There are many many plants that do well in zone 9 - even in full sun. But you will have trouble keeping everything in pots because it will take watering at least once a day. Some will need watering twice a day, expecially if they are in small pots. Using water-gel crystals in your potting mix will help but won't solve the problem. Clay pots are prettier but moisture evaporates quicker so you may want to set clay pots, if that's what you have, inside a plastic pot or wrap the clay pot with something that will help keep the sun off the sides of the pot. Mounding up mulch around them helps.

You mentioned that your snaps have faded. I think you'll find that most annuals can't handle full sun in summer unless they are in the ground or in a large pot. Even there they will prefer some afternoon shade. They'll want daily watering too so they'll need your help on days when it doesn't rain. Annual's roots don't usually go as deep as most perennials so they get their moisture from closer to the surface. As it dries out from the heat, they suffer.

For the Passion vine, try mixing in some of the gel crystals, then mulching it heavily. That should help keep the soil from drying out.

Hope this helps a little,
Kate

One thing that can be a fun way to find this out is to look through a shelf of FL gardening books in the library or bookstore. Not everything in those books will grow in your climate, but you'll find a ton of ideas.

As to summer here, well....it's about like winter up north. Things just need to hibernate or take a break. You may notice many things around you that are still heat-loving, but you'll also notice most people's yard are looking tired. I wish it would RAIN!!

--Shelbey

I created my main garden in an area that gets afternoon shade. I can grow almost anything there even things that don't prefer our summer heat. I just amend the soil well and mulch. For full sun, I grow roses, salvias, pentas, verbena, vinca, plumbago, ornamental grasses (muhly grass provides nice color when everything else seems very tired), even low growing lantana which is overused but still pretty and so tough!
I agree with the advice about pots though. I hate growing things in pots...tooo much work. The one exception to that is pelargoniums which like it dry and succulents.
Theresa

i agree completely with all of theresa's choices... i'd add zinnias, which just love this weather, tho you must find ones that are resistant to fungal issues. just throwing out some things that are colorful and do well this time of the year that theresa didn't name:
1) jatrophas
2) milkweed
3) sunroses (ice plants)
4) coleus of all sorts
5) firecracker plant

take advantage of your afternoon shade. keep things well mulched. consider a micro-sprinkler system. be patient, we get a second spring in november...

we're neighbors -- i'm in deland. poke around my blog, looking under the hot weather months (on the right-hand sidebar) -- i have pics of things that bloom well in our area.

Here is a link that might be useful: gardening in central florida

Other great plants for container gardens, in the summertime, are:

plumbago
angelonia
vinca (periwinkle)
bulbine
agaves
crown of thorns
ice plant
lantana
succulents
kalanchoe thrysiflora
copperplant
ti plant (black magic!)
croton
chenille plant
joseph's coat "party time"
....

I love my geraniums and they love pots!I love zinnias also but have them in the beds.{{gwi:905115}}
Desert Rose are super simple but heavy feeders
{{gwi:165042}}
These have filled in beautifully since this shot of caladiums and Ragin Cajun Ruellias{{gwi:151750}}

The following are bloomin and thriving right now in my yard and they get the blistering afternoon sun:

Monarda punctata
Porterweeds
Mexican sunflower- dwarf
plumeria
African blue basil
Rosemary
Fennel
Gerberas
Beautyberry
Thunbergia erecta
Pentas
blue pea vine, clitoria ternata
salvias/sages
hibiscus
cannas

I am in North Florida, Jacksonville, but I still feel the heat. I agree witht he Pentas and Plumbago. My Plumago is in full sun and does not get much water, except when it rains. Daylilies also do wel.. But I do have a question. I see that Gerberas and Hibiscus mentioned. I have both in full sun, but the leaves wilt in the middle (heat) of the day. If I water them the bounce back, or at night/ early morning they will be fine. Is this normal. I water the Hibiscus every other day and by Gerberas are in post, the soil is till moist, not dry.

Some plants do that midday as protection

oh -- i'll add burgmansia and datura. they look best when the rest of garden looks bad. you'll have to get them as passalongs, tho, since i've never seen them for sale at garden centers.

Oh our big stores carry Brugs complete with flowers! I watched as people walked by fondling the flowers and tried to talk sense into the managers but no luck.