With the warm sun coaxing everyone out of the house and into the yard, this is the time of year that is popular for people all over the country to start digging up flower beds and placing plants in strategic places throughout the yard. You put hours and hours of work into making your landscaping look beautiful with rich, blossoming plants, only to discover that half of them have died within a few weeks time. How can you make your backyard look beautiful without the risk of plants dying on you shortly after you plant them? Simple: pick plants that can take the heat.
Black-eyed Susan
This sunshine yellow flower will bring some color into your yard amidst the heat of the summer. These bushy plants are hardy and can survive almost anything that comes their way. Not only will they bloom despite the blistering heat, but they will also have the possibility of blooming twice in one year if you cut them after the first round. If you find that furry animals are often chewing on your plants at night, don’t fear. Deer seem to stay away from black-eyed Susans.
Mealycup Sage
The Mealycup Sage actually thrives in the heat. It is most commonly found in the scorching southern states in the middle of the summer. This plant tends to grow quite high, with beautiful purple and white flowers surrounding its upper half. Another great things about this flower is that you won’t have to be spraying it with pesticide day in and day out, as most pests don’t bother this pretty purple plant.
Madagascar Periwinkle
No matter what kind of heat you experience in the summer, this plant will blossom beautifully in both sticky humidity and bone-dry heat. These plants have a tendency to almost look fake because of the perfection of their leaves. With what looks like a glossy coat of paint, the leaves on this flower glimmer in the sunlight. The flowers on this plant can boost a wide variety of colors including white, pink, or rose, sometimes with a white or red spot in its center.
Portulaca
If the sun produces blistering heat in your area and you have bad soil along with it, this is the perfect flower for you. As arguably one of the easiest to maintain, the Portulaca usually reaches its peak blooming time in the mid-afternoon, right when the sun is still in its hottest stages for the day. This flower loves even the hottest sunlight and is not the least bit picky about where its roots will thrive. If you have struggled without a “green thumb” all these years, this is probably one plant you will have a hard time killing.
If you are looking for a little more color than the options provided to you above, feel free to consult your local nursery for tips on which plants thrive best in which areas at different times of the year. As long as you water the plants about once a week or so and plant them in a timely manner, you can enjoy a colorful lawn, no matter what the time of year.
Written by Clark Jones, owner of Tree Frog Complete Grounds Maintenance. Tree Frog is the best company for landscaping Columbia MO has to offer.
