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Plants for Difficult Places

evergreen shrub for southern exp, dry, hot, windy foundation.

19 years ago

Hello all!

I am looking for some sort of evergreen shrub to plant along my front porch, preferably something that has flowers on it. This spot faces the south, & get's very hot & dry & windy. My front porch is concrete which gives off heat even after sunset. If I can not get something that is evergreen, then I would like the bark to look nice in the winter.

Please help!

Thanx!

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Comments (3)

Vernonia
19 years ago
May I suggest.. plant some tall ornamental grasses. even in the middle of a hay field with no shade July, the soil stays cool. Most heat loving plants have issues with their ROOT temperatures more than the air temperature. If you do not like grasses, you can still use them as a nurse crop for a few years until the desired shrub is big and strong enough to handle the harsh conditions. The grasses should buffer the heat, and offer wind protection, and by doing that, they will help conserve moisture in that bed. Just make sure that even after the grasses are not there, you keep an underplanting to keep the roots cool. My dad has the same problem (a south facing concrete porch), and some good ground covers are Petunias (but only if the wind is not too bad low to the ground), they love heat, and lamb's ear... which for him has become a weed. It started in a 4 inch pot and has spread to cover a large area. Also many old world herbs are used to dry, hot conditionds. But I think you would do best with daisies or grasses. and there are some very nice ornamental grasses around. and the effect of the wind on them would be quite beautiful! Hope this helps.
laceyvail 6A, WV
19 years ago
I have a similar situation and am trying Arctostaphyllos x coloradensis, a broad leaf evergreen from High Country Gardens. I just put it in and it's a new enough shrub that no one on the shrub forum had any experience with it at all, but it looks interesting and seemed worth the try. BTW, I have sandy, fast draining soil--probably important for this plant.
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glad2garden
14 years ago
I've moved into a new house with a hot dry area next to the front porch. It looks like a good place for the grasses that Vernonia recommended. Does anyone have any other success stories?

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