow vigorously and spread quickly. 

According to the University of Florida Bougainvilleas are tropical plants. Its flowers are modified leaves that are called bracts.

Bougainvilleas make attractive hedges and can climb walls, tree trunks,  and fences.

Most of all they love the sun and thrive in full sunshine. This makes them a great choice for your south-facing garden or patio. 

A Bougainvillea plant wants at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Plant them where they are not obscured by walls or structures that will throw shade. 



They can tolerate hot, dry locations.

Bougainvilleas do not enjoy soil that is wet for long periods of time and they do not enjoy the shade. 

If your Bougainvillea gets too much shade, it will not be happy, and you should consider replanting it in a sunny spot.  

Make sure your Bougainvillea gets full sun and it will delight you with the most stunning flowers through the summer and into fall. 

2. Chamaemelum nobile (Chamomile)

I love daisy-like flowers and Chamomile is a classic! This pretty flower also has a lovely fragrance that will waft across your garden and into your home. 

Chamomile is perfect for south-facing gardens as it thrives in positions with full sun. 

Chamaemelum Nobile wants at least 6 hours of direct sun per day to keep it happy. 

Plant your Chamomile in beds or in borders. It also looks fabulous in rock gardens. 

Because the plant spreads fast and densely, you can use it as an interesting ground cover in place of the lawn. 

Ensure that your Chamomile plants are not planted near walls or against the sides of buildings. These structures will throw shade onto the plants and take away valuable sunlight. 

Chamomile offers flowers through the summer and into early autumn. Plant into average, well-draining soil. It does not require much maintenance and will tolerate dry conditions. 

Chamomile offers an added bonus! You can pick the flowers, steep them in water and make a refreshing and healthy tea. 

3. Verbena

You may sometimes find that plants you choose just do not thrive well in your garden. One main factor to look at is the amount of sunlight that your plant is getting. 

Some plants will not thrive in dark, shady conditions and want direct sunlight. 

If you have a south-facing garden, you need to look for plants that love sunlight. The stunning Verbena is a great choice. 

The Verbena genus contains about 250 species, and one of the most well-known is called The Tears of Isis. Over the centuries it has been used as a herbal remedy and in aromatherapy treatments. 

Verbena thrives in full sunlight, making it ideal for your sunny south-facing garden. It wants at least 8 hours of direct sun every day. 

Verbena prefers average well-draining soil and can tolerate drier conditions.  

When your Verbena is thriving in full sunlight, you will be rewarded with beautiful pink, purple, coral, or blue-violet flowers. 

They attract hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies, bringing life and movement into your summer garden. 

4. Sedum spectabile (Ice plant)

The beautiful Sedum spectabile, known as the Ice plant or Stonecrop, offers a fabulous show of clustered pink flowers against bright green foliage. 

Sedum spectabile wants full sun, or at least 6 hours of direct sun daily. This plant will not grow in the shade, so your sunny south-facing garden is perfect. 

Don’t plant your Sedum spectabile under a tree, as the shade from the tree will take away valuable sunlight. 

It is hardy and grows vigorously through the summer into the autumn months. 

This is a delightful plant to adorn your borders and walkways that are in full sunlight for most of the day.   

This plant can tolerate very dry conditions and does not require much maintenance.  

It is also disease resistant, making it a great choice for beginner gardeners. 

As a bonus, it attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Just what you need in your sunny garden. 

5. Lophocereus marginatus (Mexican fence post cactus)

One thing you can be sure about when you plant a cactus is that it wants full sunshine. Think hot, dry desert and burning sun. 

Your Mexican fence post cactus loves the sun and is happy to stand in 8 hours of direct sunlight all day long. 

This makes the Lophocereus marginatus the perfect plant for your south-facing home garden. 

The Mexican fence post cactus can grow very tall outdoors. It may even reach up to 20 feet (6m) when mature. 

The Fence Post name tells it exactly like it is – they make great fences, barriers, and boundaries. 

This cactus thrives in direct sunlight. It cannot get enough light, so any south-facing garden is perfect. It is also drought tolerant and you won’t have to worry about soil or watering.  

For beginner gardeners, planting cacti in your south-facing garden is an easy choice. They are hardy and thrive in the most difficult conditions. 

6. Euphorbia characias (Mediterranean spurge)

If you are like me and don’t love a winter garden that is bare and drab, choosing evergreen plants is a must. They offer color and life all year round and make me happy.

A fabulous evergreen plant that loves south-facing gardens is the Euphorbia characias, commonly called the Mediterranean spurge. 

It grows as an upright, compact shrub and is ideal to fill in beds, borders and even to create a focal point in the middle of a garden.

When it comes to light, your Mediterranean spurge wants full sunlight to be at its best. 

It offers yellow-green flowers in a bottle-brush shape that grow amongst the bright green foliage. Flowers last through the late spring into summer and fall. 

Plant your Mediterranean spurge where it will not be shaded by trees, fences, or structures in your garden. Make sure that it gets at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunshine daily. 

Your plant is drought tolerant but can do with watering if conditions are exceptionally hot. Do not allow it to stand in continuously wet soil.

 

7. Gaura lindheimeri (Beeblossom)

If you are worried that beautiful delicate flowering plants need loads of attention, the Beeblossom will put your mind at ease.

It only wants loads of sunlight and is perfect for your south-facing garden. This lovely white bloom is hardy and needs minimal care and maintenance. 

This plant looks stunning in rock gardens, next to water features, alongside paths and walkways. It looks glorious when growing in large groups in beds. 

The beautiful butterfly-like white-pink flowers are sure to add a beautiful ambiance to your living space. 

Gaura lindheimeri thrives best in full sun. Make sure you choose a spot that gets at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sun per day. 

Avoid spots where trees and fences will throw shade on your plants and take away valuable sunlight.   

Apart from sunlight, you do not need to worry too much about care. 

The Beeblossom is not fussy when it comes to soil, watering, or feeding. Plant it in sandy, loamy soil that is well-draining and it will be happy. 

8. Santolina Chamaecyparissus (Cotton Lavender)

Cotton Lavender is an attractive shrub with eye-catching white or grey leaves. It creates a fabulous contrast when growing next to green plants.

This plant thrives in hot dry conditions. It does want shade or damp conditions. 

That makes the Cotton Lavender ideal for your south-facing garden.

The cotton lavender produces masses of beautiful golden-yellow flowers in summer. You can use it as a filler in beds and borders. It is also ideal as a low hedge. 

The leaves of the plant have a pleasant mild aroma that will waft into your home. 

To ensure that your Santolina Chamaecyparissus attains its full potential, plant in a dry sunny spot where it will get maximum sun throughout the day.  

Cotton lavender does require some maintenance. When you see that the flowers are dying off, snip them off the stems. 

They can damage the foliage as they decompose. If you want to maintain the compact bush shape of the plant, you can do some light pruning in spring to keep the branches neat. 

9. Helianthemum (sun rose or rock rose)

Another lovely plant that thrives in full sun is Helianthemum, also known as the sun rose or rock rose. Because their native habitat is the Mediterranean regions, they love hot sunny days. 

Your south-facing garden is the ideal spot to plant Helianthemums. South-facing gardens get full sun during the day and you can take advantage of this by choosing plants that thrive in hot, sunny, and drier conditions. 

Helianthemums offer an abundance of flowers in tones of white, yellow, red, peach, pink, and orange. To create a focal point in a garden, why not plant many different colors? 

The flowers last only for a day, but a healthy plant will continue to offer a stunning display through the summer months.  

Plant your Sun Rose in a spot that gets 6 to 8 hours of direct sun every day. This plant does not enjoy being in the shade and will not survive cold, damp, and shady positions. 

You also do not need to worry about watering. Helianthemums are happy in drier soil and can even tolerate less than fertile soil. They are ideal for beginner gardeners. 

Plant your Helianthemums where it will get full sun. Avoid areas under trees or near walls where the shade will fall onto the plants. 

They are great for rockeries and beds. Use them to fill in dull spaces in your garden where you want a smaller, eye-catching, colorful shrub. 

Apart from ensuring that your plant gets ample sun, there is very little care needed for these beauties. 

10. Asclepias curassavica (Tropical Milkweed)

Tropical milkweed is a stunning plant that offers clusters of red-orange flowers with yellow hoods. They bloom throughout the summer into fall, adding color to any home garden.

The shrub is also evergreen, so in winter you won’t be looking at bare branches. 

Asclepias curassavica loves hot sunny climates and is ideal for your south-facing garden. It wants at least 8 hours of direct sun every day to grow at its best. 

Don’t plant your Tropical milkweed in the shade, it will not be happy and may even die. 

South-facing gardens get loads of sun and are perfect for plants that require low maintenance and are not fussy about the soil they grow in. 

This plant is perfect for a cottage garden. It also looks lovely as a backdrop in borders and will grow in containers on a sunny patio. 

It is a fast-growing plant and can reach heights of up to 4 feet (1.2m).

Butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds are attracted to the large amounts of nectar in the flowers of the tropical milkweed. They will bring sound, color, and movement into your garden. 

As always, for plants that want full sun, ensure that you are not planting it under a tree or near a fence or wall that will throw shade as the sun moves overhead.  

This will reduce the number of hours of direct sun that the plant gets and will affect its growth. 

Tropical milkweed is not fussy about the soil. Just make sure it is well-draining and not constantly damp. 

11. Canna Lily

Growing Canna lilies does require a little more attention than other plants. If you are a gardener who is happy to spend time and adhere to some basic rules you will be rewarded! 

The Canna lily is a sun-loving plant and will thrive in a south-facing garden. Although it can tolerate some shade, full sun will allow it to produce its most spectacular colorful flowers. 

The Canna lily brings a tropical vibe to your south-facing garden. It has large exotic banana-shaped leaves in tones of deep green. 

The flowers vary in color from vibrant pink to cream, yellow, orange, and red. 

When grown in full sunlight, they will bloom from mid-summer to the start of the first frost. 

Ensure that your plant gets 6 to 8 hours of full sun per day.  

Canna lilies look spectacular as a focal point in your garden when massed in groups. They are also great to plant in containers on south-facing patios. 

South-facing gardens attract more sun than north-facing gardens and deciding which plants to choose is simple! 

Ask your local nursery about perennials that want at least 6 to 8 hours of full sun per day. 

As I mentioned earlier, Canna lilies do require some attention. But don’t stress. Ensure that you fertilize every alternate month during the growing season. 

Give them water at least once a week. They do enjoy a richer soil. You can add organic compost or mulch to your flower bed and they will bloom beautifully. 

12. Paeonia lactiflora (Common garden peony or Chinese peony)

The Peony flower symbolizes romance, good fortune, and prosperity! Even more reason to grow them in your home garden. 

And, because they love the sun, they are a perfect choice for a south-facing garden. 

The Peony is a shrubby plant with dark green glossy foliage. It produces lush showy flowers in late spring and throughout the summer. The flowers are known for their beautiful fragrance. 

The are many varieties of the Peony, the most popular being the Sarah Bernhardt and the Festiva Maxima.

Ensure that your peony plants get at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sun every day. They won’t do well in dark shady spots. 

That is why they are perfect for a sunny south-facing garden. 

You can plant them along paths, walkways, next to water features, in borders or beds. They look great against fences but ensure that the fence will not throw too much shade onto the plants and deprive them of the sunlight that they need. 

When it comes to soil, Peony plants enjoy rich, fertile, medium moisture and well-draining soils. 

Before planting, prepare your spot with rich organic compost and some mulch to retain moisture. 

Once established give them a watering once a week and feed with fertilizer once again during the growing season.  

Peonies make a delightful display in a south-facing garden. Make sure you include them in your shopping list when heading off to your local flower market. 

13. Aquilegia (Columbine or Granny’s bonnet) 

Columbine is an attractive garden perennial that loves the sun. It is the perfect choice for a sunny south-facing garden. 

If you have a garden that faces south, you need to take advantage of the many hours of full sunshine you get and choose plants that thrive in hot sunny conditions. 

The Aquilegia, known as Columbine or Granny’s bonnet offers delicate lacy foliage interspersed with eye-catching clouds of bell-shaped flowers. 

Flowers vary in hue from bright yellow to white, red, blue, violet, and pink. 

If planted in full sun, your plant will bloom profusely for 4 to 6 weeks from mid-spring through the summer. 

Ensure that you choose a spot that does not get shade and is exposed to at least 6 to 8 hours of sun per day. 

In a south-facing garden, this should be an easy choice. These gardens are blessed with light and sun, offering the perfect conditions for Columbine to flourish. 

Columbine is not fussy about soil, but it does prefer average, medium moisture, well-drained soil. It will not be happy in soil that remains constantly wet. 

Aquilegia is easy to grow in your south-facing garden and is a great choice for beginners. Plant them in borders, rock gardens, and beds.

They are also a fabulous addition to cottage gardens. If you don’t have a garden but have a sunny south-facing patio, plant them into decorative containers. They will look stunning! 

As an added bonus, Columbine will attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds into your living space. 

14. Lavender

Everyone knows Lavender! It is a beautiful herb that soothes the mind with its aromatic fragrance and stunning bluish-purple hues. 

Lavender is easy to grow and requires little maintenance. That makes it perfect for a newbie gardener.  

You can plant it and forget about it and simply enjoy the charm that it brings to your living space.

Lavender also enjoys sunlight, so your south-facing garden is the ideal spot to plant it. Lavender wants 6 to 8 hours of sunlight per day. It will not be happy in shady, dark spots. 

Soil is also not a concern. Start your plant in well-draining soil and add some organic fertilizer. Ensure that your soil is not constantly damp as the roots will rot and your plant will die. 

After that, you can neglect it and it will not mind! You do not even need to worry about regular watering. A real bonus for gardeners who don’t enjoy fussing too much over their plants. 

Ensure that your Lavender plant does not fall into shade. Your south-facing garden is the ideal spot to find full sunlight all day. 

You can also grow lavender in a decorative container. It will flourish on a south-facing patio. 

Create a beautiful me-space spot with a bench, a water feature, and loads of lavender that wafts beautiful scent into the air. This is your perfect little garden retreat after a busy day!

Read about the best plants for a southwest facing garden next.

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Daniel

Daniel has been a plant enthusiast for over 20 years. He owns hundreds of houseplants and prepares for the chili growing seasons yearly with great anticipation. His favorite plants are plant species in the Araceae family, such as Monstera, Philodendron, and Anthurium. He also loves gardening and is growing hot peppers, tomatoes, and many more vegetables.

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Think about what you and your family want to get from a winter garden: a place where you can read a book and have a cup of tea surrounded by greenery ? Or the illusion of a tropical forest with rare plant species? - The design of the winter garden, and its place in the house, and the choice of plants depend on this. Consider three types of winter gardens suitable for central Russia.

inovasis design

1. Winter garden - additional room
Used in a constant temperature regime all year round. It differs from the rest of the living rooms by the emphasis on plants that form the image of the space and, possibly, zone it.

Conditions: The temperature is maintained at 20-25°C and the humidity is not lower than 70%.

What to grow: Suitable for a tropical garden that will thrive in heat-loving plants such as Saintpaulia (Saintpaulia) , Diffenbachia (Dieffenbachia) , alocasia (Alocasia) , Anturium (Anthurium) - as a photo below, Calatea , Marante , Marante , Marantea , Marantea , Marantea (Marand ) and echmea (Aechmea) .

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You can also add crops that can grow in the shading zone, such as the fantastically beautiful Gloriosa liana (Gloriosa) , aquatic plants near artificial reservoirs - miniature nymphaeum (Nymphaea) , luxury eland (Canna) and callas (Calla) .
You can create a small tropical fruit garden from tub crops.

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Plants of the bromeliad family from the American jungle will decorate the winter garden: gusmania (Guzmania) blooming for several months in a row, frisee (Vriesea) , neoregelia (Neoregelia) , cryptanthus 9001 tillandsia (Tillandsia cyanea) , especially if you build an epiphytic tree for them .

What is important: The life support systems of such a garden must work like clockwork, many plants from this group die even due to a slight temperature difference. The bright sun is no less destructive for them, many are accustomed to living under the crowns of large trees. Mandatory installation of blinds or curtains, forced ventilation systems. For Tropicans, additional lighting is very important, and in the darkest time of the year at least 12 hours a day.

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2. Insulated veranda garden
Or in another room that is used as a living room during the warm season. Here, the air is drier, which means that this is a more suitable option for a rest room.

Conditions: During the autumn-winter period, the temperature is maintained at 15°–17° C, and the humidity in summer can rise to 75%.

What to grow: Such premises are suitable for a subtropical garden, the plants of which are more accessible and cheaper. Liviston palms

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Pictured: Most house flowers will be happy to move for the winter in a spacious bright room, which will add dynamism to the life of the winter garden.

Scherzer's Anthurium (Anthurium scherzerianum), Sprenger's Asparagus (Asparagus densiflorus Sprengeri) and Wallis' Spathiphyllum (Spathiphyllum wallisii) will bloom more actively and abundantly after staying in the winter garden during the summer.

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What is important: Such a garden needs to provide a stable autumn-winter temperature without sudden changes, as well as protection from drafts. The watering system, if it is automatic, must be adjusted according to the season - in winter, most plants need watering much less often than in summer. Illumination is necessary, otherwise the plants will lose their decorative effect. With so much choice, it is possible to plant hardier plants closer to the window so as not to block the view from the window, shading the garden on sunny days, while direct sunlight is an ordeal for almost any houseplant.

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3. Winter garden - greenhouse
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Conditions: In winter, the temperature is maintained at 10-12°C.

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Winter Garden Location
North. The garden, located in the northern part of the house, will require a well-thought-out heating system. For him, it is better to choose shade-tolerant plants as a basis. According to feng shui, northern conservatories are the best place to reflect and work on creative projects.

West. A garden oriented to the west will require well-functioning forced ventilation and shading of transparent structures on sunny days. It is good to receive guests in the western garden - the evening sun promotes communication.

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South. Forced ventilation and the ability to protect plants from bright light are also necessary for a garden on the south side. The advantage of this arrangement is that the heat here quickly accumulates and persists for a long time.

East. The east side is ideal for a winter garden. Shading is required here only in rare cases, and the morning sun is the most beneficial for plants. In addition, the east side promotes relaxation and proper eating, so the dining area next door will be very useful.

Depending on the direction of the world where your garden will be located, you will have to adjust the assortment of plants. The best choice of window is almost always listed in the descriptions of indoor plants on the Internet.

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What equipment is needed
For the normal functioning of the winter garden, it is important to provide the plants with thermal, air, light and water conditions.

Weather station. If you decide to organize a small garden with plants that are easy to care for, get a weather station. It shows the temperature and humidity in the house.

Humidifier. You will need a humidifier that will work 24/7 and turn off automatically when the required humidity level is reached.

Heating, floor heating. Uniform heating of the space is very important, so it is necessary to make a reliable heating system and, preferably, a warm floor. Consider a heating system that is sensitive to changes in room temperature.

Tip: If you have a smart home system, assign it to control indoor humidity and temperature. This will make gardening much easier.

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Winter garden ventilation
The passive ventilation system prevents condensation on the inside of the surface and cools the air during the hot months. To reduce condensate on the windows, it is necessary to arrange air-thermal curtains along them, use double-glazed windows with electric heating.

Fans and exhaust devices are used for forced ventilation. Their power should be calculated by a specialist, based on the type of garden.

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Illumination (phytolamps)
Even a well-lit winter garden requires the installation of phytolamps, sodium or metal halide, to supplement the plants on cloudy and winter days. Plants located far from natural light sources need additional illumination for 12 hours all year round, otherwise they will stretch towards the windows, deforming and losing their decorative effect. For some plants, the duration of supplementary illumination will depend on the season.

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Lamps are selected depending on which plants you will be lighting. Shade-tolerant tropical and subtropical crops need 1000-5000 lux, light-loving - from 10,000 lux.

Watering
The water regime in the winter garden is supported by a system of watering nozzles and air humidifiers. At the design stage, a drainage system with water drainage into the general sewer system should be made.

Max Kasymov Interior/Design

Designing large-scale winter gardens requires the involvement of a number of specialists, from an architect to a phytodesigner. Whether it will be an extension on the ground floor, a winter garden on the roof, a green area in the pool or in a spacious atrium - you will have to solve not only interior design tasks, but also organizational, technical and financial issues.

Therefore, the main advice is to take your time. Do not start a large-scale project right away if this is your first time creating a winter garden. Plant a couple of large showy plants that are easy to care for. Or try the mini-garden format on a glazed loggia, where you can master the art of creating corners of nature from the most resistant plants that do not require special attention. Most likely, very soon you will be able to honestly answer yourself the question of what you dream of creating: a place of rest for a person or a paradise for plants.

YOUR TURN…
Tell us which plants you have chosen for the winter garden in a private house or apartment. What difficulties did you encounter in growing them?

Sun-loving garden plants: perennial and annual flowers, shrubs and trees

The sun is essential for plant life. But the rule “the more the better” does not always work. A site that is completely open to the sun's rays has a number of disadvantages. Mastering it is not so easy. Not all plants are suitable for this location. Let's figure out what moments it is important not to miss when planting flowers and shrubs in the sun, and what types to choose for an open space.

Ann-Marie Powell Gardens Ltd

Advantages and disadvantages of a sunny site
The main advantages of a place exposed to the sun is good warming, due to which rather heat-loving plants can grow here. A large amount of sunlight creates good conditions for plant nutrition and is suitable for many flowering species. The sun's rays dry the soil and leaves well, acting as a natural disinfectant. Due to this, there is a much lower chance of developing putrefactive processes and fungal diseases than in damp shady areas. This creates favorable conditions for the good development of many species, but also turns into a number of problems that will require attention.

Laara Copley-Smith Garden & Landscape Design

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Laara Copley-Smith Garden & Landscape Design

Things to consider when planting plants in the sun
1. Intense heating leads to overdrying of the soil and burns. Not all plants can endure a dry and hot microclimate. They tolerate such conditions well even without additional measures:

The Outdoor Room, LLC

Rollin Landscape Design

Most of the steppe and desert plants have just such qualities, sometimes several of them at once.

Blooming Toronto

To expand the range of species and make an open sunny place more comfortable, it is worth artificially adjusting the humidity balance. A well-thought-out automatic watering system will help ensure the regularity of watering. When choosing its type, keep in mind that sprinkling in an open sunny place can only be done in the early morning (before sunrise) and late evening hours. Otherwise, drops of water that will settle on the plants will cause burns.

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A pond or fountain will help increase the overall humidity in an open area. When placing the pond in the sun, count on the fact that you will have to control its overgrowth - aquatic plants will develop especially intensively. Creating artificial water movement will help solve this problem. For a fountain, a sunny spot is the best position. Light and water jets will decorate the space with moving highlights, and the smallest drops will increase humidity. But when placing plants, be aware of the drift of water by the wind - arrange flower beds so that water does not moisten the leaves.

Petriv Landscape Designe

2. In sunny areas, snow melts earlier in spring. This may seem like an advantage, but it actually poses a danger to the plants. They are exposed ahead of time and lose their snow protection at a time when the air temperature is still low and there is a threat of frost. In such places, many plants will need additional protection. However, there is a risk here too: shelters in a sunny place get very warm and the plants can dry out. In such cases, it is especially important to regulate the temperature under the shelters by ventilation, that is, spring worries are added.

Jeffrey Gordon Smith Landscape Architecture

3. The significant contrast between day and night temperatures also poses a threat. In a sunny place, it is especially sharp. And it's not just about early spring. In our far from southern regions, the period of cold nights lasts as early as early June and returns as early as August. Many thermophilic plants suffer from such a temperature contrast. In addition to choosing zoned varieties, placing flower beds near walls that accumulate heat and then give it away will help. Large stones will also help with this: rockery is a good choice for a sunny flower garden.

ETs Ekopochva-LD

4. Due to temperature contrasts, spring protection against burns should be taken especially seriously. Conifers in open areas suffer greatly from the active sun, combined with still low temperatures.

Avant Garden

5. Many thermophilic species are afraid of drafts. Cold winds are detrimental to them. Therefore, a sunny flower garden should be protected from the wind. This will help placing it under the cover of walls or arrays of shrubs. Protecting the entire area with hedges also helps.

Kingfisher Landscape

Tip: To expand your planting options for a sunny flower garden, consider protecting species that like good light but suffer from overheating during the midday hours. Plant them under cover of tall sun-loving plant species - on their northern side. They will shade the neighbors during the hottest hours.

Anderson Lawn Care

With these risks and protective measures in place, a sunny location allows for a bright and lush flower garden with a long flowering period. Many sun-loving plants for the garden - perennial and annual flowers, shrubs and others - look very unusual and even exotic. And the range of species suitable for active sun is quite wide. To create a memorable and harmonious composition in a sunny place, you can use one of several scenarios that are different in their imagery.

Arteza Company

Maki-Luki Landscape Bureau

1. Rosary
An open sunny place is necessary for growing roses. In order for plants to be healthy and bloom intensively (after all, this is why we love roses), they need enough light and good nutrition. No matter what forms and varieties we are talking about, a sunny location will be optimal. However, when creating a rose garden in our latitudes, you will have to remember all the safety measures that I have listed: winter shelter, sufficient humidity and protection from the wind. If you supplement them with the basic requirements of agricultural technology - nutritious soil, respect for planting distances and proper pruning, then the rose garden in a sunny area will be able to show all its beauty.

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KATE GULD GARDENS

2. Mediterranean 9000 2. Mediterless the plot is a good opportunity to create a Mediterranean-style garden with bright colors and southern relaxation. Sun-loving plants typical of the Mediterranean do not hibernate here - they can be used in an annual crop. Here you have a choice of popular flowering annuals, seedlings of which you can easily find in spring in garden centers: petunia (Petunia), sutera (Sutera), ampelous lobelia (Lobelia), pelargonium (Pelargonium), balsams (Impatiens) and others. Some southern sun-loving flowers for the garden grow with us as indoor ones - you can simply take them outside for the summer (do not forget that this should be done gradually, having endured the hardening period). Azalea (Azalea), bougainvillea (Bougainvillea), begonia (Begonia) will decorate the flower garden in summer and return indoors in winter. Other species can be replaced by plants adapted to our climate, which, meanwhile, bear a completely southern imagery. To create a Mediterranean mood, use sea buckthorn (Hippophae), willow (Salix) and silver goof (Elaeagnus argentea).

Matthew Cunningham Landscape Design LLC

Flowers include mallows (Alcea), daylilies (Hemerocallis), onions (Allium), verbenas (Verbena), clematis (Clematis), climbing honeysuckles (Lonicera). Sage (Salvia), hyssop (Hyssopus), veronica (Veronica), catnip (Nepeta), oregano (Origanum), Perovskia (Perowskia), lobelia - brilliant (Lobelia fulgens), sessile (Lobelia sesilifolia) and blue (Lobelia siphilitica) will complete the picture. ). They, in combination with silvery, as if dusted plants, will create a special atmosphere in the gardens of Provence.

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Perfectly fits into the Mediterranean imagery and balances the moisture of a fountain or wall cascade. For decoration and decoration in such a landscape, use terracotta, mosaics and natural stone.

Debra Lee Baldwin

3. Exotic Garden
In a hot, sunny place, you can create a real collection of exotic plants - in an annual crop or in a pot. Canna, kniphofia, bougainvillea, fuchsia, hibiscus will add southern luxury to the landscape and become spectacular accents. Many natives of the south with a rhizome that does not winter in the ground have not been exotic for us for a long time, but they will completely complement their company: do not forget about such sun-loving flowers for the garden as gladioli (Gladiolus), dahlias (Dahlia), amaranths (Amaranthus). Supplement them with flowering annuals: already familiar begonias (Begonia) and balsams (Impatiens), petunias (Petunia), pelargoniums (Pelargonium) and others.

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4. Village or meadow flower garden
Such a flower garden is a splash of bright colors and multicolor. A sunny position will only enhance the riot of flowering. It’s good if it blooms throughout the warm season - choose plants for the flower bed that replace each other. The range of suitable species is very wide and allows you to change both the color scheme and the image of the flower garden.

Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Sun-loving perennial flowers: mallows (Alcea), lupins (Lupunus), delphinium (Delphinium), foxglove (Digitalis), ornamental onions (Allium), yarrow (Achillea), barkwort (Knautia), cornflower (Centaurea), flax (Linum ), bluebell (Campanula), kosmos (Cosmos), echinacea (Echinacea), rudbeckia (Rudbeckia), gaillardia (Gaillardia), marigolds (Tagetes), nivyanik (Laucenthemum).

The names of some speak for themselves: sunflower (Helianthus), helenium (Helenium), heliopsis (Heliopsis), helianthemum (Helianthemum), helichrysum (Helichrysum) - they all have the sun in their name and prefer to grow in its rays.

Karena Batstone Design

5. Grass garden
Grasses are true lovers of the sun. Only a few of them are ready to put up with penumbra. Most tolerate dryness well and are undemanding to watering. Therefore, an open sunny area is a great opportunity to create a composition of cereals. In terms of expressiveness, it is not inferior to a bright flower garden. The variety of species allows you to select a variety of color combinations. Moreover, the cereal garden retains its decorative effect all year round, decorating the site even in winter. And how beautiful are the cereals, illuminated by the morning or evening sun! Even if you are not ready to use only cereals, they will be a great addition to other sunny compositions.

Dig Your Garden Landscape Design

6. Arid desert composition
In an open arid place, you can create an unusual garden, as if transferred from the desert or from a rocky mountain slope. Use succulents for this. In their fleshy leaves, they are able to accumulate moisture, and therefore are completely undemanding to watering and soil. Despite the fact that many of them feel great in our latitudes and have long earned popularity, they still look exotic.

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Succulents - types, names and rules of care ) have many forms. They differ in size - from miniature plants spread on the ground to large bushy specimens that can act as tapeworms. The different shape of the leaves and the shade of flowering allows you to create a wide variety of compositions from them. Thanks to their undemanding nature and shallow root system, they are suitable for rockeries, roof gardens and planters.

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Roof garden: How to choose the right plants

GREEN LANDS garden company

Plant pines (Pinus), junipers (Juniperus), arborvitae (Thuia), larches (Larix), microbiota (Microbiota). When creating a coniferous composition in an open area, combine plants with different crown shapes: narrow verticals and tall conical varieties will become accents, plant outstretched forms in their roots, complementing the composition with spherical and ovoid plants. However, when creating a coniferous garden in the sun, remember about spring protection - these plants are especially susceptible to burns with spring temperature differences and active sun.

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Coniferous Plants in the Garden: Selection and Use

Unique by Design

It is in the sun that they fully reveal their varietal properties, while in the shade, many of them (especially yellow and variegated forms) lose their unusual pattern. There are many decorative leaf varieties both among shrubs and among herbaceous plants. A large number of decorative forms are famous for garden shrubs such as barberry (Berberis), spirea (Spiraea), white derain (Cornus alba), viburnum vesicle (Physocarpus opulifolius). Among the herbs, the multi-colored color of the leaves is distinguished by the lamb (Lamium), perilla (Perilla), hybrid coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides), loosestrife (Lysimachia punctata), tenacious (Ajuga).

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The most beautiful plants for a garden with decorative foliage - types and care - aquatic plants in this position will develop especially intensively. But it is the solar pond that is suitable for growing beautiful nymphs (Nymphaea). Due to the variety of shapes and colors, water lilies or water lilies are not in vain considered favorites among aquatic plants. In a sunny place, you can collect a whole collection of these beautiful flowers. Other flowering aquatic species will also thrive in full sun and provide a wonderful backdrop for the vibrant nymphaeum flowers.

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Bliss Garden Design, LLC

Premier Green Landscaping

10. Aromatic garden
The bright sun is an ideal condition for creating aroma-space . Many aromatic plants are native to the southern regions and require an open location. Here their growth is especially intense, and the aroma is revealed to the maximum. Most of the spice plants are grown as an annual crop and a significant part of them are used as food. An excellent solution for them would be a container garden or mobile flower beds near the summer dining or recreation area. Plant lavender (Lavandula), sage (Salvia), thyme (Thymus), hyssop (Hyssopus), basil (Ocimum), coriander (Coriandrum) and others for decoration and fragrance.

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Karena Batstone Design

YOUR TURN…
YOUR TURN…
Do you use them to create southern compositions or do you leave them for growing vegetables? Show us sun-loving plants - flowers and shrubs, - growing in your garden.

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