Let’s soak up some rays with a list of plants perfectly suited to full sun — hot, open, south or west-facing borders where light and heat are abundant.

I’ve grouped them into climbers, wall shrubs, herbaceous perennials, bulbs, grasses, and ferns — although ferns in full sun are a bit of a rare breed, I’ve included a few that can cope if the soil stays moist.

Ready? Let’s design a border that basks in the brilliance of the sun!

Climbers (climbers that thrive in full sun)

Sun-loving vertical wonders to cover fences, pergolas or walls.

  1. Clematis viticella ‘Polish Spirit’ – tough, vigorous, long flowering
  2. Clematis ‘Etoile Violette’ – another viticella, fantastic colour
  3. Trachelospermum jasminoides – scented evergreen for sun and shelter
  4. Passiflora caerulea – exotic flowers, loves heat
  5. Rosa ‘Claire Austin’ – creamy climbing rose, heavenly scent
  6. Rosa ‘The Generous Gardener’ – sun-worshipping climber
  7. Lonicera periclymenum ‘Graham Thomas’ – fragrant honeysuckle
  8. Solanum jasminoides ‘Album’ – potato vine, semi-evergreen
  9. Wisteria sinensis – architectural, needs strong support
  10. Jasminum officinale – summer scent, graceful habit
  11. Tropaeolum speciosum – for adventurous colour
  12. Vitis vinifera ‘Purpurea’ – ornamental grape, bronzy leaves
  13. Campsis radicans – trumpet vine, loves heat
  14. Ipomoea purpurea (Morning Glory) – for fast summer coverage
  15. Cobaea scandens (Cup and Saucer Vine) – vigorous and lush

Shrubs (sun-tolerant wall shrubs for structure and seasonal interest)

  1. Ceanothus ‘Puget Blue’ – electric blue, drought-tolerant
  2. Cistus x purpureus – rock rose, Mediterranean charm
  3. Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’ – classic, bee magnet
  4. Rosmarinus officinalis (Now Salvia rosmarinus) – aromatic and architectural
  5. Fremontodendron californicum – bold yellow flowers
  6. Abelia × grandiflora – semi-evergreen, lovely late bloom
  7. Pyracantha ‘Soleil d’Or’ – golden berries, good for wildlife
  8. Choisya ternata ‘Sundance’ – zingy foliage, citrusy scent
  9. Hebe ‘Red Edge’ – compact and colourful
  10. Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’ – smoky plumes and deep foliage
  11. Escallonia ‘Apple Blossom’ – neat, flowering, evergreen
  12. Olea europaea – olive tree for modern or Med gardens
  13. Photinia ‘Pink Marble’ – bright variegated leaves
  14. Elaeagnus × ebbingei ‘Gilt Edge’ – evergreen sun-lover
  15. Berberis thunbergii ‘Atropurpurea’ – contrast and resilience

Herbaceous Perennials (plants that revel in the sun and bloom for ages)

  1. Achillea millefolium ‘Terracotta’ – drought-tolerant and tough
  2. Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ – architectural stems, bee-favourite
  3. Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’ – aromatic and loved by pollinators
  4. Echinacea purpurea – strong mid-border colour
  5. Helenium ‘Moerheim Beauty’ – warm tones, late summer joy
  6. Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’ – reliable and bright
  7. Gaura lindheimeri ‘Whirling Butterflies’ – airy and delicate
  8. Coreopsis verticillata ‘Moonbeam’ – soft yellow daisy blooms
  9. Verbena bonariensis – light, see-through architecture
  10. Penstemon ‘Raven’ – rich colour and long flowering
  11. Phlomis russeliana – whorls of yellow and strong form
  12. Eryngium planum ‘Blue Hobbit’ – metallic blue thistle
  13. Agapanthus ‘Midnight Star’ – drama and structure
  14. Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ (now Hylotelephium) – late-season star
  15. Kniphofia ‘Tawny King’ – exotic, spiky, drought-tolerant

Bulbs (bulbs and corms that thrive in hot, sunny spots)

  1. Allium hollandicum ‘Purple Sensation’ – bold globes early summer
  2. Tulipa ‘Ballerina’ – orange and elegant
  3. Narcissus ‘Jetfire’ – early colour, compact and tough
  4. Crocus tommasinianus – naturalises well
  5. Fritillaria imperialis – tall and exotic
  6. Anemone coronaria ‘Mr Fokker’ – deep blue, cut flower fave
  7. Chionodoxa luciliae – spring charm, sun-tolerant
  8. Iris germanica ‘Black Knight’ – dramatic bearded iris
  9. Iris reticulata ‘Harmony’ – early bloom and fragrance
  10. Colchicum autumnale – autumn crocus for late interest
  11. Lilium regale – stately and scented
  12. Gladiolus communis subsp. byzantinus – wildflower elegance
  13. Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ – fiery summer drama
  14. Scilla peruviana – bold starry clusters
  15. Sternbergia lutea – cheerful autumn yellow

Grasses (ornamental grasses that glow in sun and heat)

  1. Stipa tenuissima – the quintessential sun-loving grass
  2. Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’ – elegant, upright
  3. Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’ – red-tinged, airy movement
  4. Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ – architectural and vertical
  5. Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’ – icy blue tufts
  6. Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’ – fluffy seed heads
  7. Melica ciliata – delicate and pretty
  8. Sporobolus heterolepis – scent and cloudlike effect
  9. Anemanthele lessoniana – works in full sun too
  10. Muhlenbergia capillaris – pink mist in autumn
  11. Helictotrichon sempervirens – blue oat grass
  12. Deschampsia flexuosa ‘Tatra Gold’ – good for edge planting

Ferns

  1. Dryopteris erythrosora – coppery tones, semi-evergreen
  2. Athyrium filix-femina – lady fern, needs damp soil
  3. Polystichum setiferum – can manage sun if soil is cool
  4. Osmunda regalis – tolerates some sun in moisture-retentive ground
  5. Matteuccia struthiopteris – marginal sun if soil stays damp
  6. Blechnum spicant – best in partial shade but copes in sun with rich soil
  7. Woodwardia unigemmata – unusual, more sun tolerant in sheltered sites