What are your favorite sun loving/tolerating plants

[hamster]

Now that we have mulch (blow in = best money spent EVAR) it looks obvious we have no plants. We have very little shade in the most needed spots. What do you like? Lets pretend we are all in the same zone.

Bonus points if it's hard to kill, pet safe, or evergreen. Wyatt doesn't understand branches in the ground are not for the taking. Actually, he does. He's a passive aggressive asshole.

[AAM2012]

We always have lantana and fire bush so well in the sun. I'll think of more later and update my post.

[jene]

Jul 9, 2014 17:20:22 GMT -5 RockNVoll said:

I adore Arborvitae--evergreen, require little to no care, don't grow too quickly so you never have to trim them unless you want to keep them small.

We just bought some of these and I looove them

[explorer2001]

Aloe
cacti
roses
succulents
Rosemary
Lantana but it grows like a weed
Alissum
Natal plum
Sage
Mesquites
Palo Verde
Palms

Can you tell I live in a desert?

[ssmjlm]

Kaleidoscope abelia
Curly leaf ligustrum
Knockout roses
Lilacs
Lily

Surprisingly we have hostas in full sun that don't mind it. They were here before from the previous owners.

[mmp]

Limelight hydrangea
Grasses
Annual vinca
Happy returns day lilies
Sea green juniper...love them for an evergreen shrub
Portulaca

[hamster]

Jul 9, 2014 18:39:07 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

Kaleidoscope abelia

I just planted three of these!

[AAM2012]

Plumbago is another easy maintenance sun loving plant.

[lindyanne]

Jul 9, 2014 17:20:22 GMT -5 RockNVoll said:

I adore Arborvitae--evergreen, require little to no care, don't grow too quickly so you never have to trim them unless you want to keep them small.



My Arborvitae are pretty big compared to when we put them in three years ago and will continue to grow pretty large. I really like boxwoods. They're not we've green but they have good color year round and don't get too big. We get a ton of sun around our pool but have drip irrigation. I have no idea what else we have out there. 

[Deleted]

If you live in the south Crepe Myrtle, but that might be too big anyway.

I really like knockout roses.

[rubytue]

Jul 9, 2014 20:43:41 GMT -5 @kcpokergal said:

If you live in the south Crepe Myrtle, but that might be too big anyway.

I really like knockout roses.

Crepe myrtles come in all sorts of varieties and sizes! I have 5 in my postage stamp townhouse yard. The smallest will grow to 4' (purple magic). The lipen and Catawbas will be 12-15'. Not your Natchez myrtle!

I also love, love, love hydrangeas. They get pretty big though.

[Deleted]

My favorite perennials are: Daylilly, Autumn Joy Sedum, Russian Sage (awesome!), Irises, Feather Reed Grass, Fountain Grass, Blue Fescue Grass, Daisies, Coneflower, and lavendar. I just landscaped one of the terraces at the lake house with all this stuff, with the intention that once established all of the plants will be drought tolerant and easier to maintain than grass (and not need to be mowed).

Google your State University ag extension office- they have a Master Gardener program that probably provides resources for xeriscaping (creating a landscape that is drought tolerant).

[hamster]

Jul 9, 2014 21:01:43 GMT -5 @idaholakelady said:

My favorite perennials are: Daylilly, Autumn Joy Sedum, Russian Sage (awesome!), Irises, Feather Reed Grass, Fountain Grass, Blue Fescue Grass, Daisies, Coneflower, and lavendar. I just landscaped one of the terraces at the lake house with all this stuff, with the intention that once established all of the plants will be drought tolerant and easier to maintain than grass (and not need to be mowed).

Google your State University ag extension office- they have a Master Gardener program that probably provides resources for xeriscaping (creating a landscape that is drought tolerant).

Our master gardener program seems a little....intense.

These are great suggestions, thanks guys! I'll be looking all of these up.

To add to the discussion I have some Barberry plants in the front yard that im enjoying. Only issue is they have thorns but not a big deal on their location. That said, I don't think one is going to pull through.

[jerseyjaybird]

I don't know if it grows in your region, but catmint spreads like crazy, is pretty, and attracts butterflies and bees.

[hamster]

Jul 9, 2014 22:05:38 GMT -5 jerseyjaybird said:

I don't know if it grows in your region, but catmint spreads like crazy, is pretty, and attracts butterflies and bees.

Big hairy spiders > Bees

I understand they are critical to the food source, and I'd own a colony if I had a million (ok, 10+) acres. But I'm terrified of anything yellow and black that flies. Hell, I don't even stick around long enough to ensure it's just a fly.

[jerseyjaybird]

Jul 9, 2014 22:08:56 GMT -5 hamster said:

Jul 9, 2014 22:05:38 GMT -5 jerseyjaybird said:

I don't know if it grows in your region, but catmint spreads like crazy, is pretty, and attracts butterflies and bees.

Big hairy spiders < Bees

I understand they are critical to the food source, and I'd own a colony if I had a million (ok, 10+) acres. But I'm terrified of anything yellow and black that flies. Hell, I don't even stick around long enough to ensure it's just a fly.

My DW does not understand my love of bees.