What bedding plants can I use in a south facing garden?

Sue Says
There are many plants you could try that tolerate more extreme heat and dryness. Plants with silver foliage or hairy leaves tend to be more tolerant such as Lavender, Verbascum http://www.thompson-morgan.com/plants1/product/p89578/1.html, Lambs’ ears (Stachys byzantina) and Eryngium (Sea Holly) http://www.thompson-morgan.com/seeds1/product/4667/1.html. Succulent, fleshy-leaved plants will also tolerate the heat such as Portulaca (Purslane) http://www.thompson-morgan.com/seeds1/product/1933/1.html and Sedums http://www.thompson-morgan.com/seeds1/product/8724/1.html. If you’re looking for more floriferous plants then Gazania http://www.thompson-morgan.com/seeds1/product/8331/1.html, Zinnia http://www.thompson-morgan.com/seeds1/product/4264/1.html, Gaillardia http://www.thompson-morgan.com/plants1/product/p3242/1.html, Verbena http://www.thompson-morgan.com/plants1/product/p6440/1.html and varieties of Evening Primrose (Oenothera) http://www.thompson-morgan.com/seeds1/product/6831/1.html will work well and all have very vibrantly coloured flowers. If you’re interested in herbs then rosemary, sage, and thyme are very tolerant of the sun due to their leathery or small leaves. As well as choosing heat tolerant plants, it’s also worth considering that if you regularly feed your plants, they may put on too much lush new growth which is more susceptible to wilt in the heat.