NEWS

May 18, 2023

Here Comes the Sun: Perennials for Hot and Dry Areas

If you have a south- or west-facing exposure, you know the trials of growing plants in your space. It’s so disheartening to choose a beautiful plant that wilts, burns, or bolts in the stress of the heat. I recall, growing up in Southern Saskatchewan in my parents’ south-facing house, the way the soil felt beneath my feet: hot, dry, and cracking in the sun. I can almost feel the heat waves rolling off the walls, the fences, the doors. Maybe that’s why I have such a particular fondness for heat-loving plants: it’s so exciting to know that there are tons of brilliant options, even if the ground feels like literal lava!

‍

What I Remember

Grant me my moment of nostalgia for a second; I want to talk about the perennials of my childhood: these are the ones that are ever-present in my memories. I played near them; I grew up near them. They form the background of my growing up. They also have the added benefit of being extremely low-maintenance, and tolerant to both hot and dry areas: this means that, should you choose to grow them, they will require some yearly fertilizer, watering on the worst of the hot days, and a careful mulch in the fall.

Irises are a great choice because they tolerate extreme drought. Yellow irises flowered outside my ground-floor bedroom window every summer. Such an incredible way to wake up, as the sun filtered through the leaves and big yellow flowers!

When I was very little, I loved the red poppies and daisies that appeared without fail around our front door. My mother’s hands-off approach was to let us pick them, tossing the seed pods everywhere (including the lawn!). Sure enough, it was a method that paid back in dividends: our games with the flowers ensured years of blooms along the front sidewalk.

‍

My mother’s other low-maintenance approach to gardening was to plant a variety of groundcover sedums to fill in spaces: they hugged the hot concrete, brushed up against the lawn, and tied everything together. Today, there are loads of other kinds of sedums, in all sorts of colours. Groundcover sedums in purple, red, orange, and green provide a variety of colour and interest: they are beautiful to fill in spaces in a perennial bed, but they would also look amazing in a minimalist rock garden.

Rounding out my memories are the lilies that returned on the west side of our house every summer. Bright orange blooms billowed across the flower bed reliably for years.

‍

What I’ve Since Discovered

Is anyone surprised, given my memories of flowers growing up, that I ended up working in a greenhouse?! Over time, I’ve expanded my repertoire of favourite perennials for hot and sunny areas. Check them out below!

‍

Russian sage (salvia) is the kind of perennial that you might use if you were looking for finer flowers; the subtlety of sage has grown on me over time, and I think it looks stunning when paired with a fuchsia-purple shade of veronica, such as “Royal Candles.”

Gaillardia, also called blanket flower, is one of my favourite go-tos when I’m asked to find flowers that thrive in the sun, and will handle a little drought.

‍

Lilies (again!): new varieties of lilies are arriving at Dutch Growers every year; in 2023, we’re particularly fond of one called “Apricot Fudge.” It has the most delightful curling petals, in a lovely, warm pale peach colour, reminiscent of both apricots and butterscotch. It is just one example of the many lilies that we carry at Dutch!

Rudbeckia is another favourite of mine; you can choose the sky-high varieties that provide huge impact with their height and large yellow flowers. Or you can choose shorter rudbeckia for a dose of yellow. Or try both! Either way, you’ll get a bright dose of late-summer blooms that love the sun, and can handle drier areas.

‍

Butterfly flower – latin name “asclepias,” colloquially known as “milkweed” – is en vogue right now because of the demand for flowers that attract butterflies. We love a flower that brings butterflies and other pollinators to our yards! Butterfly flowers provides bunches of tiny flowers in orange, pink, yellow, and or white, so they are beautiful on their own. And of course, they’re a great option for loving the heat!

Coneflower is so pretty – it just makes my jaw drop! Also known as echinacea, the fuchsias, pinks, and even brilliant whites that coneflowers are available in will make you fall in love with your hot and dry spaces.

‍

These are just a few of my personal favourites, but there are so many others you can choose from so that you can ensure that you have the right height and flowering times that you need for a beautiful garden that lasts all summer long.

‍

Here are a few other perennials that love the hot and dry areas of your yard:

Yarrow, Beardtongue, Coreopsis, Yucca, Dianthus, Daylily, Stonecrop

Browse Perennials

‍

Pay us a visit at Dutch Growers for lots of great ideas for your perennials for hot and dry spaces!

GUIDE

Here Comes the Sun: Perennials for Hot and Dry Areas

Saskatchewan is known for its extreme variability in the weather; why else is it the perfect way to strike up a conversation with a stranger?! I always find myself discussing blizzards with new friends, so let’s switch gears to the opposite extreme and talk about the hot-hot heat! Embrace the hot and sunny areas of your yard with this list of great perennial options!

Written by

Elyn Hardy

BLOG

Here Comes the Sun: Perennials for Hot and Dry Areas

Saskatchewan is known for its extreme variability in the weather; why else is it the perfect way to strike up a conversation with a stranger?! I always find myself discussing blizzards with new friends, so let’s switch gears to the opposite extreme and talk about the hot-hot heat! Embrace the hot and sunny areas of your yard with this list of great perennial options!

Written by

Elyn Hardy

If you have a south- or west-facing exposure, you know the trials of growing plants in your space. It’s so disheartening to choose a beautiful plant that wilts, burns, or bolts in the stress of the heat. I recall, growing up in Southern Saskatchewan in my parents’ south-facing house, the way the soil felt beneath my feet: hot, dry, and cracking in the sun. I can almost feel the heat waves rolling off the walls, the fences, the doors. Maybe that’s why I have such a particular fondness for heat-loving plants: it’s so exciting to know that there are tons of brilliant options, even if the ground feels like literal lava!

‍

What I Remember

Grant me my moment of nostalgia for a second; I want to talk about the perennials of my childhood: these are the ones that are ever-present in my memories. I played near them; I grew up near them. They form the background of my growing up. They also have the added benefit of being extremely low-maintenance, and tolerant to both hot and dry areas: this means that, should you choose to grow them, they will require some yearly fertilizer, watering on the worst of the hot days, and a careful mulch in the fall.

Irises are a great choice because they tolerate extreme drought. Yellow irises flowered outside my ground-floor bedroom window every summer. Such an incredible way to wake up, as the sun filtered through the leaves and big yellow flowers!

When I was very little, I loved the red poppies and daisies that appeared without fail around our front door. My mother’s hands-off approach was to let us pick them, tossing the seed pods everywhere (including the lawn!). Sure enough, it was a method that paid back in dividends: our games with the flowers ensured years of blooms along the front sidewalk.

‍

My mother’s other low-maintenance approach to gardening was to plant a variety of groundcover sedums to fill in spaces: they hugged the hot concrete, brushed up against the lawn, and tied everything together. Today, there are loads of other kinds of sedums, in all sorts of colours. Groundcover sedums in purple, red, orange, and green provide a variety of colour and interest: they are beautiful to fill in spaces in a perennial bed, but they would also look amazing in a minimalist rock garden.

Rounding out my memories are the lilies that returned on the west side of our house every summer. Bright orange blooms billowed across the flower bed reliably for years.

‍

What I’ve Since Discovered

Is anyone surprised, given my memories of flowers growing up, that I ended up working in a greenhouse?! Over time, I’ve expanded my repertoire of favourite perennials for hot and sunny areas. Check them out below!

‍

Russian sage (salvia) is the kind of perennial that you might use if you were looking for finer flowers; the subtlety of sage has grown on me over time, and I think it looks stunning when paired with a fuchsia-purple shade of veronica, such as “Royal Candles.”

Gaillardia, also called blanket flower, is one of my favourite go-tos when I’m asked to find flowers that thrive in the sun, and will handle a little drought.

‍

Lilies (again!): new varieties of lilies are arriving at Dutch Growers every year; in 2023, we’re particularly fond of one called “Apricot Fudge.” It has the most delightful curling petals, in a lovely, warm pale peach colour, reminiscent of both apricots and butterscotch. It is just one example of the many lilies that we carry at Dutch!

Rudbeckia is another favourite of mine; you can choose the sky-high varieties that provide huge impact with their height and large yellow flowers. Or you can choose shorter rudbeckia for a dose of yellow. Or try both! Either way, you’ll get a bright dose of late-summer blooms that love the sun, and can handle drier areas.

‍

Butterfly flower – latin name “asclepias,” colloquially known as “milkweed” – is en vogue right now because of the demand for flowers that attract butterflies. We love a flower that brings butterflies and other pollinators to our yards! Butterfly flowers provides bunches of tiny flowers in orange, pink, yellow, and or white, so they are beautiful on their own. And of course, they’re a great option for loving the heat!

Coneflower is so pretty – it just makes my jaw drop! Also known as echinacea, the fuchsias, pinks, and even brilliant whites that coneflowers are available in will make you fall in love with your hot and dry spaces.

‍

These are just a few of my personal favourites, but there are so many others you can choose from so that you can ensure that you have the right height and flowering times that you need for a beautiful garden that lasts all summer long.

‍

Here are a few other perennials that love the hot and dry areas of your yard:

Browse Perennials

‍

Pay us a visit at Dutch Growers for lots of great ideas for your perennials for hot and dry spaces!