As the sun sets in the west, it lights up your home’s side with a warm glow. This is a beautiful sight that can make your home look better. But, finding the right flowering plants for the west side of your house can be tough because of the heat and light.
It’s important to choose plants that can handle the heat and love the sun. This will help keep this area of your home looking vibrant and alive.
Don’t worry, I’ve found some amazing plants that will make your west side garden shine. They can handle the heat and light well.
Key Takeaways
- The west side of a house gets 4-6 hours of direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day.
- Flowering shrubs and perennials that can handle full sun and drought are perfect for the west side.
- Annuals like marigolds, petunias, and zinnias also do well in west-facing gardens.
- Vines like jasmine can add fragrance and help save energy by providing shade.
- Choosing the right plants and designing your garden carefully are key to a vibrant, easy-to-care-for west-facing garden.
Why Plant Flowering Plants on the West Side?
The west side of your house is both a chance and a challenge for gardening. It gets 4-6 hours of direct sunlight, perfect for many plants. But, it also deals with strong afternoon heat and drying winds. Choosing the right plants and designing your garden carefully are essential for a lush west-facing flower bed.
Benefits of West-Facing Gardens
West-facing gardens get lots of sunlight, especially in the peak hours. This sunlight can lower your home’s energy use by providing natural shade. Many plants love the sun, making your garden vibrant and beautiful.
Challenges of West-Facing Exposure
While west-facing gardens get lots of sunlight, they face tough conditions. The afternoon heat and drying winds can harm plants, causing them to wilt or die early. Choosing the right plants and placing them wisely is key to a successful garden.
Knowing the pros and cons of west-facing gardens helps you pick the right flowering plants for the west side of your house. This knowledge will help you create a stunning and thriving garden, even with the unique challenges of this exposure.
Flowering Shrubs for West Side of House
Choosing the right flowering shrubs for the west side of your house is key. Look for ones that can handle the strong afternoon sun and heat. The honeysuckle and Korean spice viburnum are great picks. They’re fragrant and can keep deer away.
Honeysuckle – Nostalgic and Sweet-Scented
Honeysuckle is a timeless choice for west-facing gardens. It blooms from late spring to mid-summer with its bright flowers. Its scent attracts pollinators and hummingbirds, adding joy to your garden.
Honeysuckle loves full sun and grows well in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9.
Korean Spice Viburnum – Fragrant and Deer-Resistant
The Korean spice viburnum is another top pick for the west side. It blooms early in spring with fragrant flowers. Plus, it keeps deer away, making it perfect for areas with wildlife.
This shrub can handle the strong sun and heat. It’s best for USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 8.
Flowering Shrub | Bloom Time | USDA Hardiness Zones |
---|---|---|
Honeysuckle | Late spring to mid-summer | 5 to 9 |
Korean Spice Viburnum | Early spring | 4 to 8 |
Honeysuckle and Korean spice viburnum are great for adding beauty to your west-facing garden. They bloom brightly and are easy to care for. They’re perfect for creating a stunning, deer resistant shrubs for west side of house.
Perennial Flowers for the West Side
Perennial flowers are great for the west side of your house. They add color and last a long time. These plants love the sun and can handle dry spells.
Some top picks include aloe vera, kalanchoe, yucca, and burro’s tail and string of pearls succulents. They need little care and look amazing.
For drought-tolerant perennials for west side of house, try daylilies and barrenwort. They handle tough conditions well.
If you want low-maintenance perennials for west facing exposures, go for coreopsis and Russian sage. They bloom all summer with little effort. Hellebores also bloom early and like shade.
For best perennial flowers for west facing gardens, consider sedum, baptisia, and coneflowers. Also, Asiatic lilies, hostas, peonies, catmint, perennial geranium, blazing star, and garden phlox. They add color and texture.
By choosing the right sun loving perennials for west side of house, you can have a beautiful garden. It will be easy to care for and vibrant.
Annual Flowering Plants For West Side Of House
While perennials and shrubs are great for the west side, annual flowering plants are also a good choice. Plants like marigolds, zinnias, and petunias love the bright sunlight and heat of a west-facing garden. They are also low-maintenance, needing only occasional watering once they’re settled.
Low-Maintenance Annuals for West-Facing Gardens
When picking annuals for the west side, choose ones that are “heat-tolerant” or “drought-resistant”. Planting these colorful annuals in containers or garden beds along the west side of your house will give you blooms all season.
- Marigolds – Reliable and vibrant, marigolds thrive in hot, sunny conditions, and their pungent fragrance can deter pests.
- Zinnias – Bursting with a rainbow of colors, zinnias are easy-to-grow annuals that tolerate heat and drought well.
- Petunias – These trailing flowers come in a wide variety of hues and perform excellently in west-facing gardens.
- Cosmos – Delicate and airy, cosmos add a touch of whimsy to the garden with their large, colorful blooms.
- Lantana – Drought-tolerant and heat-loving, lantana produces clusters of vibrant flowers that attract pollinators.
By adding annual flowering plants to your west-facing garden, you can enjoy vibrant colors and textures all season. This is true even in the tough conditions of a west exposure.
Flowering Plants For West Side Of House
The west side of your house can be tough for gardening. It gets a lot of afternoon sun and heat. But, you can make it beautiful with the right plants.
Full Sun Lovers for Western Exposures
Full sun plants for west side of house include succulents. Aloe vera, yucca, and burro’s tail keep water in their leaves and stems. This helps them handle the afternoon sun.
Other good choices are heat tolerant plants for west facing gardens like honeysuckle and Korean spice viburnum. Also, perennials like kalanchoe and some hydrangea varieties do well in the sun.
Heat and Drought-Resistant Flowering Plants
For drought resistant plants for west side of house, pick plants from dry places. Flowering plants that thrive in west facing conditions include the Bird of Paradise, growing up to 6 feet tall. Jasmine also does well, even with some direct sun.
Other best plants for hot dry west facing areas are aloe vera, ponytail palm, and string of pearls. They love neglect and don’t need much water.
By choosing these full sun plants for west side of house, heat tolerant plants for west facing gardens, and drought resistant plants for west side of house, you can have a beautiful garden. It will be easy to care for, too.
Designing a West-Facing Flower Bed
When planning a flower bed for the west side of your home, think about looks and function. Mix plants of different heights, textures, and bloom times for depth in your west facing garden. Begin with tall plants like small trees or flowering shrubs for west-facing beds at the back.
Then, add mid-height perennials for west exposures and annuals for west facing gardens in the middle. Finish with low-growing ground cover plants or trailing vines at the front to soften the edges.
This layered design is not just pretty. It also offers shade and shelter for delicate plants. With smart planning for west side gardens, a west-facing garden can become a beautiful oasis.
Layering Plants for Interest
- Start with tall, vertical elements like small trees or flowering shrubs at the back of the bed
- Add mid-height perennials and annuals in the middle to create depth and color
- Use low-growing ground cover plants or trailing vines at the front to soften the edges
- Include a variety of textures, shapes, and bloom times for year-round interest
“A well-designed west-facing flower bed can transform a challenging landscape into a vibrant, low-maintenance oasis.”
Caring for West-Facing Flowering Plants
Growing a vibrant garden on the west side of your house needs extra care. These spots get strong afternoon sun, making them hot and dry. But, with the right steps, your west-facing plants can flourish, adding color and beauty for a long time.
Watering Needs
Watering is crucial for west-facing plants. They need more water, especially in summer, to stay moist. Check the soil often and water deeply when it feels dry.
Providing Shade
To shield your plants from the intense afternoon sun, add shade. Use sheer curtains, trellises, or big plants for natural shade. Try different shading methods to find the perfect balance for your plants.
Mulching and Deadheading
- Organic mulch keeps soil moist and controls weeds.
- Deadheading spent flowers makes your plants bloom more.
With a little extra care, your west-facing plants can thrive. They’ll add stunning color and fragrance all season. By meeting their needs, providing shade, and keeping them tidy, you’ll have a beautiful garden on your home’s west side.
Best Flowering Vines for West Walls
Flowering shrubs and perennials add color to your home’s west side. But, don’t forget flowering vines. They can grow up walls or trellises, adding beauty and shade. This helps lower energy costs in sunny areas.
Jasmine loves the bright light of west walls. Its sweet scent and pretty flowers are a favorite for decorating walls. The climbing rose is also great, growing up to 20 feet and coming in many colors.
Trumpet vine (or trumpet creeper) has bold orange-red flowers that attract hummingbirds. Wisteria offers long, purple flower clusters that can reach 30 feet.
Virginia creeper and Boston ivy are good for those who want easy-to-care-for vines. They handle the sun and heat well, making walls green and lush.
Make sure to pick vines that fit your USDA Hardiness Zone. This ensures they grow well in your area. With the right vines, a bare wall can become a colorful, fragrant highlight of your home.
- Jasmine (USDA Zones 8-10)
- Climbing roses (USDA Zones 5-10, varies by species)
- Trumpet vine (USDA Zones 4-9)
- Wisteria (USDA Zones 5-9)
- Virginia creeper (USDA Zones 3-9)
- Boston ivy (USDA Zones 4-8)
“Carefully selecting and training these flowering vines can transform a bare west wall into a lush, fragrant oasis.”
Conclusion
Gardening on the west side of your home needs the right plants to thrive. Full sun-loving shrubs like honeysuckle and Korean spice viburnum are great. Heat and drought-tolerant perennials such as aloe vera and yucca also do well. Plus, colorful annuals like marigolds and zinnias add vibrancy.
Layering plants of different heights and bloom times is key. This, along with some shade, ensures vibrant flowers all season. A well-designed west-facing garden can also save energy and extend your outdoor time.
For a successful west side garden, choose plants that love the sun and can handle heat. Add shade and manage moisture well. Design a layered garden that looks great and is easy to care for. Follow these tips to make your west side a beautiful, low-maintenance oasis.
FAQ
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Want To Learn More, Check Out These Links:
- How to Understand Your Yard’s Sunlight So You Know What to Plant Where
- These Beautiful Flowering Shrubs Will Add Major Color to Your Garden
- 15 Foolproof Shrubs for Low-Maintenance Landscaping
- 20 Best Flowering Shrubs To Grow In Full Sun
- 21 Hardy Perennials That Promise Unstoppable Color Every Year
- 44 Flowers That Thrive In Full Sun
- 22 Annual Flowers That Thrive in Full Sun All Summer Long
- The Best Plants for Your South West Facing Garden — Meadowlark Journal
- 10 Plants for Year-Round Containers – Fine Gardening
- 10 Favorite Plants for West-Facing Windows
- West Facing Flower Bed Ideas
- 15 No-Fuss Garden Plans Filled With Plants That Thrive in Full Sun
- Best shrubs for the front of the house – 10 plants to grow for color and fragrance
- These Are the Full Sun Perennials and Flowers Your Garden Needs
- The 19 Best Perennial Flowering Vines and Climbers
- These Beautiful Climbing Vines Make Your Garden Go Vertical
- 30 best climbing plants for all gardens
- What Is A West Facing Garden?
- Nature’s Compass: North to South, West to East-Facing Gardens