Three Plant Lists

From Luis whose pit is on 25th and Ninth:
The colored cosmos and petunias did well for me last year. Zinnias do well, are drought resistant and give lots of seeds you can save. I also have pansies that are already coming up on their own from last year. Echinacea are very hardy too. I am giving sweet peas a try this year-- am sprouting indoors now-fingers crossed.

from Eric on Ninth and 21st:
Here's a list of plants that I've used: Don't know all the scientific names.
1. Russian Sage
2. Sedum: I can't recall the specific type, but it grew to be about 14" tall and had pink flowers.
3. Cone Flower
4. Bee Balm
5. Ornamental sunflowers
6. Black-eyed Susans
7. Hens and chicks (Jovibarba Hirta)
8. Orange Cosmos (annuals, but self-seed)
9. Burgundy grass
10. Asitlbe


And from Paul:
Hi, Here is my (unintentionally exhaustive) list of plants that I've had success with in difficult sunny situations.

Botanical name (common names)
Perennials (come back each year)
Achillea (Yarrow, Boneset) silvery foliage, usually yellow flowers in an flat umbrella-like arrangement
Allium (Ornamental Onion) summer bulb, many types and sizes
Aquilegia (Columbine) many different colors and sizes, the wild purple ones are easiest
Armeria (Thrift) gray foliage, pink flowers, short clumps
Coreopsis (Tickseed) many, many varieties, yellow daisies some with brown or red touches
Daylily
Dianthus (Pinks) many varieties, usu. grayish foliage and, yes, pink flowers. There are annual types also
Echinacea (Purple Coneflower)
Echinops (Globe Thistle)
Eryngium (Sea Holly) rosette of spiny gray foliage, purple flowers
Geranium (Cranesbill) a perennial, NOT the flower-pot half-hardy annual type. Some types are more drought-resistant than others
Lavender
Liatris (Gayfeather) native of US prairies, spikes of purple-pink fuzzy flowers
Lilies
Lupinus perennis (Wild Lupine) a New York native, a little tricky to establish
Monarda (Bee Balm)
Nepeta (Cat Mint) fragrant, grayish foliage, purple-pink flowers not too tall
Origanum (Oregano) and most other Mediterranean herbs like Thyme
Oenothera (Evening Primrose, Sundrop) yellow flowers, rapid spreader
Perovskia (Russian Sage) (not a salvia) – tough and beautiful
Platycodon (Balloon Flower) usually purple-blue flowers, also pink and white
Rudbeckia (Coneflower) yellow to gold flowers
Salvia (sage) many types some perennial, some annual
Sedum (Stonecrop) succulent with brush-like flowers
Sempervivum (Hens and Chicks) succulents, generally smaller than sedums
Viola (Johnny Jump Up) small semi-hardy biennial that re-seeds itself if you’re lucky

Annuals (one season only) useful for fill and until the perennials get established
Cleome (Spider Flower)
Cosmos
Gaillardia (Blanket Flower) multi-colored daisies, there are perennial types also
Marigolds
Nicotiana (Flowering Tobacco)
Petunia
Portulaca
Snapdragon half-hardy perennial
Verbena bonariensis tall grass-like with small purple-pink flowers, half-hardy
Zinnia