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Everyone deserves something pretty to look at, whether you prefer spending your summers outside in the sunshine or under some shade. Putting your patio or porch into a summery mood is easier than ever thanks to these beautiful blooms, half of which love the sun and half of which crave the shade. 

Have a sunny spot that could benefit from some colorful hanging baskets? These sun-loving plants are just what your perch ordered. 

Related: How to Hang Plants From the Ceiling Quickly & Easily

Dragon wing begonia (aka Begonia x hybrida) is a great choice for hanging baskets in full-sun areas. This beautiful hybrid begonia boasts an impressive display of red, white, or pink flowers on cascading stems during the warmest months of the year. Dragon wing begonias typically start blooming as soon as temperatures warm up, and keep producing blooms until the first frost.

These heat-tolerant plants will thrive even in the hottest climates and are suited for USDA hardiness zones 9-11.

Million bells (aka Calibrachoa) is a wonderful cascading plant to grow in hanging baskets during the summer. Its blooms resemble miniature petunias and come in an array of colors, including blue, magenta, pink, red, violet, white, and yellow.

Better yet, this plant can bloom all summer long without needing a deadheading treatment once. And while it thrives in full sun, it can survive in partial shade, though it won't bloom as prolifically. 

Million bells are well suited for USDA hardiness zones 9-11. 

Moss rose (aka Portaluca grandiflora) is a wonderful choice for summer hanging baskets thanks to its cascading spread that can grow up to 2'. This one does require at least six hours of full sun a day, and while it'll tolerate brief periods of dryness, it needs to be regularly watered throughout the season. 

Moss rose thrives in many climates, but performs best in USDA hardiness zones 2-11.

Sunpatiens (aka Impatiens hawkeri) are a great option for full-sun hanging baskets, which makes them quite different from other types of shade-craving impatiens. They come in a wide variety of colors, including lilac, orange, pink, red, and white.

Sunpatiens prefer warmer areas and USDA hardiness zones 10-11. 

You can plant any kind of petunias in a hanging basket, but wave petunias (aka Petunia x hybrida) are particularly well suited for this type of container. They only grow to be about 6" tall but can spread up to 4', so they make an amazing cascading display.

While they need full sun, they may suffer if left for prolonged periods in extreme heat. It's best to have them well established in their container before the hottest summer temps set in.

Wave petunias perform well in USDA hardiness zones 9-11.

Not all hanging plants want to hang ten in the summer sun. Some prefer partial or even full shade, and these are our favorites that like to keep things cool. 

Related: 14 Classic & Colorful July Flowers That Make Summer Bloom

Double impatiens (aka Impatiens walleriana) grow up to 16" tall in a mound and produce an abundance of blooms that look very much like roses, which makes them a bountiful hanging planter pick.

They come in a wide variety of colors, including orange, orchid, pink, purple, red, and white. Better yet, they're so low-maintenance that they don't need any deadheading or pruning. 

Double impatiens thrive in USDA hardiness zones 10-11. 

Giant snowflake (aka Sutera cordata) has gorgeous white blooms that appear at the beginning of summer and last all season. These plants are incredibly well-suited for hanging baskets because they only grow up to 8" tall but will trail up to 3'.

As long as you keep them in partial shade, they'll put on an amazing show even in dry conditions. And like many plants on our list, giant snowflakes don't require deadheading.

Giant snowflakes will perform well in USDA hardiness zones 3-9.

If you're looking to fill a full or partially shady area with a flowering hanging basket, lady's eardrops (aka Fuchsia) is a great choice. This perennial has lush, cascading foliage that trails to colorful blooms of white, purple, or pink.

Lady's eardrops are perfect for hanging under tall shade trees or suspending from a shady porch, though it's a good idea to bring them inside when the temperatures climb. 

Lady's eardrops are suited for USDA hardiness zones 6-11.

Nodding violets (aka Streptocarpella) provide a lovely pop of purple to shady areas in your yard. These compact plants work quite well in hanging baskets and can be displayed inside or out.

They don't like direct sunlight and will bloom best when regularly exposed to indirect light. You can expect the first blooms to arrive just before the start of summer.

Nodding violet prefers USDA hardiness zones 9-11.

Wishbone flower (aka Torenia fournieri) is another shade-loving flower to pick for your hanging planter. It's a bushy annual that stays under a foot tall and produces beautiful two-tone trumpet-shaped flowers.

Wishbone flowers come in a variety of colors, including blue, pink, purple, white, and yellow. They're also heat-tolerant as long as they're established in their containers before the blazing heat sets in. 

This annual can survive in most growing areas but thrives best in USDA hardiness zones 10-11.

From adding interesting vertical dynamics to your landscape to being lower-maintenance gardening alternatives, hanging plants are a great place to start your summer planting. No matter the shine or shade, these plants will hang ten all summer long.