How to Brighten Up Your Garden in San Diego

Do you have a shady area in your yard that could use some color? Does San Diego's May gray and June gloom weather patterns get you down? Do you want to combine yellow flowers with other colorful plants and flowers in your landscape? You can grow an array of yellow flowers in San Diego that are sure to liven up any space with joyful yellow color.

Don’t you just love how a bright and cheery garden makes you feel? Bright plants have a way of making you feel joyful, no matter the season. If you’ve been trying to find a way to brighten up your landscape, try planting yellow flowers.

Below are some of top picks to brighten up your landscape with yellow flowers:

SUNFLOWER: Sunflowers are beneficial to bees, birds, and humans. After all, their seeds are edible. Southern California is home to native sunflower varieties, but some non-native varieties grow taller and have tastier seeds. Fortunately, you can cultivate non-native sunflower varieties in Southern California, such as:

• ‘Lemon Queen’: These bright yellow sunflowers attract bees and will add a pop of color to any garden. The sunflower buds are edible, with some noting flavors like artichoke.
• ‘Mammoth’: This variety grows just like its namesake, TALL! These gargantuan beauties can get almost as tall as a tree, so kids love them! You can plant them along a fence line for privacy, too.
  • • • • • Exposure: Full sun
          • Bloom time: Late spring to frost
          • Height: from 3 - 16 feet
          • Tolerates almost all soil types (does not like water-logged soil)

BEGONIA: Plant these fragrant flowers and bring a burst of soft yellow and apricot colors to your landscape. It’s true that begonia blooms in various colors. But if you want the yellow and apricot colors, look for the Double Delight Primrose variety.

• • • • • • Exposure: Partial to full sun
          • Bloom time: Spring and Summer
          • Height: From 8-inches to 5 feet tall

LANTANA: Now, here’s an excellent plant for San Diego. Lantana is a heat and drought-tolerant plant that can reward your garden with bright yellow flowers all summer long. Pollinators love them, too. Plant them in your garden to enjoy the sight of butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators.

• • • • • • Exposure: Full sun
          • Bloom time: Spring and Summer
          • Height: 6 to 12 inches
          • Low maintenance
          • Attracts birds

DAHLIA: You can’t go wrong planting dahlias when you want long-lasting blooms. Although dahlias can bloom in a seemingly endless variety of colors, ‘Mystic Illusion’ dahlias are prized for their showy, star-shaped yellow flowers. These flowers are heat tolerant and are sure to attract butterflies, too! 

• • • • • • Exposure: Full sun
          • Bloom time: from planting to frost
          • Height: 1 to 6 feet tall
          • Prefers well-drained, sandy soil

PANSY: Yellow pansy varieties are some of the most versatile plants. These annuals look fantastic in spring and fall. Pansies are an excellent choice for bedding and low borders. They also look great planted in between other flowers, too.

• • • • • • Exposure: Full sun
          • Bloom time: Spring, fall, early winter
          • Enjoys rich, well-drained soil
          • Attracts butterflies

Enhance Your Community with Landscape Services You Can Count On

Are you looking to brighten up the landscape in your community? Westturf can help. Our team of landscape design specialists can transform your San Diego HOA community, apartment community, shopping center, and other commercial properties with exceptional landscaping services. Contact us at 760-650-3120 or drop us a message.