Not all flowers are capable of withstanding the constant high temperatures of a Nashville Tennessee summer. Find out which flowers will stay beautiful survive despite the heat.
The average temperatures in Central Tennessee’s summer months skyrockets to the high eighties and low nineties. Plant the wrong flowers and your yard could be bare for patio season.
Some species of flowers are better suited to survive in hot conditions like a scorching Tennessee summer. When you plant flowers that can handle the heat, your yard will be beautiful and healthy all summer.
Below are flowers that will survive the Tennessee heat.
Flowering Shrubs
In addition to smaller flowers and plants that can withstand the Tennessee weather in summer, there are some lovely shrubs you can plant that will bloom as well.
Limelight Hydrangea
Picture 6-8 foot tall shrubs with massive lime green and white blossoms. Limelight Hydrangeas look fantastic when planted in numerous quantities. Their height and thickness will make a perfect hedge for a summer privacy screen.
Crape Myrtles
These beautiful shrubs come in many shapes and sizes: from 3-foot shrubs to 25-foot tall trees. Choose any crape myrtles from white, pink, red, and purple.
Perennials
Perennials, unlike one-season annuals, will regrow in subsequent springs. They usually only bloom in one season each year (either spring, summer, or fall) and can last for 3-5 years with proper care.
Cone Flowers
These native Saskatchewan perennials will bloom single, double, or tripling flowers in the summer heat. Heat and drought-resistant, cone flowers are very bright and attract birds, bees, and bugs, making them ideal to place next to non-pollinating plants.
Daylilies
Daylilies are gorgeous perennial flowers that love to soak in the direct sunlight. They bloom in midsummer, are drought-tolerant, and come in just about every color.
Sedums
These flowers are nearly indestructible and can fight off heat, disease, and drought. They come in a variety of sizes and colors, so they can complement any yard design.
Bearded Iris
This unique flower is very easy to grow, blooms in numerous colors, is a very common yard plant, and can easily withstand half a day in direct sunlight.
Penstemon
Also called Beardtongue, this hardy perennial can survive drought and hot weather. Since penstemon is a fierce pollinator, it should be placed near plants that are not self-pollinators.
Yarrow
Yarrow is practically indestructible once you plant it and the roots have taken. These lovely, tall, white flowers can survive high temperatures and poor soil conditions.
Coreopsis
Coreopsis will bloom all summer and love the dry hot heat of a Davidson County summer. These perennials have flowers of all colors, including yellow, orange, red, pink, and white.
Salvia
These tall, sturdy, beautiful flowers grow up to 30 inches tall and are drought tolerant. Salvia come in lovely shades of pink, lavender, and blue.
Butterfly Weed
Officially called Asclepius, this plant got its name because Monarch butterflies love it. Like anything with “weed” in its name, these plants can take over your garden, so keep an eye on them and don’t let them grow out of control.
Peony
Peonies last for years and are incredibly drought and heat resistant. Their bright blooms should prevail as long as they are watered deeply and consistently in the summer.
Combinations
There are some plants that can be gardened as perennials or annuals, depending on the species.
Dianthus
These tiny flowers are an excellent way to accent other flowers in your garden. They grow well in the sun or shade, and love the hot weather. However, they will need water during a drought.
Black-Eyed Susan
These flowers with a unique name looks similar to daisies and grows very easily. They tolerate heat quite well and grow to around 2-3 feet tall.
Verbena
Verbena can grow anywhere, from pots to being used as ground cover, and they love the heat. Deadheading them (removing the dead flowers) will allow them to bloom further into the fall.
Gaillardias
Also known as the Blanket Flower, this beautiful plant comes in many vibrant colors ranging from hot pink to bright yellow. Gaillardias are also easy to maintain and don’t need constant watering.
Annuals
Annuals are plants that germinate, flower, give their seed, and die in one year. Annuals are popular with gardeners because annuals they flower quickly and constantly in order to reproduce as much as possible in their short lifecyle, as opposed to perennials which usually only flower once a season.
Coleus
The Coleus plant will add beauty to any corner of your yard. The original varieties thrive in the shade while newer ones love the sun. They are effortless to grow, pop up to between one and two feet tall, and come in various colors and bi-colors.
Marigolds
Marigolds thrive when they have total sun exposure with plenty of airflow, and can withstand dry conditions and pests. These annuals also come in various sizes (short, medium, and tall) and are usually orange or yellow.
Petunias
Petunias are among the most varied plant variety in the world. They range from smaller, dime-sized blooms to trailing types that can grow to three-foot mounds. Petunias can be used in garden borders, in their own bed, or hanging in a pot. These beautiful flowers come in various colors and are rich in nectar, attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Angelonia
This is one of the best plants for containers in the hot Nashville heat. Also used for borders, Angelonia blooms with colorful blue, pink, white, purple, and mauve spikes. They also come in tall, upright varieties and short bushy versions.
Zinnia
Zinnias are a hot-climate plant that bloom easily and frequently. Known for their long stems and beautiful colors, Zinnia are very easy to look after and range in height from 4 to 40 inches.
Amaranth
Amaranth can be grown as plants or flowers and are known to be indestructible, making them a great mid state summer flower. Sometimes referred to as Pigweeds, the Amaranth varies in stem, leaf, and flower color, usually in the maroon to crimson spectrum.
Sunflower
Sunflowers, as you can imagine, love to grow up tall and soak in the sun and add a distinguished look to your garden. Sunflowers have a large, daisy-like face, come in yellow, red, orange, brown, and maroon, and are very heat resistant.
Portulaca
Some consider these flowers similar to cacti and are a great way to add some color to your garden in summer’s hot, dry heat. These annuals are many varieties or Portulaca, with portulaca grandiflora being known as an ornamental garden plant.
Tropical Bulbs
Caladiums
These lovely plants have beautiful color patterns and are unique in that no two leaves are alike. Caladiums are known as shade-loving plants, but newer varieties can withstand the heat of the southern summer.
Calla Lilies
These elegant flowers are tall and pretty with long, slender stalks that grow to 12 to 36 inches. Calla Lillies are adorned with chalice-like flowers in white, purple, pink, salmon, yellow, and bicolor.
Vines
Mandevilla Vines
These are one of the more versatile plants you can grow in your garden. Thanks to the work of many plant breeders, Mandevilla Vines now have many different sizes and colors.
Final Thoughts
If you want to keep your yard beautiful and full of color this summer, ensure you have enough Tennessee flowers planted. However, you have to be wary of growing the correct type of flowers, as some are not well-suited for the searing heat of Nashville summers.
Contact Turf Managers today for help deciding which flowers will last through the summer or have them professionally installed for less work on your part.
The experts at Turf Managers are here to help you with all your summer lawn and garden needs. Click the link below to learn more about Turf Managers’ services.
