what to plant in the warm spot of a garden in a late frost prone area (zone 6).

I am so confused...
I have a warm south facing concrete wall I would like to espalier fruit trees to.
I keep reading conflicting advice about what should go there though.
Will planting a hardy peach there (or a hardy fig or whatever) be good because of the heat or bad because of the possibility of promoting early blooms that are then frozen in a late frost?
Or are you just supposed to plant there and then wrap it up or something in the event of a late frost?
Many thanks in advance...

Oh.... I forgot to mention that I would be planting IN the top of the wall in a 20 inch crevice that is very deep and wide so the roots will be warmed as well.

I would say bad for an early blooming fruit tree like peach or apricot. Right now I am coaching my apricots to wait just another couple days to bloom. A warm microclimate, and they would be toast.

I would think something like melons or peppers, that you can control when they go out in spring, and then would benefit from the warm wall all summer and fall.

If you really wanted a perennial, I might consider a persimmon, which blooms late and ripens fruit late. I think it would be better suited to your situation.

good luck!

Ahhh. An annual. Didn't think of putting annuals there. So any late blooming perennial should be ok there? What else is late blooming? I ordered a hardy Chicago fig.I wonder if that is late enough?

I am also in southern New England. And the Chicago Hardy Fig is late enough.
Try some Mascadine Florida Grapes too. My Maypop passionfruit pretty much comes out July 1st so try that too.

While the Mediterranean early blooming Prunus family might not work. It will be fine for apples/pear etc.

thank you! I have a maypop on the way. So, should all prunus family trees be protected from early frosts by shady places and north faces? Will my almond tree also need this or just the peach and cherry? I have east and west walls that I thought about using espaliers on. would those be better for the prunus family? Or are those still problematic (too warm still?). I apologize if these are elementary questions....Google hasn't been very helpful on this.

West Wall: figs, Asian persimmons, maypop
South wall: apples, pear, peach (my peach tree produce 10x too many flowers so if 90% dies due to clod, you would have just the right amount)

I not have an almond tree because I have not been able to find one that has a mature height of 10ft or less.
I did find Russian Almond but the only vendor who is selling an improved cultivar is in Canada and they dont ship to USA.

I ordered the "all in one almond" from stark bros.(usa) It matures to 12-15 feet.

Hi Katherine,
I have the same question about planting stone fruits against the heat of a wall/driveway/street. Did you find whether the heat ultimately provides localized protection for the flowers to get through the cold, or whether it ultimately destroys more flowers by pushing the tree to bloom? It would be so nice to predict this.