My Favorite Sun Flowers

My favorite sun-loving annual!

Benary Giant Zinnia from Seedman.com

My property is almost exclusively shade, so it's a real challenge to find flowers that will thrive with little sunlight and that our woodchuck family won't devour. So my yard is very heavy on the hosta, astilbe, impatiens, and hydrangea (though the deer love to snack on those).

Many of my friends have the opposite problem, and because they know I like to garden, they often ask me what types of plants and flowers are best for high heat and full sun. kristinaleann asked the same question just the other day in Advice for Moms, and she got some good advice.

It all depends on where you live, of course, but yesitsme311 gave a very thorough and long list of sun-loving annuals and perennials beyond the run-of-the-mill geranium and marigold variety. Click here to see her list of sun-tolerant annuals and perennials in Advice for Moms.

Some of my favorites on the list include:

Cosmos

Lantana

Flowering tobacco

Petunias

Verbena

Zinnia

What sun-worshipers thrive best in your garden? In which part of the country do you live?