Wondering what plants will grow happily in your yard? It depends on the conditions, and one of the most common requirements for plants is their need for sun or shade. We at Eagleson Landscape Co. have our favorites after years of working in Indianapolis area landscapes. Here are our top shade plants and top full sun plants.

Top Shade Plants

Hosta: One of the Eagleson favorite shade-loving plants, hosta boast beautiful foliage that varies within the thousands of kinds available. Hosta also have a lot of fun names, with monikers like Key Lime Pie and Captain Kirk. Hosta bloom with tall, moderately showy flowers, and are also pretty low key maintenance-wise, especially once they are established. As long as they are planted out of the sun, watering is only necessary during times of drought.

Hellebore: This flower is one of the earliest bloomers in spring, with burgundy, cream, white or green flowers. It can even bloom in late winter. Once established, it is a low-maintenance perennial and adds a different texture to a landscape with its near-matte finish flowers. It is also deer and rabbit resistant, which is perfect for woody, shaded areas.

Astilbe: Early summer blooming astilbe have some of the brightest and boldest blooms in the shade category. Colors include red, pink, white and more. They can grow as tall as 4 feet, but generally you see varieties that grow 1-2 feet in height. The foliage has a fine texture and is generally a deeper green. Astilbe enjoy moist soil, so make sure to keep up with watering needs.

Top Full Sun Plants

Phlox: The great thing about phlox is that their tops are adorned with large clusters of flowers that are fragrant and incredibly eye popping. Flowers can be found in pinks, white, and more. These plants will need a little more watering to be happy, but only when rain is sparse. Phlox grows 3-4 feet in height, making it a great perennial to use in the back of a landscape bed or among a perennial border.

Sedum: This fleshy perennial is just like the succulents you have inside of your home. Sedum are one of the ultimate low-maintenance, full-sun perennials, making them a big favorite. Bright pink flowers cover the top during the later parts of the summer and provide a late season source of food for honey bees. Sedum are the fool-proof, full-sun perennial choice, and truly shine when used in groups of 5 or more.

Daylily: With a nearly infinite color palette, daylilies are the ultimate colorful perennial! Their blooming period is short—only about 2-3 weeks—but when mixed with daylilies of varied blooming periods or with other perennials, daylilies provide some of the best bang for the buck. Some varieties bloom in one big push and some bloom on and off throughout the summer. Flower shape and size also vary wildly, which makes picking out a daylily incredibly fun. They are even drought resistant and very tolerant of different planting locations. Just remember the more sun the better.

Plants have a difference tolerance for sunlight—they can love basking in the sun, or they find their sweet-spot in the shade, so be sure to place them where they will flourish.

Eagleson Landscape Co. has labored to bring out the natural beauty of innumerable landscapes. If you are looking for an experienced landscape designer and hard-working crew, you can contact us here or call (317) 997-4803.

Eagleson Landscape Company provides landscape and hardscape services in the Greater Indianapolis area, including Carmel, Zionsville, Westfield, Fishers and Geist.