If you have ever wondered what we actually plant in our own gardens year after year, here you go — my top 10 perennials and annuals for both sun and shade! These are the reliable, beautiful, hardworking plants we trust at Carmen Johnston Gardens, especially here in the Southeast. They handle our heat, our humidity, and everything in between, all while showing up and doing their job season after season. No matter if your space is full sun or tucked into deep shade, these are the best annual and perennial plants we reach for first.

Top 10 Perennials for Sun (6 or more hours of sun)

When a spot gets strong sunlight all day, we lean into plants that thrive in heat and keep blooming without a fuss.

Salvia (Salvia nemorosa and greggii)
Long bloom time and a favorite for pollinators
Coneflower (Echinacea)
Tough, drought tolerant, and a true Southern staple
Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)
Bright, cheerful, and incredibly reliable
Lantana (perennial varieties)
Loves the heat and draws in butterflies
Coreopsis (Tickseed)
Easy, airy, and blooms all summer
Gaillardia (Blanket Flower)
Thrives in heat and even poor soil
Russian Sage (Perovskia)
Silvery foliage with excellent drought tolerance
Daylily (Hemerocallis)
Nearly indestructible and perfect for mass planting
Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’
Succulent foliage with beautiful fall interest
Yarrow (Achillea)
Soft texture and wonderful for cutting gardens

Top 10 Perennials for Shade (Partial to Full Shade)

Shade gardens have their own kind of magic. These plants bring texture, color, and interest to those quieter spaces.

Hosta
A classic with endless varieties
Heuchera (Coral Bells)
Colorful foliage that works beautifully along edges
Ferns (Autumn, Holly, Maidenhair, Cinnamon, Southern Shield)
Soft, natural texture that fills in spaces effortlessly
Astilbe
Feathery blooms that love moisture
Hellebores (Lenten Rose)
Winter blooms with evergreen foliage
Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’
Striking silver foliage that brightens shade
Ligularia
Bold leaves that thrive in moist conditions
Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa)
Graceful, flowing texture
Lenten Roses
Reliable late winter blooms
Solomon’s Seal
Elegant stems with deep green leaves

FULL SUN? PART SHADE? HOW TO FIND WHAT SUN EXPOSURE YOUR GARDEN HAS.

One of the biggest questions I get is “How do I know what kind of sunlight my yard gets?” Here’s a quick reference guide to find out!

TAP FOR YOUR SUN GUIDE

Top 10 Annuals for Sun

For quick color and long blooming performance in sunny spots, these annuals never let us down.

Vinca (Periwinkle)
Extremely heat and drought tolerant
Zinnias
Bright, cheerful, and perfect for cutting
Lantana (annual types)
A magnet for butterflies
Angelonia (Summer Snapdragon)
Upright and heat loving
Petunias (Supertunia types)
Continuous blooms all season
Calibrachoa (Million Bells)
Ideal for containers and hanging baskets
Geraniums (Pelargonium)
Classic structure and dependable color
Gomphrena (Globe Amaranth)
Tough and long lasting
Pentas
Light, airy blooms that are easy to grow
SunPatiens
Larger impatiens that can handle full sun

Top 10 Annuals for Shade

Shade does not mean you have to sacrifice color. These annuals bring life and brightness to lower light spaces.

Impatiens (traditional)
A go to for dependable shade color
Begonias (Wax and Dragon Wing)
Reliable and long blooming
Coleus
Foliage that lights up the shade
Caladiums
Bold, tropical leaves
Torenia (Wishbone Flower)
A great trailing option
Browallia
Soft blue blooms that deserve more attention
Lobelia
Delicate texture, perfect for containers
Fuchsia
Ideal for hanging baskets
Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes)
Fun, colorful foliage
Nicotiana (Flowering Tobacco)
Fragrant and elegant

Carmen’s Planting Philosophy

When we design a garden, we are always thinking about how it will look not just today, but all year long. The secret is in the mix.

We build every space with a balance of:

Structure, like shrubs and perennials
Seasonal color, from annuals
Texture, using grasses and foliage plants

That combination keeps a garden feeling full, layered, and interesting through every season.

These are the plants we trust, the ones we come back to again and again. If you start here, you are already on the right track to a garden that feels beautiful, intentional, and right at home in your garden.