There are many beautifully blooming summer flowers. But did you know that many perennials are also extravagantly beautiful and hardy to boot? In this article, we present our 15 favorites along with the most beautiful varieties for sunny locations.
15 Hardy perennials for sunny locations
But be careful when choosing: Not all sun-loving perennials go well together. Instead, consider individual soil and maintenance preferences when compiling discounts. Some species love it sunny, but have a high water requirement and therefore feel most comfortable in fresh to moist soil. Others, however, prefer a dry substrate.
Hardy perennials with A
Arkansas mock aster (Vernonia crinita)
The Arkansas mock aster, also known as the bank mock aster or Veronie, is an impressive perennial for fresh to moist locations. Because the late bloomer feels most comfortable on the bank of the garden pond or along a stream, but can also be planted in the perennial bed. However, the plant also tolerates short periods of drought.
- Growth height: 150 to 200 centimeters
- Growth habit: upright, clump-forming
- Flowers: simple umbel flowers
- Flower colors: purple-violet
- Flowering time: September to October
- Soil: fresh to moist, neutral pH
- Care: cut back in late autumn
- Special features: bee pasture
Hardy perennials with B
Bergenia (Bergenia cordifolia)
The undemanding and long-lived Bergenia grows in practically all locations: Whether sunny or partially shaded, in the rock garden, on dry stone walls or on the bank of a pond, this perennial feels at home everywhere. It just doesn't tolerate waterlogging, which is why good drainage is important. Bergenias are also extremely hardy.
- Growth height: up to 40 centimeters
- Growth habit: compact, ground covering
- Flower: small, bell-shaped
- Flower colors: pink, red, white, pink
- Flowering time: March to May
- Soil: fresh, as permeable as possible, neutral pH
- Care: very easy to care for and robust
- Popular varieties: 'Evening Bells', 'Abendglut', 'Baby Doll', 'Eroica', 'Autumn Blossom', 'Oeschberg'
- Special features: also grows in semi-shade
Bergenia, Bergenia
Blue Cushion (Aubrieta cultorum)
The blue cushion is one of the cushion-forming perennials and is ideal for both the garden bed and for a bucket culture. The plants love the sun and do well in warm, full sun locations - for example in the rock garden. Blue cushions are evergreen and hardy.
- Growth height: up to 10 centimeters
- Growth form: creeping, cushion-forming
- Blossom: grape blossoms
- Flower colors: blue to violet, white
- Flowering time: April to May
- Soil: fresh, well drained, neutral pH
- Care: Cut back after flowering
- Popular varieties: 'Blue Tit', 'Bressingham Red', 'Hamburger Stadtpark', 'Ruby Fire', 'Silberrand', 'Winterberg'
- Special features: bee pasture, spreads quickly
Bluecushion, Aubrieta
Squill bush (Amsonia hubrichtii)
Native to North America, the squill bush, also known as Hubricht's tube star, is one of the more unusual perennials in the garden. The beauty of this plant shows itself twice a year, namely when it blooms in summer and in autumn. Then the otherwise rather inconspicuous foliage turns into bright yellow and ocher tones.
- Growth height: 70 to 90 centimeters
- Growth habit: upright, clump-forming
- Flowers: small umbelliferous flowers
- Flower colors: light blue
- Flowering period: May to July
- Soil: dry to fresh, well drained
- Care: cut back in spring
- Special features: needle-like, shiny leaves
Blood Cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum)
The geranium species, also known as blood-red cranesbill, should not be missing in any perennial border: the long-lived species, which is very resistant to diseases, is extremely hardy and loves the sun.
- Growth height: 25 to 40 centimeters
- Growth form: cushion-forming
- Flower: simple, bowl-shaped
- Flower colors: bright crimson
- Flowering period: June to August
- Soil: dry, well drained
- Care: very easy to care for and robust
- Popular varieties: 'Apple Blossom', 'Elke', 'Glen Luce', 'Ron Leed', 'Tiny Monster'
- Special features: fast-growing, spreads quickly, valuable insect pasture
Burning Love (Lychnis chalcedonica)
The main thing is sunny: The species, also known as campion, develops its bright red umbels of flowers only in one place in the sun. It is one of the most robust and easy-care perennials.
- Growth height: 60 to 100 centimeters
- Growth form: upright, bushy
- Flower: umbel-shaped, small
- Flower colors: red, white
- Flowering period: June to July
- Soil: fresh, well drained, nutritious, low in lime
- Care: cut back in late autumn
- Popular varieties: 'Rauhfrost'
- Special features: bee pasture
Perennials from C - E
Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum x hortorum)
Chrysanthemums are available in an incredibly large variety of varieties. The perennials, also known as winter asters, bring color to autumn, after all they bloom very late in the year. Worshiped by the Chinese emperors, this flower loves the sun and is hardy if you leave the foliage as winter protection.
- Growth height: between 30 and 80 centimeters depending on the variety
- Growth form: bushy
- Flowers: radiating to pompom-like, simple, semi-double or double, depending on the variety
- Flower colors: white, yellow, pink, pink, red
- Flowering period: October to November
- Soil: well drained, neutral pH
- Care: cut after flowering
- Popular varieties: 'Goldmarianne', 'Orchid Helen', 'Ordensstern', 'Bienchen', 'Brockenfeuer', 'Oktoberpracht'
- Special features: large selection of varieties
tip: Chrysanthemums look particularly interesting when you plant different colored and flowered varieties together.
Noble peony (Paeonia hybrida)
Likewise, peonies should not be missing in any sunbed. The easy-care peonies not only impress with their longevity and winter hardiness, but above all with their lush growth and the beautiful flower balls. In addition to the hybrid precious peonies, the cottage garden peonies (Paeonia officinalis) and the Chinese peonies (Paeonia lactiflora) are also suitable for a sunny spot in the perennial border.
- Growth height: up to 80 centimeters
- Growth form: bushy
- Flower: ball-shaped, mostly semi-double or double
- Flower colors: pink, pink, red, white, yellow
- Flowering period: May to June
- Soil: well drained, neutral pH
- Care: cut out faded stems, cut back in late autumn, do not transplant
- Popular varieties: 'Bartzella', 'Buckeye Belle', 'Coral Charme', 'Red Charme', 'Yellow Crown'
- Special features: very robust and durable
Perennials from F - L
Torch lily (Kniphofia uvaria)
Torch lilies are just the right plant if you are looking for something very special for your garden. The tall perennial looks particularly pretty in small groups of three to five specimens, which are framed by catnip or gypsophila.
- Growth height: 50 to 100 centimeters
- Growth form: stiffly upright
- Flower: large panicle flower
- Flower colors: greenish white, orange, red, yellow, multicolored
- Flowering period: July to September
- Soil: well drained, enhance with compost
- Care: cover with leaves in winter, fertilize with low nitrogen
- Popular Varieties: 'Fire Dance', 'Green Jade', 'Elvira', 'Nobilis', 'Ice Queen'
- Special features: striking flowers
Stonecrop (Sedum)
Uncomplicated, easy to care for, robust and well adapted to sunny locations: the different types and numerous varieties of sedum are also exactly the right choice for the sunny perennial border. The plant is also known as stonecrop.
- Growth height: between 30 and 70 centimeters depending on the type and variety
- Growth form: bushy, upright
- Flower: umbel-shaped
- Flower colors: white, pink, violet, yellow
- Flowering period: August to September
- Soil: well drained, neutral pH
- Care: cut back in spring
- Popular varieties: 'Brillant', 'Septemberglut', 'Stardust', 'Herbstfreude'
- Special features: different types and varieties, robust and plentiful
Sedum, stonecrop
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Fragrant lavender in the garden not only offers a magical sight, it also keeps numerous pests - such as aphids - away from the perennial and vegetable beds. Many of the popular varieties of the perennial are very hardy and can therefore be planted in a sun border or as a bed border without hesitation.
- Growth height: between 40 and 80 centimeters depending on the variety
- Growth form: bushy
- Flowers: spiked, labial flowers
- Flower colors: violet, blue, pink, white
- Flowering period: June to September
- Soil: dry, well drained
- Care: cut back in spring
- Popular Varieties: 'Imperial Gem', 'Siesta', 'Arctic Snow', 'Blue Scent', 'Rosea', 'Munstead', 'Dwarf Blue', 'Hidcote Blue'
- Special features: valuable bee pasture
tip: Lavender can be planted as a border around the vegetable patch or as a companion to roses. Here, for example, the fragrant perennial keeps annoying aphids away.
Hardy perennials with S
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
If you're thinking of a boring herb, you're in for a treat. Because the herbaceous, native perennial is now available in numerous bright colors, which shine particularly brightly in a place in the sun. In addition, yarrow is extremely easy to care for, uncomplicated and hardy.
- Growth height: 30 to 50 centimeters
- Growth form: flat to upright
- Flower: umbel-shaped
- Flower colors: white, yellow, pink, red
- Flowering period: June to August
- Soil: fresh, permeable, rich in nutrients, slightly acidic to neutral pH
- Care: very easy to care for
- Popular varieties: 'Lilac Beauty', 'Schneetaler', 'Cherry Queen', 'Summer Fruits Carmine', 'Paprika', 'Terracotta', 'Pretty Belinda'
- Special features: forms runners, very frost hardy, valuable bee pasture
Suneye (Heliopsis scabra)
The sun eye bears its name for a reason, because the hardy perennial only feels at home in full sun. Here it grows - provided the soil is not too dry - very luxuriantly and develops numerous flowers. It is one of the long-lived perennials and can remain in the same location for ten years or more.
- Growth height: 100 to 120 centimeters
- Growth form: bushy, upright
- Flower: Cup flowers
- Flower colors: yellow
- Flowering period: July to September
- Soil: fresh, nutritious
- Care: very easy to care for
- Popular varieties: 'Spitzentanzerin', 'Lorraine Sunshine', 'Venus', 'Sommersonne'
- Special features: forms runners, is avoided by snails
Perennial Sunflower (Helianthus atrorubens)
While sunflowers are typically annuals, this hardy and lush perennial is not. The perennial sunflower delights you every year with its bright yellow flowers. The location should be as sunny as possible, as the flower only feels comfortable in the light.
- Growth height: 100 to 180 centimeters
- Growth form: bushy, upright
- Flower: bowl-shaped
- Flower colors: yellow
- Flowering period: August to September
- Soil: rich in nutrients, dry, well-drained
- Care: remove faded stems, cut back after flowering
- Popular varieties: 'Monarch', 'Giganteus'
- Special features: forms numerous runners
Coneflower (Helenium x cultorum)
The sun bride with her cup flowers in bright colors loves the sun. This beautiful summer perennial only needs sufficient water, because it has a hard time coping with drought.
- Growth height: 60 to 120 centimeters
- Growth form: bushy, upright
- Flower: bowl-shaped, large
- Flower colors: yellow, red, multicolored
- Flowering period: June to August
- Soil: fresh, well-drained, nutritious
- Care: very easy to care for
- Popular varieties: 'The Bishop', 'Indian Summer', 'Baudirektor Linne', 'Biedermeier', 'Flamenrad', 'Gold Rush'
- Special features: valuable bee pasture
