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Pre-Planned Full Sun Garden Recipes for Success

Pre-Planned Full Sun Garden Recipes for Success - Nature Hills Nursery

Charlotte Weidner |

A full sun garden is a magical place and one that gives a gardener massive potential! It also brings its own challenges for both gardeners and plants alike because of what comes with it - dry conditions, heat and humidity!

For a northern gardener, full sun is a welcome luxury, but for more southern climates, it can mean constant watering, leaf burn and even dry, sunbaked soil that leaves plants and people gasping.

Finding plants that do their very best in hot climates and in full sun can be a challenge, but Nature Hills is here with some pre-planned gardens for full sun and some easy tips and tricks on combating the blaze!

Beat the Heat in Hot Growing Zones

mulching plants

We all want shade and cover when we’re stuck out in the sun. For plants, that coverage is best done at the root level. Plus moisture access, shade from the worst of the sun, and designed for heat, are all ways for plants to do better in the sun.

Survival in the full sun garden means ensuring you have hardy native plants that are made for the sun, or newer hybrids that are well rated for anything your growing zone can throw at them! Choose plants perfect for your climate by adding your Zip Code to our Growing Zone Finder, have a look at Plants for Your State for ideas, and get in touch with your local County Extension Office to learn more about what does best for your immediate area!

Having highly organic, enriched soil is the first step in preparing your landscape for the sun. Organic matter helps hold moisture and releases it slowly for plant roots, plus gives them a cool, fertile place to grow. Amending soil improves soil microbial life and increases moisture retention, cools the soil, and helps plants grow deeper and healthier! It aerates and keeps soil from compacting, limiting root growth and moisture getting deep into the ground and instead, just rolling off the surface.

A thick layer of Arborist Mulch, 3-4 inches deep, over the top of your garden beds is a sure-fire way to hold more consistent moisture and keep temperatures down, so roots stay cool. It also prevents evaporation. Mulch also adds to the organic matter, microbial action and biodiversity of your soil as it slowly breaks down.

Hydration

soaker hose

Using mulch and the methods above, you can help hold a more consistent soil moisture level throughout the highs and lows of the growing season. But another useful tool to help plants stand up to the sun is underground irrigation. When the sun is baking onto leaves and there is water present from an overhead system or sprinkles, it can actually burn holes into the leaves or cause brown markings. Plants rarely take in moisture through their leaves, so give them the hydration they need, delivered directly to the root zone.

Soaker hoses and other trickle systems won’t broadcast the water over the leaves and into the air, where most of it will just evaporate before the plant can use it. Keeping moisture where it’s needed most!

If you do water with a hose or sprinkler, water in the evening or morning so leaves have time to dry before the sun comes out.

Shade Your World

Shade trees thrive in the full sun while providing cooling relief! Set up a lawn chair and bask under their welcoming limbs! Evapotranspiration by trees, combined with the shade they produce, reduces summer temperatures by up to 10°F! Strategically plant around buildings or shade pavement that would otherwise radiate heat and amplify the sun.

  • Magnolias - Saucer & D.D. Blanchard
  • Linden Trees
  • Crabapple Trees - Blooms & Edible Fruit
  • Ginkgo Trees
  • Sycamore, Hackberry & Honeylocust
  • Evergreens

Flowers That Defy The Sun

native plants

Hardy Native Plants have evolved to survive full sun are perfectly adapted to your area! Native sun perennials do the best in the sun and also attract beneficial local pollinators and butterflies! These lovelies bloom all summer and provide you with armloads of bouquets!

Some plants that seem to defy the relentless sun regardless of growing zone are:

Pre-Planned Gardens for Success

Poolside Tropicals

These poolside tropical plants are fantastic year-round, or as annual accents for northern growers who can bring them in for the winter!

  1. Hardy Hibiscus
  2. Banana Trees
  3. ‘Houseplants’ - houseplants to northern gardeners are landscape plants for the south!
  4. Citrus Trees
  5. Mediterranean Fan Palm, Windmill Palm or Jelly Palm Tree
  6. Check out our new line of Tropical Trees
poolside tropicals

Red Hot Sample Garden - Zones 5 - 9

A fiery red full sun garden for around a seating area or set fire to your front landscaping!

  1. Cranberry Crush Hibiscus - Mid-size shrub
  2. Northern Wonder Banana™ (root hardy to zone 5) - Broad-leaf texture
  3. Sombrero® Sangrita Coneflower - Low color
  4. Moses' Fire Daylily - Low long-blooming color
  5. Cardinal Flower or Ragin Cajun Indian Pink - Back of the border perennial or en masse
  6. Red Hot Popsicle™ Dwarf Poker - Focal point
  7. Prairie Winds® Cheyenne Sky Red Switch Grass - Fine texture & filler
  8. Spartan Juniper Spiral Topiary - Upright evergreen specimen
  9. Crape Myrtle Tree- Black Diamond® Best Red or First Editions® Ruffled Red Magic
red hot garden

Potted Berries - Zones 5 - 9

Fruit Bushes are naturals in the sun! In fact, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a fruiting shrub that doesn’t crave the full sun! Here’s a berry-licious garden sample for containers and large planters, or in the ground.

  1. Dwarf Strawberry Tree
  2. Bushel and Berry® Container-Ready Raspberries, Blueberries & Blackberries
  3. Brown Turkey Fig or Chicago Hardy Fig Tree
  4. Strawberry Plants
  5. Low Scape Hedger® Chokeberry
  6. Columnar Fruit Trees - Like Flavor Grenade and Splash Pluots
  7. Dwarf Fruit Trees - Romeo and Juliet Cherry, or Bonfire Peach tree
  8. Australian Finger Lime - Small evergreen Citrus that can be houseplants in zones 7 and lower
berries

Cool As A Cucumber

Sunny lemons and limes to light up your already sunny areas! Would really brighten up your front yard landscaping or turn your side yard into something more than an after-thought.

  1. Pumila Dwarf Pampas Grass - Tall colorful specimen
  2. Sunsation Magnolia Tree - Shade garden beds and you!
  3. Popcorn Drift® Rose - Long blooming buttery yellow mid-sized shrub
  4. Sunjoy® Gold Beret Barberry or Golden Rocket Barberry - Small color-packed backdrop
  5. Happy Returns Daylily - Long blooming color for anywhere
  6. Lemon Ball Sedum or Prima Angelia Sedum - Splash of color for edging
  7. Pineapple Popsicle™ Dwarf Poker - Serious specimen and focal point
  8. First Editions® Green Hypericum - Small perennial with 3-season interest
  9. Martin's Spurge - Vivid color accent
  10. Saybrook Gold Juniper - Evergreen color
cool as a cucumber garden

Cactus Garden & Drought

Water-conserving landscaping for drought-tolerant gardens also means low-maintenance gardens for you! Using Xeric groundcover plants can significantly reduce your watering needs.

  1. Cape Rush & Flax Lily - Colorful spiky texture
  2. Agave & Yucca - Evergreen texture plus blooms for hummingbirds
  3. Sand Cherry, Pea Shrub, Prairie Rose, Chokeberry & Sumac - Mid-sized shrub
  4. Sedum - Spillers, fillers and edging
  5. Drought Tolerant Ornamental Grasses - Tall, flowing punctuation
  6. Lavender & Creeping Rosemary Plants - Loves Mediterranean climate
  7. Yarrow, Coreopsis, Russian Sage & Catmint - Small-sized perennial color!
  8. Mimosa or Cypress Trees - Tall shade
  9. Carissa Holly or Lingustrum - Evergreen drought-tolerant shrubs & tough-as-nails
cactus and drought

Dark Foliage Garden For Wet Soil

  1. Illustris Elephant's Ear & Iris Black Gamecock- Large texture accent
  2. Pandora Ligularia or Black Scallop Ajuga- Groundcover & small accent
  3. Black Adder Phormium - Spiky texture and dramatic color
  4. Jazz Hands Night Moves™ Loropetalum - Tri-color specimen & accent
  5. Nosferatu Daylily - Long blooming focal point
  6. Mondo Grass & Dwarf Mondo Grass - Evergreen filler & small edging
  7. Purple Fountain Grass - Soft flowing dramatic texture
  8. Shade Tree - Loblolly Pine Tree
  9. Green Magic Inkberry Holly - Dark-leafed evergreen mid-sized shrub

Or plant a vegetable garden or orchard that will always welcome full sun!

wet well-drained soil

Catch Some Rays!

catch some rays in a greenhouse

Any time of the growing season, you’ll work on your tan while easily getting your garden full-sun ready! Let Nature Hills Nursery help you find the right plants for your unique landscape today by calling our customer service experts or dropping by our website anytime for inspiration!

So grab that sunhat and shades, some sunscreen, and a hammock, then get your garden ready for the sunshine!

Happy Planting!

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my yard gets enough sun to use a full sun garden recipe?
Full sun is defined as a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight per day, with 8 or more hours being ideal for most full sun plants. To assess your yard, observe and track sunlight hours across your garden beds throughout the day during the growing season, noting any shade cast by trees, structures, or fences. Use Nature Hills' Growing Zone Finder by entering your zip code to confirm your hardiness zone and browse plants rated for your specific conditions.

How many hours of direct sun does a full sun garden recipe need to perform well?
Full sun gardens require a minimum of 6 hours of direct sunlight per day, with many sun-loving plants actually thriving with 8 hours or more. The intensity of that sun matters as much as the duration, which is why growing zone plays such a critical role in plant selection. Use the Nature Hills Growing Zone Finder at naturehills.com to identify plants perfectly suited to your specific conditions and sunlight levels.

Which types of plants are typically included in a pre-planned full sun garden recipe?
Pre-planned full sun garden recipes from Nature Hills typically include heat-tolerant natives, proven hybrids, tropical poolside plants, drought-resistant cacti, and fruiting plants like potted berries, with most designs suited for Zones 5 through 9. Dark foliage plants suited to specific moisture conditions and flowers bred to thrive in intense sun are also common inclusions. Use the Nature Hills Growing Zone Finder with your zip code to identify which pre-planned garden recipe is the best match for your climate and conditions.

How far apart should I space plants when setting up a pre-planned full sun garden bed?
Spacing depends on the mature size of each plant selected for your garden bed, so always check the individual plant tags or product descriptions for spread measurements before planting. As a general rule, give plants enough room to reach their full width without crowding, which improves air circulation and reduces disease pressure in hot, humid conditions. For the most accurate guidance tailored to your specific pre-planned garden, refer to the spacing recommendations included with your Nature Hills garden recipe or contact our plant experts directly at naturehills.com.

What type of soil works best for a pre-planned full sun garden recipe?
Highly organic, enriched soil works best for a full sun garden, as it retains moisture, releases it slowly to roots, and keeps soil temperatures cooler. Amending your soil with organic matter improves microbial life, prevents compaction, and allows roots to grow deeper and access moisture more effectively. Top your prepared beds with a 3 to 4 inch layer of arborist mulch to further reduce evaporation and regulate soil temperature. Start by amending your soil before planting, then apply mulch across all bed surfaces to give your full sun plants the best possible foundation.

Should I amend my existing soil before installing a full sun garden recipe?
Yes, amending your existing soil before planting is one of the most important steps you can take for a successful full sun garden. Enriching your soil with organic matter improves moisture retention, cools the root zone, promotes beneficial microbial activity, and prevents the compaction that causes water to run off rather than soak in. After planting, apply 3 to 4 inches of arborist mulch over your beds to further regulate soil temperature and reduce evaporation. Start with a soil amendment at planting time and replenish your mulch layer each season to keep roots healthy through the heat.

How often should I water a full sun garden recipe during the growing season?
Watering frequency for a full sun garden depends on your climate, soil type, and the specific plants you have chosen, but most established full sun gardens benefit from deep, infrequent watering of about 1 inch per week rather than frequent shallow sessions. In hotter zones such as 7 through 9, you may need to water two to three times per week during peak summer heat, while gardeners in cooler zones 5 and 6 can often get by with once a week. Applying 3 to 4 inches of arborist mulch over your beds and amending your soil with rich organic matter will significantly reduce how often you need to water by retaining moisture and keeping root zones cool. Check soil moisture at a depth of 2 to 3 inches before watering, and always water deeply in the early morning to minimize evaporation and give foliage time to dry before nightfall.

How do I set up drip irrigation or soaker hoses to keep a full sun garden bed healthy?
Drip irrigation or soaker hoses should be laid directly at the root zone of your plants, typically 1 to 2 inches below the mulch layer, so water delivers slowly and deeply rather than evaporating off the surface. In hot growing zones, aim to run your system early in the morning for 30 to 60 minutes several times per week, adjusting frequency based on rainfall and your specific zone's heat intensity. Pairing your irrigation setup with 3 to 4 inches of arborist mulch over the lines will dramatically reduce evaporation and keep soil temperatures stable for healthier root development. Start by mapping your bed layout, then connect your soaker hose or drip lines to a timer so consistent watering happens automatically even during the hottest stretches of summer.

How do I choose the right full sun garden recipe for my USDA hardiness zone and local climate?
To find the right full sun garden recipe for your zone, start by entering your zip code into the Nature Hills Growing Zone Finder, which will point you toward plants rated for your specific climate conditions. Nature Hills offers pre-planned full sun gardens suited for a range of growing zones, including options like the Red Hot Sample Garden and Potted Berries, both designed for Zones 5 through 9. Local conditions matter beyond just your zone, so contact your County Extension Office for guidance on regional heat, humidity, and soil considerations. Browse the Plants for Your State resource on naturehills.com and select a pre-planned garden recipe that matches both your hardiness zone and your site's specific sun and moisture challenges.

How do I prevent a full sun garden bed from drying out during hot summer weather?
To prevent a full sun garden bed from drying out, start by amending your soil with plenty of organic matter, which holds moisture and releases it slowly to plant roots while keeping the soil cool and loose. Apply a 3 to 4 inch layer of arborist mulch over your garden beds to lock in moisture, reduce evaporation, and regulate soil temperature throughout the hottest months. Choose plants rated for your specific growing zone and heat conditions, since regionally adapted natives and heat-tolerant hybrids will naturally require less water to thrive. Use our Growing Zone Finder with your zip code to select the right plants, then mulch heavily before summer heat peaks for best results.
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