Top Heat-Tolerant Plants for August Gardens That Thrive in the Sun

By the time August rolls around, many gardens are starting to look a little… tired. Long stretches of sun and heat along with minimal rainfall can leave plants wilting and blooms fading, but there are plenty of tough, beautiful choices that actually thrive in these conditions. If you’re looking to refresh your containers, add to your borders, or simply inject a little late-summer energy into your garden, here are some of my favorite heat-tolerant plants for August gardens that will keep looking fabulous well into fall.

Assorted sedums fill these wall-mounted planters and survive mostly on rainfall (and occasional sprays from the hose)

Sedums - Your Heat-Tolerant Heroes

I love filling pots with assorted sedums and succulents and peppering them around a patio. They have such a distinct, other-worldly look to them that I find irresistible. The bonus is that you essentially don't have to water them.

Sedums are the ultimate low-maintenance summer performers. Their succulent leaves store water, making them incredibly drought tolerant, and they burst into bloom just when you need the color most. Varieties like Autumn Joy offer soft pink flower heads that deepen to russet as the season progresses.

Festuca glauca (Blue Fescue)

The fine foliage of blue fescue is best enjoyed at the edge of a border. These grasses are incredibly tough and evergreen to boot!

This compact ornamental grass brings a cool pop of silvery-blue foliage that pairs beautifully with bolder summer colors. It’s drought-tolerant, loves full sun, and its fine texture adds instant sophistication to containers or borders.

Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage)

Profoundly tough and long-blooming. I use perovskia anywhere there's full sun, from my eastern border to NYC rooftop gardens. Can you spot the praying mantis in this one?

If you need a plant that laughs in the face of heat, perovskia is it. Airy spires of lavender-blue flowers sway above silvery foliage, attracting pollinators while providing weeks of color in the hottest part of summer and into the fall.

Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed)

I have asclepias tuberosa throughout my front yard borders and I love their long bloom times and lush, fluffy habit. Bonus points for supporting so many pollinators!

This North American native bursts with vivid orange blooms that butterflies - especially monarchs - can’t resist. It thrives in dry, sunny spots and adds a fiery, uplifting accent to any planting. I love their showy seedheads which gain a bit of color in autumn as well.

Mugo Pine (Pinus mugo)

I love using Mugo pines on sunny rooftops, patios, and terraces where it lends a subtle sculptural element to a garden - pair amidst lots of ornamental grasses for a contemporary look.

For evergreen structure that stands up to the heat, mugo pine is a winner. Its dense, compact form makes it ideal for small spaces or containers, and its deep green needles offer a cooling contrast to summer’s brighter tones.

Echinacea (Coneflower)

Most folks recognize this bright wildflower staple which thrives in hot sun conditions.

A heat- and drought-tolerant classic, echinacea offers weeks of blooms in shades of pink, purple, and even white or orange. It’s also a pollinator favorite and will keep bringing in butterflies and bees well into fall. Be sure to leave the seedheads for late season interest and food for the birds (goldfinches love these).

Gaura (Gaura lindheimeri)

I love the leggy, breeziness of gaura and often it pair it with ornamental grasses where they blend together beautifully.

For a light, airy touch, gaura’s delicate pink or white blooms dance above slender stems, adding movement and whimsy to late-summer plantings. With these resilient, sun-loving plants in your garden, you’ll have gorgeous color, structure, and texture no matter how high the mercury climbs.