The summer elements can be harsh on plants, but if you know what to plant to beat the summer heat and sun, you can bet your yard will flourish. There are a few questions to ask yourself first, and then let the planting begin!
If you live on the coast, your garden may fare better with plants that tolerate high winds and salt from sea spray. You also need to look at the area you are planting, and make sure your sun-loving plants will be in the sun and your shade-loving plants will get mostly shade. Also try to make sure the area in which you are planting has good drainage. You can help be prepping the soil beforehand.
Even though Florida is tough on flora, it is home to a variety of beautiful plants and flowers. For instance, bedding plants such as pink vinca (also referred to as periwinkle) are a lovely summer planting choice.
There are also some wonderful perennials that are optimal for summer planting in Florida. Take, for instance, tough, drought-resistant melampodium that produces pretty, small yellow flowers and comes in 10-inch and 24 to 36-inch varieties. And if you like butterflies and hummingbirds, choose red or pink pentas lanceolate, which flowers all summer long; scarlet salvia, a Florida native with striking red flowers that are gorgeous as borders or in mass plantings; and lantata, which is often found in butterfly gardens and has a reputation for its tolerance of heat, sun, wind and salt. One word to the wise is to avoid the lantana camara because that one lantana variation can become invasive.
As for annuals, there are several which flourish in sun or shade: the wishbone flower, which resembles the snapdragon, flowering cora and nirvana vincas which are also drought and pest resistant, and coleus and caladiums which provide vibrant color all summer long. Zinnias are also colorful and long-lasting.
There are so many more options. For more information, visit Edgewater Yard Shop. Owner-operated and Hometown New Readers’ Choice for landscaping supplies, Edgewater Yard Shop has been East Central Florida’s trusted yard supply shop of choice for over 20 years!