Blooms For Hot Weather Garden
This annual garden needs to be dug deep to encourage roots to go deeper. Add plenty of compost to protect the roots and help keep moisture in the soil during hot weather. Amaranth "Illumination": set plants back 1 foot at back of garden. Grown for their dense panicles of tint flowers or for their colorful foliage. Half hardy to frost tender 39 to 9 degrees F. ( 2-4 deegrees C). Grow in full sun and rich, well drained, fertile soil. Height of 3 ft. and spread of 1 ft. Propagate by seed. All zones.
Marigold "Jubilee Mix" : line front of garden with Jubilee and Signet Marigolds and Lemon Gems. This Genus of annuals and evergreen shrubs are fully hardy, shrubs are frost tender, minus 39 degrees F. ( 4C. ). Grow in sun and well drrained soil. Deadhead flowers to prolong blooming. These plants have a height and spread of 18 to 24 inches, bloom from summer to frost, with 4 to 5 inch auromatic flowers with fern like leaves. Propagate by seed, outdoors in spring or autumn, shrubs, lay stem cuttings in summer. Annuals may self seed. Cucumber mosaic virus and powdery mildew may be a problem. All zones.
Zinna "Augustifolia Star White" plant between Jubilee Mix and Lemon Gem. This plant has a height and spread of 12 to 14 inches. This daisy like flower has gold center, narow leaves and will grow in all zones. Average soil. Deadhead often. Zinna's planted in late summer/early fall will bloom through fall.
Signet Marigold "Lemon Gem" has a height and spread of 8 to 10 inches. Masses of tiny lemon yellow flowers from summer to frost; lacy mounds of fragrant foliage. Average soil. All zones.
Sunflower " Big Smile" with a height of 18-24 inches and spread of 12 inches, this golden yellow summer flower with dark center and heart shaped leaves. Average soil. All zones.
Cleome " Spider Flower" a genus of annuals and a few evergreen shrubs grown for their unusual spidery flowers. Half hardy to frost tender, minus 39 degrees F. (4C.). Grow in sun and fertile, well drained soil. Remove dead flowers. Propagate by seed sown outdoors in late spring. Aphids may be a problem.
More Blooms for Hot Weather
Petunia "Plum Crazy" bears single flowers that have contrasting veins and throats. Colors avaliable include white with yellow throats, and shades of violet, pink and magenta, all with darker throats and veins.
Perennials grown as annuals. Half hardy, frost tender, minus 30 to 9 degrees F. ( 2 to 4 C) Grow in a sunny position, sheltered from wind in a fertile, well drained soil. Deadhead regularly. Propagate by seed sown under glass in early spring. May suffer from viruses, including, cucumber mosaic and tomato spotted wilt.
Ice Plant: Clump forming perennial. Has a height and spread of 18 inches. Fully hardy zones 4 - 9. Has oval indented fleshly grey-green leaves above which flat heads of small star shaped pink flowers that attrach butterflies are borne in late summer.
Sunflower "Italian White" at 4ft. tall this sunflower has creamy white flowers with black centers. Needs full sun. Propagate by seed in spring.
Gaillardia "Baby Cole" commanly known as the blanket flower this genus of summer flowering annuals and perennial that tend to be short lived. Fully to frost hardy. Requires sun and prefers well drained soil. May need stalking. Propagate by seed in autumn or spring, selected root cuttings in winter. From personal experience this plant will reseed. Very pretty and perky in the garden. I have them every year and they often bloom through fall if you remember to deadhead.
Delosperma: a genus of densely branched, trailing, perennial, sometimes shruby succulents, some with tuberous roots. This plant has purple daisy like flowers with fleshy green leaves that are 5 inches high. Frost tender minus 41 degrees F. (5C.). Requires full sun and very well drained soil. Propagate by seed or stem cuttings in spring and summer.
Yarrow: orginally from Europe and Asia where it was considered a wild flower, legend has it that the Greeks used this plant to heal wounds on the battle field. Yarrow grows between 1 to 3 ft. high, blooming from June until August and often until 1st frost. Flowers are small and arranged in flat heads atop stout stems. The foliage is finely cut and resembles a fern. Most species are aromatic and smell of chamomile. Drought tolerant and suitable for any reasonable fertile, well drained soil in full sun. These plants will tolereate a small amount of shade. New plants should be spaced 10 to 18 inches apart. Propagate by division in spring or fall. Suitable for gardens planted in masses. Excellent both as a cut or dried flower. Butterflies ADORE this flower!!
Coneflower; pink daisies with brown centers and lance like leaves. This summer flowering perennial is fully hardy and prefers sun, rich humus, moist, well drained soil. Propagate by division or root cuttings in spring. Zones 3-8. This plant is also known as enchinacea which many use to build up their immune systems.
Madonna Lily: white fragrant, 4 inch long trumpets on 4ft. tall stems with narrow leaves. Full sun. Zones 4-9.
Gladiolus Communis: Spikes of rose pink flowers on 3 ft. tall stems with strap like leaves. Frost to half hardy. Needs sunny, fertile, well drained soil. Plant bulbs 4 to 6 inches deep and the same distance apart in spring. Water well in summer and support tall cultivators with canes.
Lycoris Squamigara: Pink trumpets, strap like leaves in spring, 2 ft. tall, zones 6-10. A late summer or early summer flowering bulb. Carries a head of 6 to 8 fragrant funnel shaped, rose-pink flowers, 4 inches long with reflexed petal tips. Strap shaped, semi-erect, basal leaves form after flowers.
Dahlia "Ellen Houston": bushy, summer and autumn flowering perennial, grown as a bedding plant or for their flower heads which are good for cutting or exhibition. Half hardy to frost tender minus 39 to 9 degrees F. (2C.). Needs a sunny position and well drained soil. After flowering, lift tubers and store in a frost free place; replant when all danger of frost is passed. In frost free areas, plants may be left in the ground as normal herbaceous perennials, but they benifit from regular propagation to maintain vigor.
Dahlia's maybe subject to attack by aphids, red spider mites, and thrips. They may also succumb quickly to virus infection.
Red Buckeye: a decidous, round headed sometimes, shrubby tree with a height of 15 ft. ( 5m) and spread of 10 ft. (3m). Fully hardy zones 6-p. Glossy, dark green leaves consist of 5 narrowly oval leaflets. Has panicles of 4 petaled, red flowers in early summer.
Golden Rain Tree also called a Varnish Tree is a deciduous spreading tree with green leaves turning yellow in autumn. Bears sprays of yellow flowers in summer followed by inflated bronze-pink fruits. Has a height and spread of 30 ft. Prefers sun and well drained soil. Zones 6-8.
Sourwood or Sorrel Tree is a deciduous spreading tree with glassy dark foliage that turns bright red in autumn. Sprays of white flowers appear in late summer and autumn. Has a spread of 15 ft. and can reach up to 40 ft. tall. Needs full sun, acid, moist soil. Zones 5-9.
Hydrangea "Forever Pink" is a deciduous shrub and deciduous or evergreen root climber for their many domed or flattened flower heads. Each head consist's of masses of small white inconspicuous, fertile flowers surrounded by or mixed with much larger, sterile flowers bearing showy, petal-like sepals. However, in some forms, all or most of the flowers are sterile. Fully hardy to frost tender. Prefers sun or semi-shade, fertile, moist, but well drained soil. Requires more shade in dry areas. Propagate by softwood cuttings in summer.