Plants for Full Sun

How to choose full sun plants that last

Start with your climate, not the plant tag. The same open position arrives with humidity in Cairns, dry heat in Perth and frosty winter mornings in Canberra, and plenty of sun lovers handle one but not the others. Royal Poinciana (Delonix regia) revels in tropical and subtropical heat yet cannot take frost, while crepe myrtles, olives and French lavender (Lavandula dentata) cope from the subtropics down to cool temperate gardens. Check the frost rating first if you garden inland or south of Sydney.

Then be honest about water. Most of this collection overlaps with our drought tolerant range, but even those plants need a full summer of regular soaking to establish. If the bed is a long way from a tap, lean on the proven dry position performers: rosemary, the olives and no mow grass.

Where an open, sunny position works for you

North facing beds and west facing fences are the hottest real estate in an Australian garden, and they suit the silver and fine leafed plants, lavender, rosemary and olives among them, that shrug off reflected heat. Poolside and seaside positions add salt to the equation; over 850 plants here carry a coastal and salt tolerance tag, including Little Gem magnolia and the lilly pillies, and our coastal garden plants narrow the field further. For a sunny nature strip or driveway, crepe myrtles give months of summer flowers without invasive roots.

Planting and spacing in full sun

Plant in autumn where you can: the soil is still warm and roots get two mild seasons to settle before facing a summer. Dig each hole twice the width of the pot and no deeper, water in heavily, then mulch 75mm deep, clear of stems.

• Low hedges and borders. French lavender and Tuscan Blue rosemary at 60cm apart.
• Screens. Lilly Pilly 'Resilience' at 1m apart is easily held as a 2m to 3m wall; Little Gem magnolia at 1.5m apart gives a taller, more formal screen.
• Groundcover. No mow grass at 30cm apart knits into a soft lawn substitute.
• Feature trees. Give a jacaranda generous clearance from paving, pipes and pools; its surface roots are vigorous.

Care through the first summers

Water deeply twice a week through the first summer rather than lightly every day, then taper to occasional deep soaks. Feed once in early spring with a controlled release fertiliser. Trim lavender and rosemary lightly after each flush of flowers to keep them dense, and go easy on feeding flowering trees, because heavy nitrogen buys leaves at the expense of blooms.

Common questions

How many hours of sun count as full sun?

Six or more hours of direct light a day. Afternoon sun is harsher than morning sun, so a west facing bed with five hours can be tougher on plants than an east facing bed with seven.

Can these plants cope with some shade?

Most tolerate a few hours less light, but flowering thins and silver leafed plants grow leggy. If your spot gets under six hours, choose from our partial shade range instead.

Which full sun plants suit pots?

Lavender, rosemary, dwarf citrus and Little Gem magnolia all perform in containers. A dwarf grafted Eureka lemon stays near 2m in a large pot and fruits close to year round.

Do drought tolerant plants still need watering?

Yes, for the first year or two. Drought tolerance describes an established root system, not a new planting. Even old plants repay a deep soak in a long dry spell.