Full sun is usually described as six to eight hours of sunlight per day. But some gardens may be sunny eight, 10 or even 12 hours a day—blazing hot sun. Fortunately, there are perennials that thrive in extreme sun and the dryness that tends to go with it.

I started thinking about extreme sun plants after visiting a friend who wanted to re-landscape an area of her backyard. The area flanked a large patio and beyond the patio and planting area was an expansive lawn with a view of a pond. All the trees on the multi-acre property were off to the sides. She preferred perennials over shrubs for the area. So, what to plant? Here are five to consider (plus a few more just for fun.)

Yarrow. You cannot beat yarrow (Achillea spp.) for areas of extreme sun. Yarrow thrives in hot, sunny areas and tolerates dryness as well. While common yarrow has a white, umbrella-like bloom, newer cultivars feature blooms that are red, peach, yellow, pink and multicolored. Once established, it needs little maintenance. It blooms for weeks, and will rebloom if you cut it back after blooming. Butterflies love it. Yarrow also adds texture and color to bouquets, making it a good cut flower.

Gaillardia. Commonly called blanket flower, Gaillardia is a native to the western United States and thrives in hot, dry, very sunny locations. It is hardy to USDA Zone 3 so anyone can grow it.  Its blooms offer bright shades of red, yellow and orange and blooms tend to last for weeks. It makes a great cut flower, too. It attracts pollinators and deer and rabbits stay away from it. If you have a very sunny garden, you couldn’t ask for a better plant than blanket flower.

Sedum. Yes, Autumn Joy is over-planted, a favorite of office-building landscapes everywhere, but that’s just the beginning of the sedums available for northern gardeners. If you like dark foliage, try ‘Night Embers’ or ‘Dark Magic’ or Rock N’Grow™ ‘Back in Black’ tall sedum. Or maybe you prefer variegated foliage. Plant Autumn Charm or Frosted Fire. Sedum also offers groundcover options, such as ‘Pink Emperor’ or Sedum Atlantis™, a short, variegated sedum that’s a conversation starter. Whichever you plant, they’ll thrive in your sunniest garden.

Russian sage. This plant (Perovskia atriplicifolia) is easier to grow in northern climates than lavender and less floppy than catmint (Nepeta), though both of those are also great full-sun options. But for easy care and season-long bloom, you cannot beat Russian sage in a full-sun site. Its light purple flowers emerge in midsummer and keep blooming until fall. Once established, it can take very dry sites and doesn’t need much fertilizer. Its only flaw is it tends to flop, especially in wet seasons. Newer varieties, such as ‘Denim N’ Lace’ and ‘Blue Jean Baby’ tend to be shorter, denser and more upright than common Russian sage.

Daylilies. While not quite as low-maintenance as the other options, daylilies bloom more and more beautifully in extreme sun. And, they come in so many varieties that you could have a garden filled with sun-loving daylilies and never be bored. They are not fussy about soil though they do need adequate moisture when first planted. To keep the blooms coming, you will want to deadhead (remove) the spent blossoms every day during bloom time.

More Sun Lovers

Not excited about these five? How about coreopsis? Or perennial salvia? Catmint, Shasta daisies, coneflowers, peonies and rudbeckia are other plants that love a sunny spot.  Tell us your favorite sun-lovers in the comments!

Mary Lahr Schier is the author of The Northern Gardener: From Apples to Zinnias.

Note: Feature image (frog in daylily) courtesy of Mary Lahr Schier. All other images are courtesy of Walters Gardens Inc. unless otherwise stated.