Sunny locations in your yard can get really hot during the summer months, so you’ll need to choose plants that can tolerate all day sun and that are fairly drought tolerant. Perennials are a great choice because they require very little maintenance once established.
Add some of these perennials to the sunniest spots in your Bismarck yard for summer-long beauty and low-maintenance landscaping. Here are a few of our favorite perennials for full sun sites.
Phlox
Phlox is a beautiful and reliable perennial. The taller variety, Phlox Paniculata, can grow anywhere from 2-4 feet tall. Phlox subulata, the creeping variety, grows in mounds that get to about 6″ tall. Both varieties of phlox are vigorous and bloom profusely in shades of pink, purple, and white. Phlox is hardy, low-maintenance, and drought tolerant.
Irises
The iris family of plants is a huge one, and most of them bloom the best in full sun. Irises grow from rhizomes or bulbs, and there are 5 different types: reticulata, dutch, beardless, bearded, and crested. Regardless of the variety, irises are unique and gorgeous. Irises are available in almost any color, including many different multi-color varieties. Reblooming irises are perfect for all-summer color in a sun-drenched spot. Just make sure not to plant them too deeply, irises like to be close to the surface, and rhizome varieties even like their rhizomes to be a bit exposed above the soil.
Coneflower
Coneflowers, or echinacea, are an easy-care, drought-tolerant, flower with daisy-like petals and a large center. Coneflowers are available in a range of colors including, pink, orange, red, yellow, and white. They can grow from 2-4′ tall and will bloom for a solid two months every summer. They’re popular with birds and pollinators.
Peony
Peonies are a beautiful shrub-like perennial that produce stunning huge flowers. There are many peony varieties, from early spring bloomers to mid-summer bloomers. From decadent double blossoms densely packed with petals to simple single blossoms, peonies come in a huge range of colors. Most peonies grow to about 2-3 f tall and feature loads of giant blooms every year. They are a timeless and elegant sun-loving perennial. When you’re planting peonies, don’t plant them too deep. If the crown or top of the soil in its nursery pot is too deep, they won’t bloom.
Catmint
Catmint is another shrub-like perennial, growing into a large mound 2-3′ tall and 3-4′ wide. When it blooms, it turns into a dome of tiny blue flowers that last from early summer right until frost. Catmint is drought tolerant and easy to grow, and it’s a sun lover too.
Sun Loving Perennial Grasses
Flowers aren’t your only option for sun-loving perennials. Many ornamental grasses are perennial as well, and they have the bonus of offering year-round interest to the garden.
Prairie Dropseed Grass
Prairie Dropseed is a warm-season grass, so it will love a hot sunny location. This perennial grass is native to the Great Plains, from Texas all the way to Saskatchewan in Canada. This grass forms a graceful mound with thousands of tiny leaves. It gets to about 2-3′ tall and wide. This grass is the ultimate; it can grow in basically any type of soil as long as there’s reasonable drainage. It adds a beautiful fine texture to sun-drenched locations.
Big & Little Bluestem Grass
Bluestem grasses, both Big Bluestem and Little Bluestem, are also warm-season perennial grasses that will thrive in full sun. They both have a more upright form, with the little version getting 3-4′ tall, and the big version getting up to 6′ tall. Little Bluestem features icy green-blue leaves, while Big Bluestem is more of an icy green.
Feather Reed Grass
Feather Reed Grasses are another gorgeous perennial grass. They feature tall, richly colored leaves, topped with a long inflorescence that lasts all season. Karl Foerster and Avalanche are popular varieties, with Karl Foerster having dark green foliage and Avalanche having yellowish-green leaves. Feather Reed grasses are a great architectural addition to a garden.
Stop by the Plant Perfect garden center to find some sun-loving perennials for your landscape.