extreme sun in front yard/flower bed, zone 9
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Posted: Jun/25/2006 7:24 PM PST
I need help in knowing what will do best for my growing pleasure... my front yard has ZERO shade (I did order a tree, though muuhahhaha)... front porch is covered, so it'll get shade up there after a couple hours after sunrise. my front flower bed is up against a brick wall (cuz I live on a corner home, so I have that "neighborhood entrance" wall on the side of my home. anywho: front flower bed.. [IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y114/bimomsg roup/tiff/outsideplants/flowerbed.jpg[/IMG] has shade until the sun peaks over that wall it's up against. then after that.. sun, sun, sun, sun.. and more sun. plus I'm in a zone 9 - hot and dry - I have never been good at annuals. perrenials seem to be my niche. my question(s)- what major sun loving plants and flowers do you think or know will do best for me? of course other than what you see in my photo of my flower bed that I have so far. all along the back are various gladiolus (sp?) and there's a cally lily, a couple lily of the nile plants (they haven't grown to high yet), a couple hydrangea (sp?) plants over in that far right corner. I think I have 3 iris' .. they really look bad (all brown leaved, no flowering). then I had some seed packets that I threw out to fill in some holes. no idea what they are or will be. some wild flowers of various sorts. they're actually doing "ok". some have fried up and wilted away, others have been growing strong. I use miracle grow, they're watered every morning at 6 am when the sprinklers come on, then I sit outside around 8 pm my time and water them with the hose. phew.. any other info ?? LOL here's another angle/view of the flower bed: [IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y114/bimomsg roup/tiff/outsideplants/flowerbed2.jpg[/IMG] |
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Posted: Jun/25/2006 7:53 PM PST
I think you'll find that you have enough plants in there by the time they all fill out. Lily-of-the-Nile takes up quite a bit of space when mature. Also wondering how your shade-loving hydrangea is doing in that spot? One addition I can think of would be some yellow or orange crocosmia for some late summer color. It'd look nice with the blue agapanthus. I think fewer plants in groups would make more of an impact in your long, narrow bed. Think of which plants look nice grouped together and then repeat that group. Group your glads together instead of lining them up against the wall (when it's safe to move the corms--next spring?). Also add some rounded plant forms to balance out the sword-like foliage you have going on there. |
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Posted: Jun/25/2006 7:58 PM PST
Quote: Originally posted by sweetlebee Also wondering how your shade-loving hydrangea is doing in that spot? .ack!!!!!  you're kidding.. I didn't know it was a shade item. well, it's actually doing quite good. slow. but really nice green foliage, sturdy. started them out as bulbs, they each have two flower blooms on them right now. should I move them up to my porch where they'll get shade? |
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Posted: Jun/25/2006 8:06 PM PST
I didn't think hydrangeas were bulbs.  Is it a different plant you have and you have the name confused? Can it be seen in the pic?Googled it and they have a rhizome. Some hydrangeas do better with sun than others, but you're describing a lot of sun, so I'm curious if it's a hydrangea. |
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Posted: Jun/25/2006 8:46 PM PST
Welcome to Garden Guides! I'm sure you will get feedback on this one. We do have some gardeners that live in hot zones , so keep checking back  On the hydrangeas I worry about the dry you were talking about. I am a zone 9/10 depending on the year  Try hybiscus they do well full sun and providing you have some amendment to sand will do ok low water once established. Not sure if you want to stay with low growing items or not. Hybiscus will gron to a nice bush but you can keep trim back . Crepe Myrtles also do well and can be molded into shrubs or bushes with proper trimming.Catcus or succulants might fill the need also. Try looking up your state ag site for xerascaping plants in your area
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Posted: Jun/27/2006 6:29 AM PST
I am in love with all the lantanas. I have pink/yellow, gold, white, red/yellow, nad lavendar. some are low growing. They don't mind heat and dry weather once established and bloom all summer and into winter if it's mild. Mexican petunias are great too, I have purple and white. Plumbago is great but does get bushy and leggy and can take over, it blooms all year too. |
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Posted: Jun/27/2006 7:47 AM PST
Whoo Hooo! Great to see another Californian! (yeah, I got "transplanted"). Welcome to GG. I have Evening Primrose in full sun. Some say it's too invasive, but my little plant is just a beauty, lots of pink flowers and hardly any water. (It was 105 here today). |
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Posted: Jun/27/2006 4:26 PM PST
Scarez, Another transplant? I've been here 20 years and am still trying to get used to wet feet lol! Dora/Garden Goddess |
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Posted: Jun/27/2006 5:09 PM PST
For the life of me I don't see a hydrangea. Not that its not there, I just don't see it. Yawl talking about the purple blooms nesselded up against what appears could be candytuft? Anyway what about a few reblooming daylillies (stella d' ore-yellow) to fill in some empty spots and a spot for some cannas (red ones, or yellow with red in the blooms--Cleopatra) on the end for some height. trudy |
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Posted: Jun/27/2006 5:14 PM PST
I couldn't see the hydrangeas either. Coreopsis is a plant that just passed through our 102 degrees days with flying colors! No wilt whatsoever. You'd get a long bloom, yellow flowers, and a bushier plant to fill in some holes. |
