Plants that enjoy Full Sun …

Achillea ptarmica,     Pronunciation:   ack-ih-LEE-uh tar-mi-KA

Comments:   Since having started an 'Almost all White' garden and trying to enhance a wildflower hill, I have discovered a few plants that fit both spots with some success.   Deadheading can extend the blooms until fall and it fills some spaces in my 'white' garden but can be invasive ... it spreads (which is an attribute on the hill), and I can share the excess from my garden!   It can be divided early in the Spring, so I've marked it's spot. The rabbits are leaving this one alone as I figured out deterrents didn't work (too many rabbits and too few hours), so planting things they don't like to eat was the best approach.

Propagation:   Division, or seed (but germination could take 1 to 3 months, so I would suggest looking for the plant or asking a gardening friend for a division).

Alcea rosea,     Pronunciation:   al-SEE-uh

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 4-7
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 7-1
Common name: Hollyhock.
Pinch off spent flowers along the stem as they wilt; leave a few flowers to reseed; cut stem to the ground once all of the flowers have finished; may rebloom on short stems.

Comments: Succeeds in most soils. Poor soils should be enriched with organic matter as it prefers a heavy rich soil and a sheltered sunny position. A very ornamental plant, it is usually grown as a biennial due to its susceptibility to the fungal disease 'rust' so look for new varieties that are resistant and buy only rust-free specimens. There are many named varieties. Young plants, and also the young growth in spring, are very attractive to slugs, keep base clean from debris and free of mulch.
Propagation: Easily grown from seed, which usually germinates in about 2 - 3 weeks at 68°F and will flower in summer. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division after flowering or root cuttings in December. Basal cuttings at almost any time of year.

Campanula,     Pronunciation:   kam-PAN-yew-luh

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 3-8
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 8-1
Common name: Bellflower. Campanulaceae - bellflower family. Pinch or cut off individual florets, being careful not to damage developing buds; cut stems to basal rosette when flowers finish; sticky sap, so clean your clippers with alcohol; small rebloom.

Propagation: Division, seed, stem cuttings, root cuttings.

Centaurea,     Pronunciation:   sen-TAW-ree-uh

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 3-7
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 7-1
Common name:   Knapweed, C.dealbata Persian cornflower, C.macrocephala Globe knapweed, C.montana Mountain bluet.
Of the over 500 species of centaurea in the wild, only about a dozen are useful garden plants. These include such familiar annuals as cornflower, or bachelor's buttons, and dusty miller.
Deadheading: Cut spent flowers back to side shoots; trim stems down to 2 or 3 inches after they're finished flowering; often reblooms; can reseed rampantly.

Propagation: Division; seed, particular when fresh; root cuttings.

Centranthus,     Pronunciation:   sen-TRAN-thus

Cold-hardy USDA zones 5-8
Heat-tolerant AHS zones 8-1
Common names:   C.ruber, known as Jupiter's beard, red valerian or keys of heaven.

I'm always attracted to plants with different foliage and this one offers blue or grey to contrast with darker green perennials or evergreens. The other lure is the large, showy spires of small, fragrant red, pink, or white flowers. These are excellent for cutting and attract butterflies as well. They are an excellent choice for borders, in front of a rock wall or rock gardens.

Propagation: Division, seed, stem cuttings.

Coreopsis,    Pronunciation: koh-ree-OP-sis

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 4-9
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 9-1
Common name: Tickseed. Compositae - daisy family.   C.grandiflora, is pictures here and prefers full or part sun. Many new varieties, but one of my favorites is C.verticillata, known as threadleaf coreopsis which grows well in full sun.   It is very finely divided, almost threadlike, in various shades from yellow to pink. Shear it back for a second flush of bloom in the fall... best selections were 'Golden Showers' and 'Moon-beam' but there are some stunning new varieties too.
Deadheading: Frequent deadheading will keep the plant blooming almost all summer; cut the flower stems back to side branches; eventually remove all spent stems to the ground.

Propagation: Division, seed.

Delphinium,     Pronunciation:   del-FIN-ee-um

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 3-7
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 7-1
Common names: Delphinium, larspur.
Ranunculaceae - buttercup family.
Comments: I've never had much luck with this plant, but I keep trying! Full sun to partial shade in the hottest climates. Humus-rich, moist but well-drained, slightly alkaline soil. Mulching in the summer and fertilizing in early spring and again in early summer is almost compulsory, as is staking and protecting from the wind. Susceptible to slugs and an assortment of fungal diseases. Even in the best of situations, they are usually replaced every 2 to 3 years.
Deadheading: Pinch off spent flowers as they wilt to keep the later flowers as large as possible; once a stem is finished blooming, cut it to the ground; some cultivars rebloom, others do not.

Propagation: D.x belladonna - division, seed; D.elatum - seed, stem cuttings.

Dianthus,     Pronunciation:   dye-AN-thus

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 3-9
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 9-1
  Full sun, must have excellent drainage to survive the winter.   Plant in light soil amended with plenty of organic matter and lime.
Common name: Pinks, D.x allwoodii is Allwood pinks (zones 4-8), D.barbatus are called Sweet William, D.deltoides known as Maiden Pinks, D.gratinapolitanus are Cheddar pinks, and D.plumarius known as Cottage pinks or grass pinks. Deadheading: Some cultivars reseed, so deadhead as soon as the flowers fade; remove spent stems but leave the clump of foliage.

Comments: Most of them form mounds or mats of grassy, gray-green to dark green leaves. Flowers may vary from only a half-inch to 2 inches across, some single, semi-double, or double with fringed or toothed petals either in a solid color or marked with a contrasting color, and in shades of pink, red, or white. With over 300 species and hundreds more hybrids available... best purchased when in bloom if you want to know for sure what the blooms will look like.
Propagation: Readily from division, but also stem cuttings and seed.

Echinacea,     Pronunciation:   ek-eh-nay-see-uh

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9, Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 12 to 1
Common name: Purple coneflower or Coneflower. Compositae - daisy family. This is a medium to tall 3 feet - plant 16 inches apart. Remains one of the finest border plants. A long bloomer and most common is the purple coneflower, Echinacea purpurea. This plant produces large daisylike blossoms with dusty purple pink outer petals surrounding a dome center of deep orange-bronze. It flowers lavishly in midsummer and continues sporadically until frost. Deadheading: Keeping the flowers cut promotes more blooms and it reblooms fine even without deadheading; if you want the birds, don't deadhead unless reseeding is a problem. A native of the prairies, it likes well drained soil and full sun to part shade, tolerates poor or dry soil and heat.

Gaillardia,     Pronunciation:   gah-LAR-dee-uh

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 3-8
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 8-1
Common name: Blanket flower. Compositae - daisy family. There are many cultivars with varying heights, such as the dwarf 'Goblin' and 'Baby Cole', and the tall 'Burgundy' and 'Dazzler'.   It tolerates dry coastal soils, is naturalized on coastal dunes, but does fairly well in heavy soils too.   Snip off individual flowers a few inches below the seed head to prolong bloom; later cut stems to within 6 in. of the ground; stop deadheading in August.
Comments:   Use in beds and borders, meadow gardens, good cut flowers. Excellent mixed with black-eyed susans and perennial sunflowers.
Propagation:   Division or root cuttings for named cultivars.

Geranium spp.,     Pronunciation:   jeh-RAY-nee-um

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 3-8
Common name: Cranesbill or Hardy Geranium. Geraniaceae - geranium family. Mounded in form, Cranesbill is a favorite for its excellent habit, and late spring to summer blooming period. Hard to deadhead individual flowers, as the flowers remain nestled among the leaves.
Deadheading: Can be cut back hard after the first main bloom to promote more summer blooming and again in the early fall, so cut tall cultivars to 2 or 3 in. after most of the flowers have finished; cut low spreaders back to 4 to 6 inches; some species rebloom.   A Strong performer for zones 3-8 is Geranium sanguineum var. striatum.   It's pale pink flowers are veined with deeper pink and sit atop mounds of finely divided dark green leaves.

Lancaster geranium sends out a flush of blossoms in late spring to early summer, then continues flowering less lavishly until summer's end.   Another long-flowered geranium is Geranium endressii 'Wavegrave Pink', which has salmon-pink flowers above a light green foliage.   Best in zones 4-7.   Give your hardy geraniums full sun to partial shade   (afternoon shade in the south), will-drained, humusy soil.

Propagation:   Division, stem cuttings.

Helenium,     Pronunciation:   hel-lee-nee-um

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 4-8
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 8-1
Common name: Sneezeweed.
Another Compositae - daisy family.
Comments: Easily grown and blooming for a long period in late summer, adapts well to the garden, back of borders, meadows or planted among shrubs for some color.
Deadheading: Snip spent flower heads only down to foliage to force side branches to develop and bloom; will continue to bloom until freezing weather if deadheaded.

Propagation:   Division of cultivar.

Hemerocallis, hybrids     Pronunciation:   Hem-er-oh-kal-is

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 2-10
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones ?
Common name: Daylily. Liliaceae - lily family. The botanical name for daylily means in Greek 'beautiful for a day'. Each flower only opens for one day. After it is spent, it is succeeded by the next day's blossom. Established clumps bloom vigorously for weeks and weeks.
Photo from Ellen, a member of the gardenclub.net
Comments: There are now thousands of hybrid daylilies… 40,000 plus cultivars, so I would recommend a color or type you like! Most all daylilies do best in full sun, but tolerate partial shade. Some of the paler cultivars may not flower unless they get long periods of direct sun. Some of the dark purple and red cultivars do better in partial shade, especially in subtropical climates. The soil should not be allowed to dry out completely during the growing season.
Deadheading: Snap off spent flowers as they will keep the later flowers as large as possible; once a stem is finished, cut it to the ground; some cultivars rebloom, others do not.

Propagation: Propagate daylily hybrids by dividing the fibrous, somewhat tuberous root clumps in early spring. Divide the cold hardy cultivars in spring or autumn, and the evergreen ones only in spring. Occasionally a small plantlet, called a "proliferation" will develop on the scape. This can be rooted to produce another plant.

Heuchera, hybrids     Pronunciation:   HEW-ker-uh

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 4-8
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 8-1   Full sun where summers aren´t too hot; part shade otherwise. Needs well–drained soil and frequent watering.
Common name: Coral bells, Rock Geranium or alumroot. The genus Heuchera includes at least 50 species of herbaceous perennial plants in the family Saxifragaceae, all native to North America. They have palmately lobed leaves on long petioles, and a thick, woody rootstock.   There is an extensive array of blossom sizes, shapes, colors and geographic tolerances.
Just take a look at what this wholesale nursery is offering!   Terra Nova Nurseries   Look for varieties that prefer Full Sun.   Cut flowering stems below the low mound of foliage as they finish; deadheading will extend the flowering and sometimes promote a smaller second flowering.

Propagation:   Seed or by leaf node cutting or division after established for 3 years, separating the new runners and dividing the original plant.

Iris,     Pronunciation:   EYE-ris

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 3-10, depending on species, variety, or cultivar.
Common name: Iris. Iridaceae - iris family.   So many to choose from and in every color except true red.   I."Bearded hybrids", dwarf bearded types are further divided into minature dwarfs and standard dwarfs; than you have Intermediate Bearded types, and Tall Bearded with flowers to 6 inches wide!   I.cristata is the Crested iris; I.ensata (also listed as I.kaempferi) a Japanese iris from Eastern Asia; I.foetidissima known as Stinking iris or gladwyn iris; I.x germanica is a German iris hybrid origin; I.sibirica popularly known as Siberian iris; and the list goes on...

Comments: Bearded Iris are among the easiest perennials to grow, they need full sun (or partial shade in Zone 10 in the West) and well-drained soil with a pH close to neutral. Plants are subject to rot if buried too deeply.

Deadheading: After bloom, cut stems back to the base and clean plant debris to prevent borers overwintering. (Also, don't cover rhizomes with mulch)

Propagation: Division, and trust me... you can probably divide your iris every 2-3 years!

Lavandula,     Pronunciation: lav-VAN-dew-lah

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 5-8
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 8-1
Common name: Lavender. Labiatae - mint family. L.angustifolia is the common or English lavender, other perennial species are usually grown as annuals except in Zones 8-9.  Fresh or dried cut flowers, best to cut early morning to enjoy their aroma.
Deadheading: Harvest flowers with stems, rebloom is shorter than first; harvest late flowers, leaving foliage... only a light spring pruning is recommended for shaping, but proceed with caution; do not prune lavender back in fall.

Propagation: Stem cuttings, seed.

Liatris,     Pronunciation:   lie-AY-tris

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 4-7
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 7-1
Common names: Blazing star, gayfeather. L.spicata being the best selection for most gardens (other varieties can be too big and too floppy). A most undaisy-like member of the daisy family, have a basal tuft of slender leaves and tall stalks topped with spikes of small fluffy flowers, in purple or white. Very popular as cut flowers, they are unusual in that they start blooming at the top of the spike, working their way downward.
Comments: If you are looking for a spiked (3 ft tall but only 2 feet wide) the least expensive way to plant this throughout your garden beds is to purchase this plant 'bare-rooted' (small cormes), you can usually find it packaged in early spring - 5 or 6 corms in a package, usually blooming the first year. Tolerates heat and dryness, but can get floppy in fertile, moist soil.
Deadhead only to prevent self-sowing, the birds love the seed heads; will not rebloom.

Propagation: Division in spring by breaking or cutting apart the crown of corms; replant divisions with at least 1 eye.

Lupinus hybrids,     Pronunciation: lew-PYE-nus

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 4-8
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 8-1
Photo courtesy of Rob: Robs plants
Common name: Lupine (In the wild: Texas bluebonnets) but can be found in colors ranging from yellow to purple, either solid or bicolored blooming in late spring or early summer.
They were hybridized in the 1890's by George Russell and easily grown in the English climate, but do best in cool-summer gardens in the US. Striking perfectly sculpted spikes of brilliant colors is the attribute of this plant in cottage gardens, carpeting a pasture or hillside, but even a single speciment can be stunning.
Deadheading: After spring flowering, cut stems to small emerging buds along stems to promote second flowering; reseeds but seedlings vary in color; cutting back also controls aphids.

Propagation: Stem cuttings or seeds, neither of which is easy. Don't play musical plants once established, may self-sow.

Nepeta,     Pronunciation: NEP-eh-tah

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 4-9
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 9-1
Common names: Nepeta, catnip, or catmint. Full or part sun. Tolerates heat, dry soil, and neglect. The long-lasting spikes of Dropmore (N.faassenii, often, but erroneously, sold as N. mussinii) will billow upward in a dense lavender-blue cloud. Sometimes they drape themselves over a neighboring plant or spill over the walkway, but that's just part of catmint's informal charm, give it room to grow.   Cut plants back halfway afterblooming, for a second flush of flowers.  Best in full sun to partial shade,  hardiness zones: 3 to 8.  It's growth habit is 24" high, 18" wide, but if planting a mass, space 12–16" apart. Blue flowers, aromatic, gray-green fine foliage.

Propagation: Division, stem cuttings. You usually can divide the second year if you want to grow a meadow effect, otherwise it will form a nice mound with age.  Prune it back after flowering to maintain vigorous condition and encourage a second blooming, just don't make the mistake I did by cutting the whole thing back to the ground,  I found that 1/2 the length of the tallest spike is the safest for a happy looking plant.   It does not spread like so many of the ´mint´ plants, but keeps a mound form.

Comment:   I had a Nepeta Mussenii in my old backyard, it tolerated a lot of shade but bloomed just great. I trimmed it back after it's first bloom in June and it was a repeat performer!   These catmints should not be confused with catnip… or mint (both of which are pretty aggressive in the garden).

Paeonia spp. and hybrids,     Pronunciation:   pay-ON-ee-ah

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 3-8
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 8-1
Common name: Peony, chinese peony, tree peonies.
Photo courtesy of: University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture  (Plant of the week articles.)
A garden is just not complete without at least one Peony plant, P.lactiflora Chinese peony or a stunning Tree peony. They are long lived, adaptable, with flowers produced with little effort. So many cultivars and hybrids available, it will be hard to choose just one.
Deadheading: Snip off spent flowers back to the first leaf to keep the plant looking tidy; leave as much foliage as possible to feed the plant.

Propagation: Can be divided in the fall, cut the roots apart with a knife, make sure each piece has at least 3 eyes.

Phlox paniculata,

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 4-8
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 8-1   Full sun to light shade.
Called Summer Phlox, or Garden Phlox is a must for most cottage gardens. These were just planted last fall. In the early morning they look blue and when the sun comes up they change to a bright magenta.

Comments:   The rabbits ate all the white ones but didn't touch the Baptisia or the Black-eyed susans.   Next spring I´m protecting them with wire cages before they´re eaten to the ground!   ´David´ has been the best white variety, and offers resistance to mildew problems.
Deadheading:   Snip off spent flower clusters; flowering side branches develop; deadhead to the ground when it's finished blooming.

Wayside Gardens   has a better picture of colors available… just type in PHLOX in their search box, they were offering a collection of six different colors the last time I checked. Propagation: Seed, division, and it self seeds, but seedlings will revert to less desirable colors.

Platycodon grandiflorus,  

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 4-9
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 9-1   Full sun in northern regions; afternoon shade where summers are hot.
Common names: Chinese bellflower, Japanese bellflower or common balloon flowerPlatycodon grandiflorus is a species of perennial flowering plant of the family Campanulaceae and the only member of the genus Platycodon. It is native to Northeast Asia (China, East Siberia, Korea and Japan) and bears big blue flowers, although varieties with white and pink flowers are in cultivation.   Prolong bloom and keep the plants fresh by removing individual spent flowers... the stems are tough, so use small clippers or scissors and dip them in alcohol to clean off the sticky sap; reseeds.

Veronica spicata,   Common name: Speedwell

Cold-hardy in USDA zones 3-8
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 8-1
Veronica is a dependable bloomer, and has grown in popularity. The petite veronica is one of the overachievers, offering purple mini-spikes from May to frost. It has a growth habit of about 10 inches high, 12 inches wide, and blooms from Spring through fall.   Good to plant in the front or second row of a border.

A low, spreading plant bearing lance-shaped gray-green leaves and conical spikes of small blue, tubular flowers. The shorter V.incana has hairy leaves, V.spicata has white and rose cultivars as well as blue ones.  Prefers full sun but will tolerate some partial shade. Hardiness zones: 4 to 8.  Mulch during winter in cooler climates.
If you can't find the ´Blue Carpet´ or ´Goodness Grows´ variety at your local nurseries, and you just gotta have it try:   Bluestone Perennials ,   a reliable mail order nursery and once you order from them they will probably send you their annual catalog (worth at least the price of a few plants) … and you'll receive the new catalog each year before the garden centers get any of their inventory.
Deadheading: To prolong the bloom, cut spent flower spike back to side branches; once finished, cut entire stems down to the ground; may produce a small rebloom later.

Water garden plant

Can you name this plant?
The blooms only last a day or two, but one plant produces many flower plumes in the heat of summer.

Requires very little care… no fertilizers or fussing over this one, this plant can quadruple in size to produce many blooms but remains only 6 inches high. I enjoy it's multi-colored petal with the yellow dot on a blue background, only one petal is like this on each flower. While it enjoys full sun, the frogs love to hide in its roots.

This is a water hyacinth, and you just need to buy one… as they are quite prolific and will try to cover your entire water garden, no matter how big or small.   Just remove the surplus!