High on my list of go-to shrubs for full sun is the genus Spiraea.  They are incredibly tough, able to withstand dry soil although better with some moisture. There are numerous cultivars, some of which bloom only in spring and others that rebloom and/or have colored foliage. Among my favorites is Double Play^® Candy Corn. It foliates red, then turns orange that quickly becomes golden yellow. In June, it sports deep rose flowers that bloom sporadically throughout the summer. In the fall, some of the leaves are orange again. A dwarf, it only grows two feet high and wide, needs virtually no maintenance, and is not bothered by deer.

Hydrangeas are much beloved and there are numerous species from which to choose. For something a bit different, many of those in the species arborescens are not as well known as the mopheads (Hydrangea macrophylla) but are much more reliable bloomers. They all bloom on new wood so you just prune them down close to the ground early each spring. Hybridization has produced some cultivars with pink panicles instead of white ones. I’m particularly fond of ‘Bella Anna’ because it is shorter at four feet than ‘Invincibelle Spirit’ that usually grows to five feet. These hydrangeas do need regular moisture.

Diervilla lonicera ‘Kodiak Orange’ is another little known toughie. It is extremely drought tolerant but does quite well in average soil. Its greatest attribute is its leaf color, foliating orange and then becoming green but this continues to occur throughout the summer and fall. Tiny yellow flowers appear in June and sporadically throughout the summer. It grows three to four feet tall and wide and is deer-resistant.

These are just a few of my favorite shrubs for full sun. I’m sure you have other candidates.