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?

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.

Penny
Zone 7b - North Carolina
"Bill" wrote in message
om...
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?

Try Gazanias...
http://www.damseeds.com/detail.asp?M...nia&CatNo=1540

http://www.veseys.com/store.cfm?cat=341



BT



"Bill" wrote in message
om...
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?