South Carolina Summers are hot and dry, especially in August and July. My mother has an exposed south-facing wall where the sun beats all day in the driest months of the year. She has the hardest time getting anything to grow there. I thought I might make a short list of shrubs that she could use for the hottest driest places in the garden, and I am sharing it with you.
The old hedge standby, boxwoods love the sun, and they will tolerate some of the driest climates. Water deeply once a week in the driest times, and your shrubs should hold up to the elements. They will hold their leaves and color when others would fade.
The butterfly bush, this bush fills with beautiful, colorful blooms throughout the summer. It will attract pollinators, especially butterflies, which will make all of your plants more productive. It loves full sun, and stands up to warm dry weather.
More a tree than a shrub, but it provides the bonus of eventually adding a little shade to those over-baked patches of your garden. With beautiful blooms and changing foliage, dogwoods provide three season of interest. They love full sun.
This shrub is the real rock star of drought tolerant plants. With beautiful bright blooms and evergreen foliage they provide 4 seasons of garden interest. They are drought tolerant, heat tolerant, and really love those all-day sunny spots.
