15 Best Perennial Plants for the South Side of Your House

Planning a garden for the south side of your house comes with unique opportunities and challenges. A south-facing garden enjoys ample sunlight, but plants must also withstand summer heat. The good news is many beautiful, low-maintenance perennials flourish in these conditions.

Choosing the right plants makes all the difference in creating a stunning, resilient garden. In this article, we’ll explore 15 of the best perennial plants for the south side of your house.

Why the South Side is Special

The south side of your house is prime real estate for sun-loving plants. During the day, the sun travels across the southern portion of the sky in the Northern Hemisphere. Gardens in this exposure capture sunlight for the longest period.

A south-facing garden boasts two key advantages

• Extended sun exposure fuels growth and flowering.
• Heat and light create ideal microclimates for plants that thrive in hot, dry conditions.

This abundance of light and warmth comes with a caveat, however. Plants must withstand intense sun and summer heat Providing adequate water is also essential

To unlock the potential of a south-facing garden, choose plants that embrace these conditions. Let’s look at 15 of the best resilient, low-maintenance perennials.

1. Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Yarrow adapts readily to heat and dry soils. This rugged perennial flowers through summer with flat-topped clusters of white, yellow, pink or red blooms. The fern-like foliage has an attractive, fine texture.

Plus, yarrow is very low-maintenance and requires little watering once established. It thrives with full sun exposure, providing non-stop color from early summer into fall.

2. Blanket Flower (Gaillardia)

Blanket flowers pump out continuous blooms in shades of red, orange, yellow from early summer through fall frost. The daisy-like flowers have heat and drought tolerance matched by few plants.

Give blanket flowers full sun exposure and well-drained soil. Deadhead spent blooms to encourage non-stop flowering. These tough plants require minimal watering and fertilizing to thrive.

3. Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)

A mainstay of gardens across the South, the black-eyed Susan flourishes with abundant sun. Hot temperatures spur this perennial to produce masses of golden yellow flowers with dark brown centers.

Black-eyed Susans grow 1-3 feet tall and wide. They bloom vigorously from mid-summer into fall with just moderate watering required. A backbone of the sunny border, they pair well with coneflowers, daylilies and ornamental grasses.

4. Stonecrop Sedum (Sedum)

With thick, succulent leaves and jewel-toned flowers, Sedum delivers year-round appeal and proven heat tolerance. Varieties like Autumn Joy offer large flower heads that transition from pink to copper. Other types have yellow, white or purple blooms.

Give Sedum full sun and well-drained soil. Let the soil dry between watering. The fleshy leaves and stems adapt perfectly to droughts. Shorter types work well as groundcovers.

5. Lavender (Lavandula)

Lavender’s sweet fragrance and summer blooms make it a beloved perennial. Growing 12-36 inches tall, it thrives with full sun and dry conditions. Once established, lavender needs minimal watering.

The herb’s silvery foliage adds nice texture. Prune plants in spring to boost flowering. Lavender pairs nicely with ornamental grasses, Russian sage and coreopsis. Try it in borders, beds or pollinator gardens.

6. Salvia (Salvia)

Over 900 types of salvia exist, but a small group shine brightest for south exposures. Salvia leucantha dazzles with soft purple or white flower spikes in summer and fall. Salvia greggii blooms in the heat with red, pink or orange flowers.

All salvias relish full sun and skimpy watering needs once established. Remove faded blooms to encourage new flowers. Use salvia to add vibrant color and nectar for pollinators.

7. Siberian Iris (Iris sibirica)

Unlike bearded iris, Siberian iris bloom in spring with rich purple, blue, yellow and white flowers. They thrive with abundant sun and readily withstand heat and humidity in southern zones.

Give Siberian iris moist soil and avoid overwatering. Pair with ornamental grasses or daylilies. As a bonus, the sword-like foliage remains attractive all season long.

8. Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

With bright orange blooms for months on end, butterfly weed lives up to its name by attracting a kaleidoscope of pollinators. Hummingbirds also frequent this tough, native perennial.

Butterfly weed thrives in poor, dry soils with full sun exposure. Little water or care is required. For more flower power, cut plants back after initial blooming. Use butterfly weed in native gardens, meadows and prairie-style plantings.

9. Catmint (Nepeta)

With endless weeks of blue flowering and fragrant gray-green foliage, catmint has everything needed to flourish in hot, sunny exposures. It remains attractive all season long with minimal care required.

After the initial early summer bloom period, shear plants by half to encourage a second flush of flowers. Catmint has few pests or problems. It blends beautifully with salvias, yarrow, Shasta daisies and many other perennials.

10. Ornamental Grasses

Ornamental grasses deserve special mention for providing graceful texture and movement in sunny gardens. Varieties like maiden grass (Miscanthus), fountain grass and switch grass (Panicum) adapt readily to heat while sporting showy plumes.

Grasses require minimal watering and fertilizing once established. Cut them back in late winter before new growth emerges. Use grasses as specimens, for edging paths and walks or intermingled with flowering perennials.

11. Coneflower (Echinacea)

Available in a rainbow of colors including white, pink, purple, yellow and orange, today’s coneflowers feature bold daisy blooms that flower from early summer until frost. The timeless classic pairs beautifully with rudbeckia, asters and ornamental grasses.

To keep plants blooming, remove spent flowers. Give coneflowers full sun to light afternoon shade and average to dry conditions. Leave seed heads over winter so birds can feast on the seeds.

12. Lantana (Lantana camara)

Lantana is a workhorse plant equipped to soak up the sun while delivering non-stop flower power. It blooms from spring through fall in single and multi-colors like orange, yellow, pink, purple and red.

Well-drained soil and full sun exposure bring out lantana’s finest qualities. Heat and drought only make this beauty better. Prune plants after flowering to stimulate more blooms. Lantana mingles delightfully with zinnias, marigolds and other hot-weather annuals.

13. Penstemon (Penstemon)

Fabulous yet underused, penstemon give you vibrant tubular flowers in an array of colors including white, pink, purple and red. Hummingbirds love visiting these blooms for nectar.

Penstemon thrive in hot, sunny gardens with dry to average soil moisture. Give plants room for good air circulation. Trim faded blooms to prolong flowering from late spring into summer. Use penstemon in borders, rock gardens and along pathways.

14. Red Hot Poker (Kniphofia)

Red hot poker lights up the garden with flame-shaped blooms on towering flower spikes. Brilliant colors include orange, red, yellow, coral pink and creamy white. Hummingbirds find them irresistible.

These South African natives relish heat, full sun and lean, well-drained soil. Place them against a dark backdrop for maximum impact. Leave spent flower stalks over winter for visual interest. Pinch back tips of new growth to encourage bushiness.

15. Yucca (Yucca)

With sword-like evergreen foliage and architectural shape, yucca injects dramatic flair and year-round structure into sunny gardens. The spear-like leaves often feature bold variegation or coloration. Flower stalks tower above the foliage, blooming in summer.

Few plants handle heat and drought as ably as yucca. Use them as accent plants or along borders and walls. Take care when handling—the stiff, pointed foliage packs a poke. Select compact types for smaller yards.

Bringing it All Together

Gardening on the south side of your home comes with challenges and opportunities. Choosing plants wisely is key to maximizing success. Consider your conditions and needs, then select tough yet beautiful perennials that thrive with abundant light and summer heat.

Use the plants featured here as a starting point. Grouping plants with similar needs together conserves water while creating sweeps of color