A roof terrace is there for the most beautiful time of the year: summer. But then sun and heat are also constant visitors. We make ourselves comfortable under the parasol or take refuge in the house in between. The plants have to endure outside. Therefore, it should be specimens that can cope with these extreme conditions. You can look forward to greens and flowers of the following plants.
Flowers for hanging baskets and window boxes
Annual flowers are usually grown in hanging baskets and flower boxes. From spring onwards, they create a pleasant atmosphere and make a hot terrace bearable in the first place. Their existence is over with the first frost at the latest. These plants are ideal for the owner of a roof terrace, as he usually does not have a suitable space for wintering plants that are sensitive to frost.
Elven spur - Diascia
A sunny terrace elicits plenty of filigree flowers from the elf spur from June. Depending on the type, they shine in white, pink, red, orange or purple. The sun terrace should also offer the elf spur a roof, because rain and wind have proven to be disruptive factors. Otherwise, this plant is easy to care for and therefore also suitable for a beginner. Provided that he likes to swing the watering can almost every day in summer.
Tip: If you clean the dead flowers regularly, the plant will sprout more buds and bloom into October.
Geraniums - Pelargonium
Even very hot roof terraces cannot prevent geraniums from blooming. They open the first buds in May and only stop flower production when the temperature is below zero. Admittedly, a geranium is no longer exotic in this country. But with their variety and the countless flower colors, there is never a dull moment. The leaves of the fragrant geraniums also give off a spicy scent.
Goldmarie - Bidens ferulifolia
The one-year-old Goldmarie needs direct solar radiation, then she shows herself to be amazingly willing to grow. It grows bushy and about 30 cm high, but individual tendrils can reach a length of up to a meter. It blooms from May to October in the color yellow. The small, star-shaped flowers are amazingly rainproof, making the Goldmarie also suitable for a roof terrace that is open to the top.
Hussar button - Sanvitalia procumbens
Cape basket - Osteospermum
This plant originates from South Africa, where it knows hot days only too well. A sunny roof terrace therefore offers ideal living conditions, provided there is a place sheltered from the wind. Cape baskets grow upright and bushy, up to 40 cm high. The flower shape is similar to that of daisy, which is why the plant is now also called Cape daisy. But it is much more colorful. Their flowers can be white, but also yellow, red, orange, blue or even multicolored. It goes well with other plants.
Tip: If the cape basket closes its flowers unexpectedly, you should reconsider your daily planning. Because this reaction heralds rain soon.
Faithful to men - Lobelia erinus
A sunny, hot terrace is ideal for this plant because it will then develop a particularly large number of flowers. Viewed from a distance, the small works merge into a single blue surface. Hanging varieties are suitable for hanging baskets and upright varieties for balcony boxes. They all develop nicely and compactly and are also suitable as underpainting for tall trunks in the tub.
Petunias - Petunia
The petunia is made for hot and sunny days because it needs a lot of warmth and light. Varieties with larger flowers, the so-called. Grandiflora species are more sensitive and should be protected from the wind. Hanging varieties are ideal for hanging plants. The wide range of colors can make it difficult to choose. The daily maintenance required in summer should also be considered. This includes regular cleaning and watering up to twice a day.
Tip: Start growing the plant on the warm windowsill as early as mid-February. When she steps onto the roof terrace after the Ice Saints, she will be in bloom even faster.
Marigold - Tagetes
For many people, the student flowers are no longer modern enough.
Vanilla flower - Heliotropium arborescens
Their scent is enchanting and spreads especially in the evening. It is the dark purple flowers that exude it. The vanilla flower grows densely branched and is up to 60 cm high. It can be cultivated for one year or several years, but then has to be overwintered.
Note: The vanilla flower is highly poisonous from flower to root. It should not grow on a sun terrace where there are also children.
Plants for tubs
Container plants are usually cultivated for several years. They get bigger and bigger over time and become even more attractive. But as beautiful as they decorate a hot terrace in summer, they can cause us concern in autumn. Because frost-sensitive plants cannot stay there. Therefore, ask yourself before buying whether they can offer you suitable winter quarters.
Dipladenia - Mandevilla
Dipladenia is a climbing plant that needs a climbing aid in the bucket. It is perennial with appropriate overwintering, but is usually cultivated here for one year. The funnel-shaped flowers can be yellow, white, pink or red, depending on the variety. It is already in full bloom in May and does not stop blooming until the first frost. She likes warmth and light, so a sunny terrace is a good summer home for her.
Triplet Flower - Bougainvillea
We encounter the bougainvillea outdoors in southern countries, where it sometimes grows as an impressively large climbing shrub. In this country it has to stay in the bucket. The three-leaved inflorescence gave it the name triple flower. The flowers can be white, yellow, orange, or red. With good care, the plant only allows itself short breaks and keeps adding new flowers. It is particularly important to cut back your shoots again and again. It is also hungry for nutrients and needs water in the morning and in the evening on hot days.
Oleander - Nerium oleander
A sunny and hot terrace guarantees lots of flowers. That is why oleander is one of the most popular container plants for sun terraces. Over the years it becomes bigger and more beautiful, conjuring up a Mediterranean flair with its mostly white or pink flowers. Its flowering time is summer, from June to September.
Tip: Carefully pluck off dead flowers, do not use scissors. The plants for the next season's flowers are already at the tips of the umbels. You shouldn't get hurt.
Palm trees
If you have enough space on the sun terrace, you can also grab a palm tree. You couldn't get more of that holiday feeling. But although we associate palm trees with sunny vacation spots, not every species is suitable for a sunny and hot terrace. The problem usually lies in the air that is too dry. You are on the safe side with the robust date palm, which tolerates dry heat well. If another type of palm is visually more appealing to you, you should definitely consider its needs before buying. Otherwise the pleasure will be short-lived.
African Lily - Agapanthus
Black-eyed Susan - Thunbergia alata
This climber prefers a location in full sun. A hot roof terrace will be able to offer you just such a feel-good place. Only rainy summers can reduce the abundance of flowers. The flowers each have a black point in the middle, which explains the unusual naming. They are typically yellow-orange, but white varieties are also available. This sun worshiper can be preferred on a window sill made from seeds from February.
Bush Marguerites - Argyranthemum
This bushy plant is one of the most popular container plants. From May onwards, simple white flowers with a yellow center form at the tips of the numerous branches. They look like oversized daisies. In the meantime, however, numerous hybrid varieties are available that also bloom in different colors or double. The brilliant white of the flowers can also be seen at dusk. The shrub marguerite also exudes an intense scent.
Convertible rose - Lantana camara
The changing rose offers us a play of colors. The flowers that appear in May are initially yellow and then turn to orange. In autumn they can turn an intense red color. The plant can be raised as a shrub or a standard stem. As beautiful as the plant is, it is too dangerous for a toddler household. Heavily poisonous substances lie dormant inside.
Citrus plants - citrus
Citrus plants provide edible fruits and are grown in large numbers in Mediterranean countries for this reason. We are more interested in their ornamental value, although every owner is also happy about usable fruits. But the shiny foliage and the fragrant flowers alone beautify any sunny terrace. The most popular citrus plants in this country are:
- Lemon trees
- Lime trees
- Orange trees
Cylinder cleaner - Callistemon citrinus
This plant is not a common sight among the container plants. The flower shape of the five to ten centimeter long inflorescences resembles a bottle brush. But they are incomparably more beautiful to look at and also bright red. A great contrast to the green foliage. The reason why cylinder cleaner should live on a hot roof terrace is due to his preference for direct sunshine. The plant then develops splendidly, but also belongs to container plants that constantly need water.
Vegetables and sweet fruits
In times of climate change, everyone is talking about urban gardening. Vegetables and fruit are successfully grown on the smallest of areas in the middle of settlement areas. A sunny, hot terrace is ideal for this. Because almost all edible plants need sun to produce a lot of ripe fruits. You can therefore equip a free bucket with the following plants instead of a pure flower plant:
- tomatoes
- paprika
- Eggplant
- Zucchinis
- Runner beans
- Strawberries
- small raspberry varieties
Tip: Herbs such as basil, thyme, sage, rosemary, oregano and lavender are also ideal for a sun terrace. They bloom and smell wonderful and can also enrich our dishes every day.
