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Can you tell me (as I am moving to a very hot and dry climate), is it direct sun or heat that kills the plants?
I was thinking of making a couple of nice corner gardens with a good looking "material type" roof.
Do you think that, that might help plants survive in such a harsh climate?
Somedays can be up to 40 degree's and some night can be down to 9 degree's.
I am trying to find a medium to help my plants survive as all I have in the backyard is one lge tree in which I could make a nice garden.
But I would like more than one garden as it is my daily relief as I am on a Disability Pension and don't go out very much due to it.
Both heat and direct sun can be bad for plants--it all depends on that individual plant's tolerance. Some plants are not happy with hot temperatures and wouldn't do well in a hotter summer climate even if you give them shade, but other plants will be fine but may need a little bit more shade than you would give them in your current climate. And you may have other plants that will do just fine with the same amount of sun you have now because they really thrive in heat & sun. I think your current area is probably warm enough in the summer that you already can't grow things that really want cool summer temps, so from a temperature/sun standpoint I think most of your plants would be OK except for maybe needing a pinch more shade.
Are you currently in an area that has fairly high humidity? If that's the case, then you'll also have to consider the change from higher humidity to low humidity--that will also change some of the types of plants you can grow.
Do you have a list of some of the plants that you're worried about? My winters are colder than yours will be, but the summers sound similar so if plants do well here in the summer they'd probably do well in your new home as well.
If you want more ideas, check out my current garden journal http://davesgarden.com/community/journals/sj/ecrane3/2059/ Don't look at the categories called tropicals, those are often on a more shaded deck and go in the GH for the winter, plus since they're in containers I'll often grow things that need more water than is ideal for things in the garden bed. But in the other categories, check for things particularly where the location is lists as one of the backyard terraces, those are the beds that are always in sun.
