Flowers that Like it Hot
Summer heat need not cause a lull in colorful garden displays. Some flowers actually thrive on a diet of heat and dry soil. Portulaca (moss rose) is the showiest and easiest of these types to grow. Both single and double forms produce blooms of many brilliant hues. Seeds are available in separate colors. Moss rose is especially effective as a low-edging or border plant. It’s well adapted to poor soil and re-seeds in profusion. Gazania, a half-hardy perennial, is another colorful and versatile flower. It’s excellent for summer bedding in window, porch or deck boxes. Gazania blooms quite freely throughout the summer. It thrives on heat and drought and is especially effective in rock gardens.
However, few plants thrive and flower as well as lantana. It is especially abundant in such hot, difficult conditions as the narrow spaces between concrete and brick sidewalks. Plants thrive over winter
in most areas. It’s advisable to cover lantana when temperature forecasts are below freezing. Seeds are lazy to germinate, so many gardeners purchase started plants. Other flowers that will tolerate hot, dry locations include: periwinkle, yarrow, anthemis, African daisy (arctotis), California poppy, calliopsis, gaillardia, candytuft, red flax and cosmos.