Hi all,
I have an 8' or so section of privacy fence that is around 4' high. It is south facing with no shade. The swimming pool is about 20 feet right in front of it, so there's also reflected light. Every year I plant herbs or flowers in containers and place them on top of the fence. They thrive until July or so, when they all just stagger and suffer under the relentless sun. Last year I planted a selection of herbs which grew robustly until that time, then they just barely hung on until it cooled a bit again. Does anyone have any ideas for fragrant flowering plants for this area? I'm particularly partial to a lush, bushy spill of blooms. I'm in Plano.
Thank you all so much for any ideas,
Redwill0w
Good container plants for on top of south facing fence?
I can't think of anything fragrant. Have you tried portulaca? I don't mean the needle leaf kind, but the trailing, broad leaf ones?
Redwillow, from what you describe, my guess is that the location is just too darn hot & sunny for most plants. Most "full sun" plants really appreciate a little afternoon shade in TX in the hottest part of Summer, and remember that containers tend to dry out much more quickly than plants in ground, and their roots will get a lot hotter, too.
If the plants really must be in containers (what else are you gonna do on the top of a fence, lol), you can either go with succulents (which won't generally give you fragrance or lusheness); or you could try to insulate your containers to keep the roots cooler (line the inside with bubblewrap before you add soil) and you could try some of the products that hold and release water slowly to the plant. Another thing about watering in containers: in the Summer you normally will need to water every single day, as they can really dry out fast. Studies show that container plants are much more helathy if they are watered in the early evening, 4-6, than any other time of the day. Just be sure not to water the foliage, as they could still get scorched from the sun.
What size containers are these? How do you have them mounted on the fence top? (I think I want to try this, as I'm running out of room for sunny plants!)
Depending upon the size of the container that you are ale to use there:
Bougainvillea (I have some in 10 " hanging baskets) do would do very well, but are not fragrant
Texas Betony, Scarlet Hedgenettle (Stachys coccinea) - really great in containers, no fragrance
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1292/index.html
Dwarf 'New Look' Pentas - great plants that will provide blooms continually, unfortunately do not draw butterflies, no fragrance, my photos do not do them justice (colors of the blooms are much brighter; I think that they will spill out of the containers
http://davesgarden.com/pf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=Pentas+&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=lanceolata&searcher%5Bcultivar%5D=new+look&searcher%5Bhybridizer%5D=&search_prefs%5Bsort_by%5D=genus&images_prefs=both&Search=Search
My ornamental peppers do great through the scorching heat in containers, but they are not fragrant and do not trail. They are lush.
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/104649/index.html
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/56161/index.html
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/2689/index.html
Trailing purple lantana - no fragrance
http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/28757/
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/83288/index.html
Trailing white lantana - no fragrance
http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Verbenaceae/Lantana_White_Lightning.html
Trailing yellow lanta
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/59539/index.html
Knotweed, Fleece Flower, Tovara 'Red Dragon' (Persicaria microcephala) - might do well, is lush, haven't had it in full sun. no fragrance, small blooms, it will trail out and down in a container, grows fast
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1134/index.html
Scaevola aemula 'New Wonder' - Texas SuperStar - it has to be this variety because other Scaevola aemula just can't take the heat, no fragrance as I recall
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/57941/
Liriope, Lily Turf, Lilyturf, Monkey Grass (Liriope muscari) - no flowers until late summer and won't have a "spilling" of blooms - but, they won't die! :o), lush, tropical look
I'll try to think of some more ...
This message was edited Feb 21, 2006 11:19 AM
Htop, we used to have a trailing purple lantana that was very fragrant. I'll have to search thru old records and see if I can find the cultivar name.
Calalily, maybe mine are fragrant and I just don't remember. I'd love to plant a fragrant one.
Redwillow,
Try this!
'Laura Bush' Petunia - Petunia X violacea 'Laura Bush' Reseeding old fashioned petunia with fragrant violet flowers on a vigorous heat tolerant plant.
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Size: 24" Tall x 36" Wide
Bloom Time: Spring until Frost
Uses: Bedding, containers, or reseeding annual. Note: Bred by Greg Grant and Jerry Parsons in San Antonio, Texas. Commercial Seed Source is Wildseed Farms in Fredericksburg, Texas
http://www.plantanswers.com/petunia_bush.htm
I have been waiting for them to come out in the nurseries (maybe this year) but so far I've only seen them sold in seeds.
I usually grow Lantana in my fence baskets and never noticed a fragrance but maybe the purple?
~trunnels~ what are the red flowers at the bottom (in front) of your flowerbed?
Angela
It is coreopsis limerock ruby. I didn't realize it needed so much room!
trunnels, I've been getting Laura Bush petunia for several years at my nursery. It's always in high demand, sells out quickly, so maybe you've just missed it before. This year mine is coming back from re-seeding, yea!!
Maggiemoo, where did you get your Laura Bush Petunias? Arbor Gate perchance ( :
I have been looking, have not found any yet, and too late to start from seed.
jackie
Jackie,
Yes, Arbor Gate is where I've been getting mine. ;-)
It's too early in the season for them to have them from the growers yet. Last yr it was a while before they got them in because the growers had a lot of failed seeds. I put my name on a waiting list to get some when they came in, bought some of the "old fashioned" purple petunias to hold their place. Last yr I decided to not do anything to that container (a cement urn) over the winter, so I was very pleased to be rewarded with seedlings popping up. When they get a little larger I'll see if I can thin them out and pot up the ones I pull to give away. Would you like some If I'm successful?
That's great to know, Maggiemoo! I will search diligently this year. :-)
Four o'clocks may work well in these conditions. They have a nice fragrance and tolerate lots of sun and heat. Over time, the tubers may overwhelm the baskets.
Mexican heather will take a ton of heat and sun. They also have a nice flowing characteristic in baskets. Not very fragrant.
Ruellia might work well. Never tried growing them in containers.
If you are looking for a good book for plants in this location I can recommend "Plants for dry climates" by Duffield
Hi there, CollinCountyTX! Welcome to Dave's from someone in your neck of the woods. :-)
I don't know about your four o'clocks but the ones I have come up from seed every year are at least 3-1/2 foot tall!
I agree that Mexican Heather would make very pretty baskets.
You're right about the four o'clocks. Other fragrant sun loving plants that might do well in these conditions would include Licorice plant, moss Rose, verbena
I need to go check out the Licorice plant!