I've also got a south facing bed with an overhang above. What has worked well for me are juniper (sky rocket and Calgary carpet), mugo pine, and little leaf lilac for shrubs. For perennials, gas plants (dictamnus albus), iris', daylilies, prickly pear cactus and roses do well. Clematis also does well here, with the roots shaded of course. I've also got ornamental alliums, tulips and daffodils for bulbs as well as foxtail lily.
Other perennials that should do well there are globe thistle (echinops ritro) which gets about 4' tall and is a very striking plant; baby's breath and lilies should do ok too.
Whatever you decide on to plant, just remember to mulch heavily. That's the only way I was able to get things established in my south bed, before I started this bed, even the grass wouldn't grow there.
Good luck,
Laurie

Yes, I have this, too. Problems with a south facing flower bed against the foundation like that is the snow comes off early, ground warms and growth starts earlier than anywhere else, and then growth can get nipped by frost. And, of course, extreme heat and that kind of area dries out so quick. Then, you get thru all that and the plants bloom round about the time the extreme heat hits, and those blooms fizzle out just as quick as anything. South facing beds up against a wall with no shade can be a tough place to garden.

Having said that, and in addition to Laurie's suggestions, I think Shasta Daisies should do well, Achillea 'The Pearl' (a little invasive), the yellow perennial Potentilla (cinquefoil), Artemesia, Liatris, Frosty Morn sedum (white/green variegated) and Lemon Twist sedum (yellow/green variegated). If you'd like some contrast, Blue Queen Salvia would excel in those conditions.

Then again, this could be an excellent place for zone pushing. (I'd suggest an ornamental grass, but I don't want to start sounding repetetive, LOL).

Maybe we all have this frying pan area LOL - mine is mostly full of irises. In addition to previously mentioned... Columbines do well for me. You could grow yarrow if you like the nasty stuff. Hollyhocks. I know you are looking for perennials but sunflowers and portulaca if you need filler. Glads if you don't mind digging them up.

I'm not sure I would plant roses anywhere that dry. My Grandma had a really big Climbing Blaze in this spot for some years but then it suddenly died. She was a career homemaker and had all day to water it.

I have an even worse problem in that I have less room between the house & sidewalk so I have to think if things are going to hang out over the sidewalk.

Verbascum bombyciferum Giant Silver Mullein, nice soft Lamb Ear's like leaves and soft yellow flowers the second year, drought tolerant once established.

Sharon

Here is a link that might be useful: Verbascum bombyciferum

The hot sunny side of the house seems to be a common problem. What I have planted there are brandon cedar, hetz midget cedar which need supplemental watering and wrapping for winter, especially against the south side of the house. They might not be such a good choice if you are in Alberta, due to chinooks.

I also have pink beauty potentilla which is a bit smaller than others. The blooms often turn whitish due to the heat and dry.

Also have a variegated upright sedum, purple coneflower, some type of small variegated grass, lilies, some gold spirea, Winnipeg parks rose, and even clematis. Clematis is lucky in that he's at the side of the bed by the front steps and sometimes gets a bit more rain than the others.

I do water really well every 7 to 10 days during the growing season. My coneflower seems to be the first plant to droop if it's really drying out in that spot. Then I quickly rush water. Still, despite how terrible that sounds, everything's done really well.

If I may make a suggestion, I think a trellis with vine, or tall upright plant (like the skyrocket juniper Laurie mentioned) or a couple of these might look good there. That way you aren't just looking at a bare wall. Maybe a caragana standard?

Iris' seem like a great suggestion, maybe plant something like silver mound and small gold spirea shrubs close to them to get different leaf textures and color. Maybe a yucca filamentosa or yucca glauca would love that area?

I guess all you can do is try things that you think are somewhat drought resistant and, if they just sulk in that spot, be prepared to move them.

Glen

Wow, you guys are great! I see that I am in good company and not alone with this issue! LOL

Thanks for the suggestions -- I'll have some fun now "goooogling" all the names and coming up with a "plan" for next year. So many great suggestions here and I already know that I'll be putting a mix of plants that have been suggested!

Glen, I love the idea of a trellis.

Laurie, good point about adding extra mulch! 8^)

Ang

I, too, have a similar situation. I second all the choices above (particularly Glen's suggestion re: vines or some other tall plant/structure to add interest to a bare wall). When I heard that peonies could thrive, even in abandoned prairie farms, I added one to that south-facing bed with the overhang. It is doing great, and it blooms far earlier than the same variety growing out in the garden.

In the same bed, I have Munstead lavender (plants bought at the garden centre have died, but plants started from seed have survived at least 7 years, if not more), Sea Holly, Salvia 'Blue Queen' and Gaillardia. I know these last plants are not white or soft yellow. You might find that you want to add some strong colours as contrast and to balance the colour of your brick wall.

Have fun planning your flower bed!
Doris

Ang, I had a bed almost like yours, between the wall and sidewalk, at my old house. This was where I found that the oriental lilies thrived. My dryer vent came out of that wall, which maybe helped. But I did not mulch them in the winter and they came back fine every year. Worth a try. Some great suggestions in the above posts, too.

Shauna

Shauna, you've convinced me. That's where I'm going to plant the 6 oriental lilies I have in pots. I've tried them in other areas of the yard and lost them all. I'm off to get my shovel......
Laurie

Wow, that was easy! LOL Like Pudge said, tho, you have to watch them a bit in the spring for late frosts. That's what happened to mine this year that I just planted. I got them in the ground and they got zapped. However, they are doing really well underground - 1 accidently got dug last week. Lots of bulblets and roots. They are on the south side of our fence. I'll probably mulch this year just because I'm not sure of the protection there, yet. It isn't close to the house like the old bed.

Shauna

More great suggestions! 8^)

Doris, I like your colourful suggestions as well! I do LOVE colour!

I do have some strong colours at the front of this bed. I've got red, pink, purple and black columbines that bloomed early in the season. Also I've got some irises (newly transplanted this year -- a medium purple I think). I have some blue balloon flowers that are already done blooming. A delphinium (colour?? winter-sown this spring, hopefully survives the winter), the blackberry lily, and the iceland poppies. OK, it SOUNDS really full, but sure doesn't LOOK that way! LOL

I'm starting to picture some sort of rustic trellis!

Okay... your yellow and whites

Plants in the back.

Large flowering Daffodils
Black Eyed Susans
Ratibida Coumifera
White Swan Echinacea
Gaillardia Summer's Kiss
Gypsophila paniculata

Plants in the front.

Dead Nettle Lamium
Crocus Flavus (Yellow Mamoth Crocus)
Minnow Daffodils
Cerastium biebersteinii
Yellow Violas

It's always fun to "decorate" other people's places. I love going for walks and looking at people's yards. Part of me thinks "I like that" or part of me thinks "if I were them I would do this..."

Then part of me is also shocked, such as seeing a hedge of spruce trees right against the foundation of a house. No word of a lie, they were in the tiny 'strip' flower bed right against the house and had been trimmed to keep from growing too tall. That was my "what were they thinking" response, lol.

Glen

I have to add that I would add some of the more tender lilies. Trumpet lilies and oriental lilies. Of course along with some of the others mentioned here. I would also put a soaker hose down for watering. Once the plants fill in you won't even see it.

Sierra

I sure am going to have fun planning this bed all winter! More great suggestions to look up. Thank you!

Lilies are going on my list Sierra! Especially after "oohing" and "aahing" over everyone's wonderful lilies in the weekly update threads.

I've been thinking about the soaker hose too. Mentioned it to DH earlier this year. Definately worth further investigating (ie, planning how to get them through all the beds!)

Glen, I do that too! MY DD & I love to go on our "Garden Walks" as we call them. At nights we decide which way to walk based on which gardens we want to see again or see the progress being made. Or just to compare how my stuff is doing compared to others in the neighbourhood! "Ok, it must be the weather this year. Look their's is doing the same thing as mine. Phew, I feel better now." LOL