Sun Seekers: The Best Flowers for Jamestown’s “Sun Spots”
Hello neighbors, Jeremy Klice here.
We talk a lot about shade in Jamestown—mostly because we have so many big, beautiful trees. But every yard has that one spot that gets blasted by the sun from 10 a.m. until supper time. “Full Sun” means an area gets at least six hours of direct sunlight a day, and in our humid summers that can feel more like a broiler. Here are my top picks for sun-loving perennials that can handle our heat, survive our winters, and make you look like a gardening genius.
1. Purple Coneflower (Echinacea): The Prairie Powerhouse
Native to the North American prairies, the Purple Coneflower is built for extremes and laughs at drought once established. Distinctive purple-pink petals droop slightly around a spiky, copper-brown cone, and it blooms from mid-summer until the first frost. Leave the dead flower heads up in winter — goldfinches love to eat the seeds.
2. Peony: The “Drama Queen” (That Lives Forever)
Huge, fragrant, densely petaled blooms in pinks, whites, and reds. Despite looking delicate, Peonies are incredibly cold-hardy (down to -40°F) and can live for 100 years. Plant them in full sun, and don’t bury the “eyes” more than 1.5 to 2 inches below the soil.
3. Daylily (Hemerocallis): The “Plant It and Forget It” Option
Daylilies tolerate a wide range of soils and don’t need to be coddled. Each trumpet-shaped flower opens for one day, but a mature clump produces hundreds of buds, so the show lasts for weeks. Their thick, arching foliage is great at smothering weeds.
4. Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia): The Late-Summer Hero
Golden-yellow petals radiating from a chocolate-brown center bring a burst of sunshine from July through September. They’re drought-tolerant and attract butterflies — leave the seed heads up in winter to feed the birds.
5. Sedum (Stonecrop): The “Camel” of the Garden
Thick, succulent leaves hold water like a camel, making Sedum extremely drought-tolerant. ‘Autumn Joy’ is a classic variety that turns a deep rusty-red in fall, and looks good even in winter peeking out of a snowdrift.
6. Russian Sage (Perovskia): The Aromatic Haze
Silvery stems and airy clouds of tiny blue-lavender flowers bloom from mid-summer to fall. It’s resistant to deer and rabbits, loves heat, and needs very little water once established.
Ready to fill in those sunny spots? If digging in the clay isn’t your idea of a fun weekend, give me a call. I’ll bring the shovel; you bring the lemonade. — Jeremy
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