Plants that love sun and heat

The July weather in Maine was gorgeous – sunny and dry – just what the tourists love. But lawns are browning out and gardens are panting for water.

As a garden designer, I like to work with plants that can endure stretches of inconsistent watering, although even drought tolerant plants need water at some point! Last summer I designed and planted a ‘ledge’ garden for my sister, Kim. This rocky outcrop is in full sun in her back yard. It is a focal point from the window over her kitchen sink.

Included are pictures that I took before I started working on the bed (note the browned out grass from extreme heat and drought) and right after I installed the garden (three hours later).

Here is a photo I took last week. I’ve added a few more plants since the original planting. My sister is careful to water the new plants for a week or two after planting, but after this ‘coddling’ period, the garden is pretty much left on its own!

Below are some of the sun worshippers in this Zone 5 garden:

Ornamental Oregano ‘Kent Beauty’ 8” Zones 5 – 9 (sometimes sold as an annual in colder zones) (Pictured)

Dwarf Nepeta ‘Cat’s Pajamas’ 12”-14” tall, Zones 3 – 8

Panicum ‘Cheyenne Sky’ 30”-38”, Zones 4 – 9

Also:
Creeping Thymes
Callirhoe involucrata
Achillea ‘Moonshine’
Hens and Chicks
Dianthus ‘Frosty Fire’
Creeping Sedums