Does anyone know of good beautiful heat hardy flowers?

[J.J.]

Ok here is the situation.  The Wife and I have a new house and we are starting to appreciate gardening.  I never realized how fun it can be. Heck yesterday while mowing the lawn I spotted 2 bluebonnets so I have two spots in the yard not mowed so that I could keep the bluebonnets. The roses that we got last September (4 bushes from www.heirloomroses.com) are spectacular.  Looking around the neighborhood I realized that they are quite different than what anyone else has.  So now I am in search of plants for hanging baskets that are unique.  I do not want to go to Lowes or the local nursery because I want to be different. Bougainvillea and other common plants wont cut it.  Does anyone have any suggestions?

I want to put them in hanging baskets and I want color.  They have to be heat hardy I am in Central Texas.  The hanging baskets would receive partial to full sun in the mornings and early afternoon.


Also I am getting into organic products I recommend the use of them for people who are wanting to try them! Medina Hastagro has really helped my roses big time...they were planted in September or October they were 2  4 inches tall now they are 2  3 foot and full of multiple blooms.

[charby]

Petunias and Marigolds.  make your own baskets, secret is keeping moisture in the pot so add some sphagnum or spanish moss to the potting soil mix to hold water. These plants pretty much take care of themselves with minimal care and marigolds keep bugs away and petunias attract humming birds.

Charby

[J.J.]

Problem is I see marigolds a lot around here. I want something more unique.  I am looking around for baskets too.  I want something decorative but not too pricey.  If I had more skill with my hands I would make my own baskets but that is not the case. (I am not one for walking in a store and getting a plant in a cheap plastic hanging basket container. I want something that gives lots of curb appeal.)

[Sindawe]

Hmmmm.... Sceletium tortuosum aka Kanna is fairly heat tolerate and has some small but very pretty flowers which might make a nice accent to the more common garden flowers.


Salvia spendens may also work for your larger baskets.


A basket of Morning Glories in Heavenly Blue, Flying Saucers and Pearly Gates would be a visual feast.






Passion Flower is a woody vine so may not take well to baskets, but if you can get it grow and flower is very striking.


A plant I've rarely seen cultivated for its flowers is cat-mint. The one person I know who had them here in Colorado had them do great, even in brutal summers.

[J.J.]

Sindawe -
  Do you have something that you need to tell us?  I tried to do some more research on the plants you mentioned and well as beautiful as they are I am afraid that local teenagers will be hanging around on my front porch trying to steal the plants for consumption.  Almost every plant you listed had "special" properties. www.erowid.org/plants/


Seriously though Thanks for the info and pics I am still looking. Other responses would be helpful.  If I decide not to use some of those in hanging baskets they would make nice additions to the flowerbed (if they will do well in my area.)