Choosing drought-resistant plants

Gardening with less water

Hot summers are becoming the norm. The watering can runs dry more often and hosepipe bans arrive earlier each year. Fortunately, plenty of plants love drought, or at least handle it effortlessly. With the right plant choices you create a garden that looks fantastic even after weeks without rain. Garden centres expand their drought-tolerant range every season.

With GardenWorld you can preview how plants will look in your actual garden. Put together a drought-tolerant planting plan and view the result on screen.

Why do some plants survive drought?

Plants adapt to drought in different ways. Some have thick, fleshy leaves that store water (succulents). Others have silvery or hairy foliage that reduces evaporation (lavender, lamb's ears). Still others develop extremely deep roots that tap moisture from lower soil layers (prairie grasses).

A common thread: they often originate from Mediterranean, steppe or prairie climates. That makes them perfect for our increasingly warm and dry summers.

Top drought-resistant perennials

Sedum (stonecrop) is the drought champion. From low creeping forms to tall flowering types, there's a sedum for every spot. 'Herbstfreude' reaches 50 centimetres and blooms rosy-brown in autumn. Bees adore it.

Echinacea (coneflower) combines drought tolerance with months of bloom. Cone-shaped flowers in pink, white or orange attract butterflies. Reaches 80 centimetres.

Perovskia (Russian sage) forms a cloud of lavender-blue above silver-grey foliage. Grows to one metre and flowers July to September. Pairs perfectly with ornamental grasses.

Stachys byzantina (lamb's ears) offers silver-grey, velvety leaves that contrast beautifully. Reaches 30 centimetres and makes an excellent ground cover.

Verbena bonariensis shoots up to 150 centimetres on slender stems topped with purple flower clusters. Self-seeds freely for a light, naturalistic effect.

Drought-tolerant ornamental grasses

Ornamental grasses and drought go hand in hand. Stipa tenuissima (Mexican feather grass) sways in the slightest breeze and survives weeks without water. Festuca glauca (blue fescue) forms compact blue tussocks. Panicum virgatum offers autumn colour and sturdy structure.

Combine grasses with flowering perennials for a prairie style that demands little water and stays interesting all year.

Shrubs that handle drought

Lavender is the classic. Flowers purple from June to August and smells glorious. Prune back to young wood after flowering.

Cistus (rock rose) forms a compact shrub with papery flowers in white or pink. Loves poor, dry soil.

Caryopteris (blue spirea) blooms a striking blue in late summer when many other shrubs have finished. Reaches 80 centimetres.

Tips for a drought-resistant garden

Improvement starts with the soil. Work grit or lava rock into heavy clay for better drainage. On sandy soil, add compost to slightly boost water retention, but don't overdo it. Drought-tolerant plants hate wet feet.

Mulch with gravel or stone chippings rather than bark. Mineral mulch warms the soil and keeps the crown dry, which these plants prefer.

Group plants with similar water needs together. That prevents watering the entire garden when only one corner needs it.

Water-saving strategy

Water new plantings regularly in the first year so they root deeply. After that, most species manage on rainfall alone. If you do water, do it in the evening and soak the soil thoroughly rather than a little each day.

Common mistakes

Overly rich soil is, surprisingly, a problem. Mediterranean drought plants grow in poor ground. Feed them too much and they become floppy and disease-prone.

A second mistake is planting in too much shade. Most drought-tolerant species want full sun. In shade they underperform.

Curious what a drought-resistant garden looks like? Design one at gardenworld.app and save water without sacrificing beauty.