When choosing the right plants for your garden, consider the amount of sun they need and their preferred type. There are plenty of flowers that thrive in full sun, but some of them do not require as much care. Consider Coneflowers, Geraniums, Petunias, and Shasta daisies. These plants can all thrive in full sun, and they will produce stunning blooms. These plants are also a favorite among birds.
Coneflowers
Planting coneflowers in a sunny spot is essential for their bright colors. Make sure to keep them away from runoff and standing water. These plants also work well as container plants and garden specimens. Choose a deep and wide variety to fill in a sunny area. These flowers bloom early in the spring. They are drought-tolerant. Listed below are some tips for planting them in your garden.
They are easy to grow and attract bees and butterflies. They grow in parts of the garden, including full shade. Their flowers are also useful medicinal herbs. Their deep red and bright orange colors attract bees and butterflies. They also start out as bright gold and turn deep red or orange as they age. They can grow in a clumping pattern and look stunning in mass plantings. The petals of coneflowers are unique and can be mixed to create a striking floral display.
Planting coneflowers in the garden requires careful planning. They need at least 6 weeks of growth before the first frost. For best results, plant them in the spring, or early fall. You can also start them indoors before the last frost. Make sure to thin the plants and transplant them when they are two inches high. If possible, choose a pot or container that is at least 24 inches tall.
Geraniums
There are several benefits to growing geraniums in full sun. The most noticeable feature of these flowers is their scented foliage. While not as prolific as roses, geraniums do have a delightful scent. Some varieties smell like roses, mint, apple, and apricot. Their cultivar names typically hint at the scent. Geraniums are best planted in the spring.
Ideally, your geraniums will be covered with flowers. They should also be bushy and compact. While they prefer full sunlight, they will also become “leggy” if they receive too little light. Too little light can cause them to grow tall and spindly stems. Too much light can lead to less flower production. Regardless of how much light your plants receive, they need adequate air circulation.
Most geraniums prefer full sun. However, some species of geraniums require light shade in the hottest part of the day. In this case, they are best grown in containers, where they will benefit from commercial container mix. If you are growing them in your garden, it is a good idea to add organic matter to your soil to improve its drainage and fertility. However, you should also consider growing geraniums in containers if they are placed outdoors.
Most geraniums have attractive foliage. Most varieties are lobed or deeply dissected and come in colors ranging from bright green to gray. Occasionally, some varieties have purple, bronze, or yellow foliage. Unfortunately, many geraniums do not hold their foliage color throughout the entire season. One seed strain of meadow geranium, Victor Reiter, loses its deep purple leaves in midsummer and turns purple in fall.
Petunias
The ‘Wave’ series of petunias is available in many colors and is a great choice if you don’t have a large garden or want a more formal look. Both types are drought resistant, disease-resistant, and heavy bloomers. Petunias are relatively pest-free, though you should check for slugs on your plants if they are in full sun. Keep in mind that these flowering annuals require daily watering, and you can use a liquid fertilizer if you have a container or soilless growing medium.
Grandiflora petunias are the most popular variety, with the largest flowers spanning four inches. They have a compact habit and produce a large mound of flowers. They are often trimmed back in mid-summer after flowering to prevent them from over-taking the space. However, if you want a plant with large blooms that stay low to the ground, you may want to consider ‘Supertunia’.
Planting seeds of petunias can be a challenge. Since petunia seeds are notoriously slow to germinate, they must be started indoors. Start petunia seeds in moist potting soil about six to ten weeks before the last frost date. Plant the seedlings in a sunny spot that receives seven to ten hours of direct sunlight daily.
Shasta daisy
Unlike most other plants, shasta daisy prefers full sunlight, though it can tolerate less-than-ideal conditions. However, it won’t flower nearly as beautifully as oxeye. To prevent the plant from becoming leggy, you should only fertilize it in mid-summer with half-strength liquid fertilizer. Planting shasta daisies in full sun doesn’t require frequent watering after the first year, so long as the soil is well-drained.
This summer-flowering bulb is easy to grow and has common care needs. They also make great cut flowers. They attract butterflies and bees, which will pollinate the flowers. To make them even better, Shasta daisies grow in full sunlight and thrive with a bit of maintenance. If you don’t have time to plant them in full sunlight, you can start them indoors by starting them in peat pots or cold frames in fall. Or, if you prefer, you can plant them directly from seed, which will produce blooms in about a year.
A perennial, the shasta daisy is a beautiful choice for your garden. The lilac-like flowers bloom for a long period. The flowers are large and white, with frilly petals. The Shasta daisy is also a good choice for cut flowers. The flowers bloom singly and contrast beautifully with the dark green foliage. Shasta daisies can also be used as a border flower.
Pentas
If you are growing your Pentas in the garden, they are perfect for full sun. In frost-free areas, they exhibit a shrubby nature. After one growing season, they become leggy and require pruning to maintain their shape. Pentas need about six inches of pruning every January to promote flower production. Over time, the stems may grow woody and need replacement. If you are growing your Pentas as an annual, you don’t have to prune them. Instead, you can deadhead the flowers to ensure that they stay productive.
Pentas are easy to propagate from cuttings or seeds. For the best results, take the cuttings from the terminal wood and dip them into a rooting hormone. Once the roots have emerged, plant the cuttings in a protected location away from direct sunlight and wind. Pentas are a tough plant that can withstand light frost but not hard freeze. Pests that attack these flowers are few. Spider mites may be a problem during hot summers.
To grow Pentas as a container plant, start seeds indoors approximately two months before the last expected frost. If you plan to grow them outdoors, wait until the weather consistently warms up. If the climate in your area is too cold, start your seeds in individual cells in a cold frame and transplant them outdoors when they are two-thirds of the way up. Make sure to keep the soil moist. In two to three weeks, green shoots will start to emerge from the seedlings.
Milkweed
If you’re considering planting a milkweed in your garden, you’ve probably heard that it grows in full sun, and it’s easy to see why. These perennial plants have a plethora of benefits, including being drought tolerant and thriving in moist soil. They’re also one of the easiest flowers to grow from seed, which is why they’re great for the rain garden. Milkweed is best planted in the fall or early winter, so you can plant them in the fall.
You can choose a variety of milkweed plants for your garden based on their growing conditions. Some species are more suited to swampy climates, while others are better adapted to arid environments. When choosing a variety, keep in mind that not all milkweeds are suited for the same climate. You may even be able to grow an entirely different type of milkweed in your garden than what you’d normally plant in the same area.
The dazzling flowers of this flower attract native butterflies and bees to your garden. Its fragrant milky sap is also used as a remedy for dysentery. Native Americans used the flower’s stems to cure asthma and coughs. They also made rope out of milkweed stems and woven them into coarse fabrics. The seed pods contain fluffy white floss and a large number of brown seeds. The seed floss is very versatile and can be used to fill pillows and even as tinder.
