curbside plant suggestions?

I'm building streetside planter boxes in nyc but i'm having trouble selecting good plants. heartiness is paramount.

i've had luck with ornamental grasses and lavender hasn't done so well but i'm going to try it again.

ideas?

Anything heat-loving and plants that don't require much water. I'd look up praire plants, I know there's a prarie nursery in the US with a great website and a list, but I don't remember the name. Try google There are lot's of flowers you could use, like Echinaea varieties for example.

at least here in new york its a bit more complicated than that. the plants get a lot of heat during the day from the surrounding concrete and asphalt but they should be hearty through our winters. also, while the soil dries out quickly we do get a lot of rain.

i'm hoping to start a good discussion and hear what solutions have worked for people.

Well, that sounds just like southern Sweden where I live, and those flowers work fine here

You could also try placing your planter boxes in more shady spots and go for some forest perennials (ferns, hosta, anemone). Maby try placing the planters under a gutter drain.