Despite having a global reputation for being a rainy island, Britain can be surprisingly dry, especially the east coast and south east corner of England. For example, London gets less annual rainfall than Rome and Cape Town! Gardenis sells a range of water butts, to help you save rainwater, and use it later to water your plants on dry days. Choosing drought tolerant plants can also help reduce the amount of water you need to use to keep your garden looking great. Here's some garden plants that are considered drought tolerant.
Trees
Fig – A small tree that produces edible fruit and thrives in dry, sunny spots.
New Zealand Cabbage Tree – Tall and architectural with strap-like leaves, perfect for adding height.
Eucalyptus – Fast-growing with fragrant, silvery-blue leaves; very drought-tolerant.
Cherry Plum – A small tree with white or pink flowers, tough in dry conditions.
Shrubs
Lavender – Fragrant purple flowers that bees love; thrives in full sun and well-drained soil.
Buddleia (Butterfly Bush) – Attracts butterflies and bees; does well in dry, sunny borders.
Choisya ‘White Dazzler’ – An evergreen shrub with glossy leaves and white flowers.
Mexican Orange Blossom – Similar to ‘White Dazzler’ but with a lovely citrus scent.
Box – A compact, evergreen shrub, great for hedging and topiary.
Nandina (Heavenly Bamboo) – A tough, evergreen shrub with colourful foliage.
Sea Buckthorn – Silvery leaves and bright orange berries; thrives in poor, dry soil.
Rock Rose – A drought-loving shrub with papery flowers.
Convolvulus – Silver foliage and white flowers; ideal for dry, sunny spots.
Heather – A low-growing, evergreen shrub with tiny flowers; loves acidic soil.
Perennials
Salvia ‘Amistad – Deep purple flowers that pollinators adore.
Salvia ‘Peach Melba’ – Peach-coloured blooms that thrive in dry conditions.
Verbena bonariensis – Tall, airy stems with purple flowers; self-seeds easily.
Erigeron ‘Profusion' – Daisy-like white flowers that do well in dry soil.
Gaura ‘The Bride’ – Delicate white flowers on wiry stems.
Yarrow – Fern-like foliage with flat-topped flowers in pink, yellow, or white.
Coneflower (Echinacea) – Purple-pink daisy-like flowers; tough and long-lasting.
Sedum (Stonecrop) – Succulent-like foliage with pink or white flower clusters.
Bearded Iris – Sword-like leaves and striking, colourful flowers.
Catmint – Silvery-green leaves with lavender-blue flowers.
Sea Holly – Spiky blue or white flowers; thrives in dry, sandy soil.
Agapanthus ‘Silver Baby’ – A compact variety with silvery leaves and blue flowers.
Anchusa – Bristly foliage with bright blue flowers.
Geums – Colourful flowers in shades of orange, red, or yellow.
Hardy Geraniums – Many varieties, like ‘Rozanne’, tolerate drought well.
Thrift – Pink pom-pom flowers; perfect for coastal or dry gardens.
Climbers
Russian Sage – Silvery foliage with lavender-blue flowers, great for sunny walls.
Native & Coastal Plants
Sea Poppy – Bright yellow flowers; thrives in coastal dry soils.
Sea Thrift – Compact perennial with pink pom-pom flowers, ideal for coastal gardens.
Annuals
Love-in-a-Mist – Self-seeds easily; blue or white flowers.
California Poppy – Bright orange or yellow flowers; thrives in poor soil.
Snapdragon – Tall spikes of flowers in many colours; drought-tolerant once established.
Succulents (for pots or rock gardens)
Hens & Chicks – Rosette-forming succulents; ideal for dry, sunny spots.
Echeveria – Rosette-shaped succulents with pastel-coloured leaves.
Water Butts - small water butts, large water butts, water butt planters and wall mounted – Gardenis.co.uk
Photo by Kai Vu on Unsplash
Drought tolerant plants for your garden
Despite having a global reputation for being a rainy island, Britain can be surprisingly dry, especially the east coast and south east corner of England. For example, London gets less annual rainfall than Rome and Cape Town! Gardenis sells a range of water butts, to help you save rainwater, and use it later to water your plants on dry days. Choosing drought tolerant plants can also help reduce the amount of water you need to use to keep your garden looking great. Here's some garden plants that are considered drought tolerant.
Trees
Fig – A small tree that produces edible fruit and thrives in dry, sunny spots.
New Zealand Cabbage Tree – Tall and architectural with strap-like leaves, perfect for adding height.
Eucalyptus – Fast-growing with fragrant, silvery-blue leaves; very drought-tolerant.
Cherry Plum – A small tree with white or pink flowers, tough in dry conditions.
Shrubs
Lavender – Fragrant purple flowers that bees love; thrives in full sun and well-drained soil.
Buddleia (Butterfly Bush) – Attracts butterflies and bees; does well in dry, sunny borders.
Choisya ‘White Dazzler’ – An evergreen shrub with glossy leaves and white flowers.
Mexican Orange Blossom – Similar to ‘White Dazzler’ but with a lovely citrus scent.
Box – A compact, evergreen shrub, great for hedging and topiary.
Nandina (Heavenly Bamboo) – A tough, evergreen shrub with colourful foliage.
Sea Buckthorn – Silvery leaves and bright orange berries; thrives in poor, dry soil.
Rock Rose – A drought-loving shrub with papery flowers.
Convolvulus – Silver foliage and white flowers; ideal for dry, sunny spots.
Heather – A low-growing, evergreen shrub with tiny flowers; loves acidic soil.
Perennials
Salvia ‘Amistad – Deep purple flowers that pollinators adore.
Salvia ‘Peach Melba’ – Peach-coloured blooms that thrive in dry conditions.
Verbena bonariensis – Tall, airy stems with purple flowers; self-seeds easily.
Erigeron ‘Profusion' – Daisy-like white flowers that do well in dry soil.
Gaura ‘The Bride’ – Delicate white flowers on wiry stems.
Yarrow – Fern-like foliage with flat-topped flowers in pink, yellow, or white.
Coneflower (Echinacea) – Purple-pink daisy-like flowers; tough and long-lasting.
Sedum (Stonecrop) – Succulent-like foliage with pink or white flower clusters.
Bearded Iris – Sword-like leaves and striking, colourful flowers.
Catmint – Silvery-green leaves with lavender-blue flowers.
Sea Holly – Spiky blue or white flowers; thrives in dry, sandy soil.
Agapanthus ‘Silver Baby’ – A compact variety with silvery leaves and blue flowers.
Anchusa – Bristly foliage with bright blue flowers.
Geums – Colourful flowers in shades of orange, red, or yellow.
Hardy Geraniums – Many varieties, like ‘Rozanne’, tolerate drought well.
Thrift – Pink pom-pom flowers; perfect for coastal or dry gardens.
Climbers
Russian Sage – Silvery foliage with lavender-blue flowers, great for sunny walls.
Native & Coastal Plants
Sea Poppy – Bright yellow flowers; thrives in coastal dry soils.
Sea Thrift – Compact perennial with pink pom-pom flowers, ideal for coastal gardens.
Annuals
Love-in-a-Mist – Self-seeds easily; blue or white flowers.
California Poppy – Bright orange or yellow flowers; thrives in poor soil.
Snapdragon – Tall spikes of flowers in many colours; drought-tolerant once established.
Succulents (for pots or rock gardens)
Hens & Chicks – Rosette-forming succulents; ideal for dry, sunny spots.
Echeveria – Rosette-shaped succulents with pastel-coloured leaves.
Water Butts - small water butts, large water butts, water butt planters and wall mounted – Gardenis.co.uk
Photo by Kai Vu on Unsplash