May I suggest.. plant some tall ornamental grasses. even in the middle of a hay field with no shade July, the soil stays cool. Most heat loving plants have issues with their ROOT temperatures more than the air temperature. If you do not like grasses, you can still use them as a nurse crop for a few years until the desired shrub is big and strong enough to handle the harsh conditions. The grasses should buffer the heat, and offer wind protection, and by doing that, they will help conserve moisture in that bed. Just make sure that even after the grasses are not there, you keep an underplanting to keep the roots cool. My dad has the same problem (a south facing concrete porch), and some good ground covers are Petunias (but only if the wind is not too bad low to the ground), they love heat, and lamb's ear... which for him has become a weed. It started in a 4 inch pot and has spread to cover a large area. Also many old world herbs are used to dry, hot conditionds. But I think you would do best with daisies or grasses. and there are some very nice ornamental grasses around. and the effect of the wind on them would be quite beautiful! Hope this helps.

I have a similar situation and am trying Arctostaphyllos x coloradensis, a broad leaf evergreen from High Country Gardens. I just put it in and it's a new enough shrub that no one on the shrub forum had any experience with it at all, but it looks interesting and seemed worth the try. BTW, I have sandy, fast draining soil--probably important for this plant.

I've moved into a new house with a hot dry area next to the front porch. It looks like a good place for the grasses that Vernonia recommended. Does anyone have any other success stories?