Windy with direct Sun - What flowers?

I have a southern exposure 28th floor balcony (very windy with direct sun almost all day), in Chicago. My balcony railing planter flowers are dying fairly quickly with withered leaves (I water according to a meter). Are there any particular flowering plants that would be good in a windy direct sun balcony planter?

Reply to
Bill
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A trailing lantana (Patriot series), verbena (comes in red, lavender, deep purple, white, blue) or moss rose portulaca would all be great in a hot, breezy situation. You can also use Yubi Portulaca, but the flowers tend to close up about mid day. If you want some height, you can try some celosia, penta, salvia or grasses like Blue Fescue. I sometimes use asparagus fern mixed in the boxes to give a little texture and dark green color. It helps set off the other colors. Unlike other ferns, it can tolerate hot sun. Are you planting into large pots or window boxes? If using large pots, I love using purple fountain grass as a tall plant in the center and surrounding it with creeping jenny . I also have a pot on my back sun deck with western exposure that has a huge lemon grass in the middle and lemon thyme trailing out the sides. Whenever friends come over, they tend to love the plants because of the lemony scent. You can also fill a large pot with an upright type of lantana. Biloxi Blue Verbena is also a more upright medium powder blue that is so pretty mixed with red trailing verbena and white penta (Butterfly series only get 1 ft tall).

You've got lots of choices in color combinations, so it's up to you in your preferences. You can also look at sedums or yarrow. I tend to gravitate to annuals because of the color. White Shasta Daisy, Purple Coneflowers or Rubeckia (Black Eyed Susan) would also work. These are perennials that would die back and emerge again next year if that's what you're looking for. Like I said, so many choices.

Good luck.

Reply to
Penny Morgan

Try Gazanias...

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BT

Reply to
BT

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