By Jennifer Poindexter
Do you have a well lit area that you’d like to add a little life to? Would you prefer to plant annuals, so the area could look lively, faster?
You’ve come to the right place. I have compiled a list of annual flowers which work best in a full sun flower bed.
I’ll walk you through your options, some of the growing conditions, and when you can expect each option to bloom.
Don’t feel overwhelmed when trying to create landscaping ideas. Instead, use this list to inspire you. Here are your options for annuals which grow best in full sun beds.
1. Marigolds
Marigolds are bushy, round flowers filled with color. They not only add beauty to your landscape, but their scent is great for keeping pests away.
If you’d like to grow marigolds in your full sun bed, be sure to provide well-draining soil and ample sunlight. Also, these flowers will bloom from summer until the first frost in autumn.
2. Begonias
My mom and grandmother both enjoy begonias. I have fond memories of my grandmother’s beautiful begonias as a child. I now go down memory lane every time I visit my mom and see her begonias.
These flowers consist of rich green foliage and small, colorful blooms. They bloom from the early portion of summer until the first frost. However, be sure to grow begonias in well-draining soil and in a location with bright, indirect light.
3. Ageratum
Ageratum are pretty, mounding plants that have colorful blooms with a wispy appearance. This is a great option if you need something to bloom a little earlier as ageratum bloom from late spring all the way through the fall season.
This is a shorter plant that’s great when used for edging or for container gardens. Be sure to supply this plant with well-draining soil that’s also rich in nutrients.
4. Cosmos
Cosmos are traditional flowers with bright yellow centers. They’re great for adding color and natural décor around your home.
These flowers bloom from early summer through the first frost as long as you deadhead them regularly. Be sure to supply cosmos with plenty of light and well-draining soil.
5. Vincas
Vincas are small flowers which produce traditional blooms and green foliage. The annual varieties love full sun while vinca minor prefers more shade. Pay close attention to the variety you choose prior to planting.
Once your vincas are in the ground, provide adequate care for them and expect to see blooms from the early portion of summer until the first frost.
6. Verbena
Verbena is a great way to add color to your landscape. This flower mounds and becomes full as it matures. Plus, it produces small blooms which form larger, colorful clusters.
If you’re interested in growing this plant, be sure it’s provided well-draining soil and ample water. You should expect verbena to bloom from July through September.
7. Petunias
Petunias are a wonderful way to add color to your home. They grow well in the ground, in containers, in hanging planters, or in window boxes. These flowers also come in a variety of colors and designs.
If you wish to add petunias to your home, be sure to provide plenty of sunlight, well-draining soil, and adequate moisture. Petunias generally bloom in the summer. However, in some locations they’ll grow from spring until the first frost.
8. Zinnias
There are many varieties of zinnias. Some only grow to be one foot in height while others grow up to four feet. No matter the variety, they all produce beautiful green foliage and round, layered blooms.
When adding zinnias to your landscape be sure to plant them in full sunlight, as they love bright light. They’ll also need well-draining soil that’s high in nutrients. If provided the right care and growing conditions, zinnias should bloom from the middle of summer until the first frost of fall.
9. Mexican Sunflower
Mexican sunflowers are a forgiving plant. They thrive in poor quality soil. In some cases, it’s said that you receive a better performance from them when grown in rockier soil.
Should you wish to add this bright flower to your full sun garden plot, there isn’t much you must do for growing conditions. This plant even thrives in drought. Therefore, expect this low-maintenance flower to bloom from the middle of summer until the first frost of fall.
10. Geraniums
Geraniums are wonderful plants to grow in containers or in a traditional garden plot. They come in an array of colors ranging from red, pink, blue, and even multi-colored. If you’re interested in adding geraniums to your landscape, be sure to plant in well-draining soil.
These flowers can handle bright light in most locations. However, if you live in a warmer planting zone, aim for a location with afternoon shade. Expect geraniums to bloom from spring through the first frost of fall.
11. Poppy Flowers
Poppy flowers resemble a wildflower since they grow on long stems and produce brightly colored rounded blooms.
When adding poppy flowers to your plot, expect the flowers to bloom from April to June in most locations. Aside from full sun, these flowers only need rich, well-draining soil.
12. Amaranth
Amaranth are larger plants with vertical, textured blooms that provide a rich purple color to your growing location.
Expect these flowers to bloom from the middle portion of summer until the first fall frost. Also, be sure to plant amaranth in well-draining soil with balanced nutrients.
13. Cypress Vine
When growing the cypress vine, ensure you have enough room for the plant as it can reach heights between six and ten feet. This vine has lush green foliage and produces small pink, red, and white blooms.
The cypress vine grows best in areas with well-draining soil that’s also fertile. You should expect this plant to bloom from early summer through the middle of fall.
14. Pentas
Pentas are another mounding, colorful plant. They produce small blooms which grow in clusters of a range of colors such as red, purple, and white.
When adding pentas to your garden plot, keep in mind this plant also does well in containers. Pentas isn’t particular about soil-type as long as it’s well-draining. When provided with the right growing conditions, pentas should bloom the entire summer.
15. Cupflower
Cupflowers are named honestly because they grow in a mound of greenery. When the blooms open, they form a cup. These are brightly colored flowers that come in blue, white, and purple.
The cupflower is a perennial in planting zones seven through ten but can still be grown as an annual in lower planting zones. They bloom from the middle of summer until fall and grow well as long as they’re provided a location with rich, well-draining soil.
16. Celosia Spicata
Celosia spicata plants are also known as a flamingo feather due to their unique vertical shape, wispy blooms, and bright colors.
If you’d like to spice up your landscape with something a little different, don’t overlook this option. Celosia spicata enjoy full sunlight, well-draining soil, and bloom from the beginning of summer until the middle of fall.
17. Sweet Alyssum
Sweet alyssum makes a wonderful border or filler plant as it mounds with gorgeous blooms. Though the blooms are smaller, they cluster which makes the entire plant shine. When considering sweet alyssum for your full sun flower bed, be sure you can provide a space with well-draining soil and where this plant can receive ample water as it will stop producing blooms in dry, hot conditions.
Expect sweet alyssum to bloom over the summer months and be sure to deadhead old blooms to encourage greater blooming from this plant.
18. Lisianthus
Lisianthus blooms are beautiful and come in a variety of colors from pastels to rich purple. You can even purchase varieties with a mixture of colors. The blooms are layered and remind me of roses.
If you’d like this unique flower around your home, be sure to provide a growing location with plenty of sunlight and well-draining soil. You should expect this type of flower to bloom from the middle of summer until the first frost of fall.
19. Spider Flowers
Our final flower to discuss is the spider flower which is also known as cleome. This unique plant produces small floral clusters with protruding pieces that stick out from the stem like spider legs.
If you’d like a colorful but unique plant in your full sun garden plot be sure to provide the right conditions. This flower needs ample sunlight and well-draining soil. You can expect the spider flower to bloom from early summer until the first frost of fall.
You now have a variety of options for annual flowers that should grow well in your full sun garden bed.
Use this list to inspire the direction of your landscaping ideas. Once you know which plants you like and can supply adequate growing conditions, start putting your ideas into action.
More About Full Sun Annual Flowers
https://web.extension.illinois.edu/beyond/directory_annuals_dry_sun.cfm
https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g6629
https://extension.psu.edu/planting-in-sun-or-shade
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